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Fantasy Baseball Injury Stash Rankings: Freddy Peralta, Jesus Luzardo, Mitch Haniger (2022)

Fantasy Baseball Injury Stash Rankings: Freddy Peralta, Jesus Luzardo, Mitch Haniger (2022)

Since last week’s edition, we’ve had a measly two ‘graduations’ from our top-10 fantasy baseball players to stash right now, in the form of Yordan Alvarez and Tyler Mahle. That’s perfect real-life timing for Mahle, who could be on the move before the MLB Trade Deadline. But real life isn’t our focus…fantasy baseball life is!

As always, I will give you my top-10 fantasy baseball players to stash in this article, and then I’ll get into the weeds a bit at each position. We actually have a few starting pitchers on the upswing, so today is a good day.

Top-10 Players to Stash Right Now

1. Jacob deGrom (SP – NYM)
2. Rafael Devers (3B – BOS)
3. Mike Trout (OF – LAA)
4. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
5. Freddy Peralta (SP – MIL)
6. Trevor Story (2B, SS – BOS)
7. Jesus Luzardo (SP – MIA)
8. Mitch Haniger (OF – SEA)
9. Harrison Bader (OF – STL)
10. Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)

Jacob deGrom made his final rehab start yesterday and should return to the Mets rotation next week. Mike Trout got a cortisone shot and is nursing a left ribcage injury. Fernando Tatis Jr. is taking batting practice, a significant step that means he is on track to return this season to help his patient fantasy, baseball managers.

Peralta and Luzardo sound close to returning, so keep your focus on them. I nearly included Edward Cabrera inside the top 10, but he’s a little farther away than the other two. Mitch Haniger is a power bat to stash right now and a guy I’m personally rooting for.

Catcher

1 Salvador Perez (C – KC)
2 Francisco Mejia (C – TB)
2 Yadier Molina (C – STL)
3 Curt Casali (C – SF)
4 Ryan Jeffers (C – MIN)
5 James McCann (C, 1B – NYM)
6 Tyler Stephenson (C, 1B – CIN)

Perez and Molina are entering the rehab games phase, while Stephenson could be out the rest of the season, making for a risky stash. Mejia could only be shelved for about two weeks with a shoulder impingement.

First Base

1 Garrett Cooper (1B, OF – MIA)
2 Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)
3 Harold Ramirez (1B, OF – TB)
4 Jace Peterson (1B, 2B, 3B, OF – MIL)
5 Dominic Smith (1B, OF – NYM)
6 Edwin Rios (1B, 3B – LAD)

As usual, there isn’t much at this position to stash. Cooper and Yepez are the most exciting names. Hopefully, Cooper’s stint is short. Otherwise, I fear it will drag on as in years past.

Second Base

1. Trevor Story (2B, SS – BOS)
2. Jean Segura (2B – PHI)
3. Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA)
4. Chris Taylor (2B, 3B, SS, OF – LAD)
5. Ozzie Albies (2B – ATL)
6. Enrique Hernandez (2B, OF – BOS)
7. Jace Peterson (1B, 2B, 3B, OF – MIL)
8. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B, SS – MIA)
9. Nick Madrigal (2B – CHC)
10. David Fletcher (2B, SS – LAA)

Jean Segura is the ‘mover’ in the second base rankings. He’s eight weeks into a 10-12 week timeline and began rehab games this week. Jazz Chisholm Jr. now has a September timeline, and the Marlins are in the midst of a lost season. He makes for a risky stash, given that he may not return at all. In contrast, Ozzie Albies has a mid-August projection, and the Braves have every motivation to get him back onto the field.

Shortstop

1. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
2. Trevor Story (2B, SS – BOS)
3. Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
4. Chris Taylor (2B, 3B, SS, OF – LAD)
5. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B, SS – MIA)
6. Brandon Crawford (SS – SF)
7. David Fletcher (2B, SS – LAA)

There’s a clear-cut top three at this position, talent-wise. As far as timetables go, though, Chris Taylor is a guy you could potentially get help from sooner.

Third Base

1. Rafael Devers (3B – BOS)
2. Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
3. Jake Burger (3B – CWS)
4. Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA)
5. Evan Longoria (3B – SF)
6. Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)
7. Jace Peterson (1B, 2B, 3B, OF – MIL)
8. Edwin Rios (1B, 3B – LAD)
9. Brian Anderson (3B, OF – MIA)

Devers is the new addition since last week, and it’s a 10-day stint on the IL that we are hoping for. He has already missed five games, so hopefully, we get news next week that the rest has helped his hamstring enough for him to make his way back into our lineups. Franco is two weeks into a 5-8 week timeline. The middle of August feels too aggressive, but perhaps late August is reasonable. Burger was one of the better White Sox bats before his IL stint, and he started rehab games this week (yesterday). He could return next week sometime if all goes well.

Outfield

1 Mike Trout (OF – LAA)
2 Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
3 Luis Robert (OF – CWS)
4 Giancarlo Stanton (OF – NYY)
5 Mitch Haniger (OF – SEA)
6 Harrison Bader (OF – STL)
7 Bryce Harper (OF – PHI)
8 Oscar Gonzalez (OF – CLE)
9 Garrett Cooper (1B, OF – MIA)
10 Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)

Luis Robert is a big addition, and the outlook isn’t rosy. Unexplained lightheadedness and blurred vision sound scary. Here’s hoping that Robert and the White Sox team figure out just what is going on very soon. Giancarlo Stanton is four games into a 2-3 week timeline with left Achilles tendinitis, and the Yankees just added Andrew Benintendi. Working against him is the 11.5-game lead that New York has over Toronto in the AL East…working for him is the fact that he’s likely returning as a strict DH, with Beni-Judge-Hicks routinely manning the three outfield spots.

This past Monday marked one month since we’ve seen Bryce Harper (broken thumb) in a game. Given that he hasn’t had the pins removed and that process will be reevaluated on August 1, we could be looking at a late August timeline…one that feels a tad aggressive at the moment. If you’re looking for help in the near term, give the 24-year-old rookie from Cleveland a look. Oscar Gonzalez is currently on a rehab assignment and was slashing .285/.315/.431 upon his injury. In my opinion, he and Haniger represent the most exciting guys who are closest to returning.

Pitcher

1 Jacob deGrom (SP – NYM)
2 Freddy Peralta (SP – MIL)
3 Jesus Luzardo (SP – MIA)
4 Edward Cabrera (SP – MIA)
5 Lance McCullers Jr. (SP – HOU)
6 Dustin May (SP – LAD)
7 Luis Severino (SP – NYY)
8 Shane Baz (SP – TB)
9 MacKenzie Gore (SP – SD)
10 Dany Jimenez (RP – OAK)

According to the latest report, Jacob deGrom is slated to pitch next Tuesday against the Nationals. Get ready, gamers! Freddy Peralta is rehabbing but still building stamina. But he should be stashed firmly in all formats right now. Jesus Luzardo and Edward Cabrera fit the same mold–both are rehabbing and close to a return, but Luzardo is ahead of Cabrera and could return next week.

Lance McCullers Jr. finally made his first rehab start this week, tossing 52 pitches in three innings for Triple-A Sugar Land. This situation reads like another couple of rehab outings and a return sometime in mid-August. Let’s hope for no bumps in the road.

If you’re speculating for saves, Dany Jimenez makes for a great stash right now. With Lou Trivino likely on the move and Jimenez slated to begin his rehab tomorrow, this weekend will be the last time to add him for pennies.

I probably missed someone today. There are a lot of injuries, after all! Let me know if so. You can find me on the Twitter machine @HeathCapps. I’d love to discuss fantasy baseball anytime!


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