It’s time to be real, gamers. The last day of the MLB regular season is October 5, 2022. And that’s a partial week, just Monday through Wednesday. So the last full week of MLB action is September 26th through October 2nd. Basically, once October hits, the season is done. So we have to stop kidding ourselves that certain players are going to return and actually be useful to us. My injury stash rankings will reflect that truth.

As always, I’ll give you my top 10 guys to stash right now, and then I’ll dive into each position a little further. Hopefully, this helps someone make a playoff push because it sure is heavy digging through all of the injury news each week!

Top-10 Players to Stash Right Now

1. Julio Rodriguez (OF – SEA)
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
3. George Springer (OF – TOR)
4. Lance McCullers Jr. (SP – HOU)
5. Dustin May (SP – LAD)
6. Giancarlo Stanton (OF – NYY)
7. Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
8. Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA)
9. Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)
10. Manuel Margot (OF – TB)

These are exciting times, with Lance McCullers Jr. expected to make his return against the Oakland Athletics this weekend and Dustin May tabbed for just one more rehab start before getting the big league call. If you’re as desperate as I am for pitching help in some leagues, then congratulations on the good news. Besides the arms, the biggest pieces of news are Fernando Tatis Jr. playing in rehab games and Wander Franco slated to begin taking batting practice as soon as this Friday.

Giancarlo Stanton and Wander Franco don’t sound too far off from helping fantasy baseball teams, while the remaining three guys sound closer and could be helpful in some fashion very soon. I omitted some noteworthy names from the top 10, but it’s time to get real about some of these timelines, people. Let’s carry on to each position.

Catcher

1. Omar Narvaez (C – MIL)
2. Curt Casali (C – SEA)
3. Ryan Jeffers (C – MIN)
4. Tyler Stephenson (C, 1B – CIN)

The hope for Narvaez is a minimum stay on the IL, which would mean a return on August 14th. Jeffers’ best-case scenario would be returning in three more weeks, and that would be to a timeshare with Gary Sanchez.

Tyler Stephenson fractured his collarbone and is likely done for the season. He could potentially return for the final two weeks of the year, but there’s no need for the Reds to rush him given that their season is lost.

First Base

1. Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)
2. Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
3. Harold Ramirez (1B, OF – TB)
4. Edwin Rios (1B, 3B – LAD)
5. Jace Peterson (1B, 2B, 3B, OF – MIL)
6. Brian Anderson (3B, OF – MIA)
7. Mike Moustakas (1B, 3B – CIN)
8. Dominic Smith (1B, OF – NYM)
9. Miguel Sano (1B – MIN)

Yepez (forearm strain) began rehab games this week and is the crown jewel of this bunch, given that Kris Bryant is still in a walking boot and is without a timetable for a return. Sano has a slim chance to return this season. Matt Carpenter is not ranked here, as his timeline from a fractured left foot is six to eight weeks. Of course, he wants to return for New York’s postseason, but he’s not helping your fantasy baseball team again in 2022.

Second Base

1. Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA)
2. Trevor Story (2B, SS – BOS)
3. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B, SS – MIA)
4. Ozzie Albies (2B – ATL)
5. Enrique Hernandez (2B, OF – BOS)
6. Jace Peterson (1B, 2B, 3B, OF – MIL)

Jon Berti is the most exciting of this group, given that he could return as soon as the end of this week. For the three studs listed after Berti, at best, you’re hoping for a September return. Hernandez and Peterson have nearer timelines, but they would only be viable in the deepest of leagues.

Shortstop

1. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
2. Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
3. Trevor Story (2B, SS – BOS)
4. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B, SS – MIA)
5. Tim Anderson (SS – CWS)

Wander Franco could begin taking batting practice this Friday, and that’s actionable for our lists here. He should be considered well ahead of Trevor Story and other infielders like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ozzie Albies. As for Tim Anderson, the timeline is late September. He’s a safe drop in most formats.

Third Base

1. Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
2. Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA)
3. Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)
4. Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
5. Edwin Rios (1B, 3B – LAD)
6. Jace Peterson (1B, 2B, 3B, OF – MIL)
7. Brian Anderson (3B, OF – MIA)
8 Mike Moustakas (1B, 3B – CIN)

After the top three, you’re really hoping for some help. Kris Bryant is still in a boot, after all. Edwin Rios was playing well prior to his injury and is a quality stash in deep leagues.

Outfield

1. Julio Rodriguez (OF – SEA)
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
3. George Springer (OF – TOR)
4. Giancarlo Stanton (OF – NYY)
5. Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA)
6. Juan Yepez (1B, 3B, OF – STL)
7. Manuel Margot (OF – TB)
8. Austin Meadows (OF – DET)
9. Mike Trout (OF – LAA)
10. Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
11. Bryce Harper (OF – PHI)
12. Harrison Bader (OF – NYY)
13. Jorge Soler (OF – MIA)
14. Avisail Garcia (OF – MIA)
15. Harold Ramirez (OF – TB)

George Springer’s timeline is to miss the minimum, so he could return as soon as August 15. Mike Trout was taking dry swings but also meeting with a spine specialist…I’m beginning to lose hope there. And I need him desperately to try to hold onto the top spot in one of my 15-teamers. It’s tough right now.

Manuel Margot can return on August 20, and if you’re in need of speed, he’s a top add in the outfield right now. Austin Meadows began rehab games yesterday, and he’s a quality stash for power if he can actually make his way back to the struggling Tigers soon.

Pitcher

1. Lance McCullers Jr. (SP – HOU)
2. Dustin May (SP – LAD)
3. Joe Barlow (RP – TEX)
4. Tarik Skubal (SP – DET)
5. Michael Wacha (SP – BOS)
6. Ross Stripling (SP – TOR)
7. David Bednar (RP – PIT)
8. Jack Flaherty (SP – STL)
9. Trevor Rogers (SP – MIA)
10. James Paxton (SP – BOS)
11. Clayton Kershaw (SP – LAD)
12. Tanner Houck (RP – BOS)

This list is fairly but and dry. After the top two arms…good luck! Joe Barlow does sound close to returning and fared well as the stopper for Texas this year, so if you’re in need of saves, he’s the top stash. There’s some hope that Skubal just needs a little rest and nothing is really wrong, but the Tigers also don’t have a reason to rush him back.

In the near term, you could look to veterans like Wacha and Stripling, although it feels as if both have been fortunate so far in 2022. Flaherty and Paxton have good news recently, and Rogers is rehabbing. Again, this isn’t an exciting group after the top couple of spots.

That’s it for me this morning, gamers. I’m now sufficiently sad after combing through all of these injuries, so I hope this helped to jog someone’s memory somewhere. Hopefully, an injury stash or two can pay off for you in at least one of your leagues. Until next week, you can find me on Twitter @HeathCapps if you’d like to chat fantasy baseball!

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