Eric KarabellFeb 23, 2026, 02:15 PM ETCloseEric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of “The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments”.Follow on XMultiple Authors
New York Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole has been one of the top fantasy baseball pitching options since his 2013 debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His 153 career wins are eclipsed by only two active pitchers (Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer), and he boasts a career 3.17 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. But Cole, 35, sat out half of the 2024 season and all of 2025 after Tommy John surgery. He will aid neither the Yankees, nor fantasy managers when this season starts.
Francisco Lindor, SS, New York Mets: Lindor is more like a second-round pick than a top-10 option despite coming off his second 30-HR, 30-SB campaign. He had the same surgery as Carroll. Every player heals differently and, as with Carroll, it is certainly plausible that Lindor (who has appeared in at least 160 games three times in the last four seasons) will be ready for Opening Day, or quite soon thereafter.
Jackson Holliday, 2B, Baltimore Orioles: It isn’t quite an epidemic, but yes, Holliday also has a hamate injury that required surgery. The Orioles, unlike the Diamondbacks and Mets, have already announced that Holliday will start the season on the IL, but perhaps he will not miss enough time to scare off optimistic fantasy investors.
Josh Hader, RP, Houston Astros: Hader, saver of 28 or more wins for each of the past six full MLB seasons, is dealing with biceps inflammation. Houston is likely to act cautiously. Hader’s 2025 season ended early due to a left shoulder strain. Astros RHP setup man Bryan Abreu is an intriguing fantasy option. Also note that Tampa Bay Rays RHP Edwin Uceta, a closer candidate there, could miss time with shoulder issues.
Blake Snell, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Snell, who made only 11 starts last season as he dealt with shoulder issues, retains the same issues in 2026. Fantasy managers know the numbers are potentially elite when he performs (he has won a pair of Cy Young awards, after all), but durability is not a strength. Just be wary on draft day as he may miss limited time, or perhaps months. The Dodgers have the money and the depth to be extra cautious. Do you?
Shane Bieber, SP, Toronto Blue Jays: Bieber, like Snell, likely performed through some degree of arm pain in last season’s playoffs. He is dealing with forearm fatigue and the Blue Jays, like the Dodgers, have the depth to wait weeks or even months for the veteran to fully recover. Bieber last pitched like a fantasy ace in 2022, so he isn’t quite like Snell in that regard, and he may go undrafted in your league(s).
Others: Jason Adam (quad), RP, San Diego Padres; Tommy Edman (ankle), 2B/OF, Dodgers; Lars Nootbaar (heel), OF, St. Louis Cardinals; Carlos Rodon (elbow), SP, Yankees.
Jordan Westburg, 3B, Orioles: Westburg, an All-Star during the 2024 season and expected to start for the Orioles, has a partially torn UCL in his throwing elbow. The franchise is hoping that a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest will allow him to avoid season-ending Tommy John surgery. The Orioles could turn to Coby Mayo or Blaze Alexander.
Others: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee), OF, Diamondbacks; Jared Jones (elbow), SP, Pirates; Ha-Seong Kim (finger), SS, Atlanta Braves; Sean Murphy (hip), C, Braves; Justin Steele (elbow), SP, Chicago Cubs.
Corbin Burnes, SP, Diamondbacks: Burnes, expected to return after the All-Star break as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, posted a 2.66 ERA over 11 starts last season. The four-time All-Star and 2021 NL Cy Young award winner boasts a 3.15 career ERA, but there are no guarantees how often he performs in 2026.
Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, Braves: Schwellenbach cruised through the first few months of 2025 with a 3.09 ERA before it all ended in June thanks to a fractured elbow. Fantasy managers were initially excited for 2026, but when Spring Training opened, the Braves announced that Schwellenbach (and promising teammate Hurston Waldrep) needed a procedure to remove bone spurs from their pitching elbows.
Felix Bautista, RP, Orioles: Bautista has been quite the risk/reward option since he was arguably fantasy’s top relief pitcher in 2023 (1.48 ERA, 33 saves). He missed the 2024 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, then saved 19 games in an inconsistent 2025 campaign before shoulder problems removed him from active duty. Bautista needed surgery to repair his labrum and rotator cuff. Bautista might not pitch at all in 2026. The Orioles added Ryan Helsley to close out victories.
Others: Ronel Blanco (elbow), SP, Astros; Jackson Jobe (elbow), SP, Detroit Tigers; Jordan Montgomery, SP, Texas Rangers; A.J. Puk, RP, Diamondbacks; Clarke Schmidt (elbow), SP, Yankees; AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow), SP, Braves.
Pablo Lopez, SP, Minnesota Twins: Lopez, who posted a 2.74 ERA over 14 starts last season, suffered a torn UCL at the start of spring training and will miss the entire 2026 season. When healthy, Lopez is a potential top-20 fantasy starting pitcher option, having struck out 234 hitters in 2023 and winning 15 games in 2024.
Reese Olson, SP, Tigers: Olson, who boasts a 3.60 ERA over three truncated MLB seasons, is out for this season following shoulder surgery. Olson was never viewed as a top prospect, but he has performed well when available, and those in deeper fantasy leagues have noticed.
Others slated to miss the 2026 season include Seattle Mariners RHP Logan Evans (elbow), Padres RHP Yu Darvish (elbow) and San Francisco Giants RHP Randy Rodriguez (elbow).
Zack Wheeler, SP, Philadelphia Phillies: Wheeler, whose 2025 season ended with six weeks to go after it was revealed he had a blood clot in his pitching shoulder (which then turned into thoracic outlet syndrome), will not pitch in early April. The Phillies are optimistic Wheeler can return to their rotation in May, which is why he doesn’t truly fit the criteria of a fantasy “stash” since he remains popular in drafts. He is among the top 150 of NFBC ADP, while Cole goes considerably later. Can we guarantee that Wheeler, three months older than Cole, pitches more or performs better than Cole? These are very different injuries, but it is a bit odd that Cole’s ADP is so much worse.
Eric KarabellFeb 23, 2026, 02:15 PM ETCloseEric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of “The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments”.Follow on XMultiple Authors
CloseEric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of “The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments”.Follow on X