Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Three Down

I am not a doctor and I do not play one on TV. I am also not Dave Funnell, who does an incredible job with daily injury updates. But there has been some injury news of late that may have lasting effects on rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings. Here are three such injuries and what fantasy managers may have to deal with going forward.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand

Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s injury road over the past two months has certainly been a winding one. He initially missed three games at the end of April after being hit on the wrist by a pitch. He returned to the lineup on May 3, but only lasted four games before the team announced he had a fracture in the same wrist. An initial timeline of six to eight weeks was given. The team then announced that he was cleared for baseball activities last week. This seemed like a step in the right direction. However, Reds Manager David Bell casually mentioned on Tuesday that Encarnacion-Strand was considering season-ending surgery. It seems CES still has some ligament damage that may cause him to shut it down. Not only am I not a doctor, but I’m not entirely sure the Reds’ team doctor is a doctor either.

Needless to say, this is not good news. If you have Encarnacion-Strand on your roster, it likely means you have an IL spot or a bench spot you do not need to use anytime soon. If that is the case, you might as well wait to hear something definitive before making a move. But even if that is the situation you find yourself in, it is probably time to at least start the process of looking for a replacement. I still included Encarnacion-Strand in this week’s ROS rankings, but I cannot say I am very confident in him coming back anytime soon.

Kyle Bradish

The news is likely just as bad for Orioles starter Kyle Bradish, if not worse. Bradish left Friday’s start after five innings, and the team wasted little time placing him on the Injured List with a sprained UCL. Bradish was also diagnosed with a sprained UCL over the winter. He elected for PRP injections in place of surgery that would end his season. Bradish made his first start of the season for the Orioles on May 2, which was months after the initial diagnosis. I would be shocked if that was not the case this time around as well. And that does not even account for the very real possibility of surgery. I hope I am wrong, but I have a bad feeling this will be the last time I rank Kyle Bradish this season.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

If you are just waking up after a restful night’s sleep to read this column, please do not shoot the messenger. Yoshinobu Yamamoto left last night’s start after two innings with what is being described as triceps tightness. His velocity was noticeably down compared to his other outings. Yamamoto revealed after the game that this had been an issue earlier in the week, which led to his start being pushed back. However, he said that the tightness had subsided enough for him to start. But the issue recurred. Given the timing, I would not be surprised if he was out until the All-Star break. The good news is that he is not on the Reds, so a full recovery is likely. For now, I dropped Yamamoto into the low-end SP2/high-end SP3 range in 12-team leagues. Next week’s rankings should provide a clearer picture of Yamamoto’s ROS value.

Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM	POS
1	Bobby Witt Jr.	KC	SS
2	Shohei Ohtani	LAD	DH
3	Aaron Judge	NYY	OF
4	Juan Soto	NYY	OF
5	Mookie Betts	LAD	2B/SS/ OF
6	Fernando Tatis Jr.	SD	OF
7	Jose Ramirez	CLE	3B
8	Yordan Alvarez	HOU	OF
9	Freddie Freeman	LAD	1B
10	Gunnar Henderson	BAL	SS/3B
11	Kyle Tucker	HOU	OF
12	Zack Wheeler	PHI	SP
13	Julio Rodriguez	SEA	OF
14	Bryce Harper	PHI	1B
15	Rafael Devers	BOS	3B
16	Elly De La Cruz	CIN	SS/3B
17	Matt Olson	ATL	1B
18	Tarik Skubal	DET	SP
19	Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	TOR	1B
20	Austin Riley	ATL	3B
21	Corbin Burnes	BAL	SP
22	Corey Seager	TEX	SS
23	Tyler Glasnow	LAD	SP
24	Marcus Semien	TEX	2B
25	Francisco Lindor	NYM	SS
26	Pete Alonso	NYM	1B
27	George Kirby	SEA	SP
28	Freddy Peralta	MIL	SP
29	Michael Harris II	ATL	OF
30	Joe Ryan	MIN	SP
31	Max Fried	ATL	SP
32	Ozzie Albies	ATL	2B
33	Aaron Nola	PHI	SP
34	Luis Castillo	SEA	SP
35	Chris Sale	ATL	SP
36	Jose Altuve	HOU	2B
37	Pablo Lopez	MIN	SP
38	CJ Abrams	WSH	SS
39	Marcell Ozuna	ATL	DH
40	Corbin Carroll	ARI	OF
41	Emmanuel Clase	CLE	RP
42	Kevin Gausman	TOR	SP
43	Dylan Cease	SD	SP
44	Jazz Chisholm Jr.	MIA	OF
45	Christian Yelich	MIL	OF
46	Logan Gilbert	SEA	SP
47	Luis Robert Jr.	CHW	OF
48	Adolis Garcia	TEX	OF
49	Bo Bichette	TOR	SS
50	Cole Ragans	KC	SP
51	Josh Naylor	CLE	1B
52	Cody Bellinger	CHC	1B/OF
53	Logan Webb	SF	SP
54	Kyle Schwarber	PHI	OF
55	Sonny Gray	STL	SP
56	Ketel Marte	ARI	2B
57	Teoscar Hernandez	LAD	OF
58	Josh Hader	HOU	RP
59	Christian Walker	ARI	1B
60	Manny Machado	SD	3B
61	Andres Gimenez	CLE	2B
62	Anthony Volpe	NYY	SS
63	William Contreras	MIL	C
64	Framber Valdez	HOU	SP
65	Randy Arozarena	TB	OF
66	Shota Imanaga	CHC	SP
67	Trea Turner	PHI	SS
68	Oneil Cruz	PIT	SS
69	Bryan Reynolds	PIT	OF
70	Seiya Suzuki	CHC	OF
71	Adley Rutschman	BAL	C
72	Ezequiel Tovar	COL	SS
73	Paul Skenes	PIT	SP
74	Royce Lewis	MIN	3B
75	Willy Adames	MIL	SS
76	Grayson Rodriguez	BAL	SP
77	Ryan Helsley	STL	RP
78	Jarren Duran	BOS	OF
79	Evan Phillips	LAD	RP
80	Alex Bregman	HOU	3B
81	Camilo Doval	SF	RP
82	Will Smith	LAD	C
83	Alec Bohm	PHI	1B/3B
84	Zac Gallen	ARI	SP
85	Carlos Rodon	NYY	SP
86	Christopher Morel	CHC	3B/OF
87	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	SP
88	Gerrit Cole	NYY	SP
89	Jeremy Pena	HOU	SS
90	Paul Goldschmidt	STL	1B
91	Lane Thomas	WSH	OF
92	Andres Munoz	SEA	RP
93	Mason Miller	OAK	RP
94	Nico Hoerner	CHC	2B/SS
95	Spencer Steer	CIN	1B/3B/ OF
96	Tanner Bibee	CLE	SP
97	Maikel Garcia	KC	3B
98	Raisel Iglesias	ATL	RP
99	Clay Holmes	NYY	RP
100	Bryson Stott	PHI	2B/SS
101	Luis Arraez	SD	1B/2B
102	Salvador Perez	KC	C/1B
103	George Springer	TOR	OF
104	Justin Steele	CHC	SP
105	Nick Castellanos	PHI	OF
106	Taylor Ward	LAA	OF
107	Gleyber Torres	NYY	2B
108	Anthony Santander	BAL	OF
109	Jhoan Duran	MIN	RP
110	Riley Greene	DET	OF
111	Ranger Suarez	PHI	SP
112	Justin Verlander	HOU	SP
113	Vinnie Pasquantino	KC	1B
114	Edwin Diaz	NYM	RP
115	Robert Suarez	SD	RP
116	David Bednar	PIT	RP
117	Ryan Mountcastle	BAL	1B
118	Chris Bassitt	TOR	SP
119	Ha-Seong Kim	SD	2B/SS/ 3B
120	Nolan Arenado	STL	3B
121	Rhys Hoskins	MIL	1B
122	Hunter Greene	CIN	SP
123	Zach Eflin	TB	SP
124	Garrett Crochet	CHW	SP
125	Steven Kwan	CLE	OF
126	Ryan McMahon	COL	2B/3B
127	Dansby Swanson	CHC	SS
128	Jack Flaherty	DET	SP
129	Blake Snell	SF	SP
130	Ian Happ	CHC	OF
131	Yandy Diaz	TB	1B
132	Jordan Westburg	BAL	2B/3B
133	Bailey Ober	MIN	SP
134	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	SP
135	Jose Berrios	TOR	SP
136	Jared Jones	PIT	SP
137	Tyler O’Neill	BOS	OF
138	Bobby Miller	LAD	SP
139	Paul Sewald	ARI	RP
140	Isaac Paredes	TB	1B/3B
141	Luis Rengifo	LAA	2B/SS/ 3B/OF
142	Starling Marte	NYM	OF
143	Jesus Luzardo	MIA	SP
144	Brandon Nimmo	NYM	OF
145	Mike Trout	LAA	OF
146	Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	ARI	OF
147	Daulton Varsho	TOR	OF
148	Nestor Cortes	NYY	SP
149	Alexis Diaz	CIN	RP
150	Bryce Miller	SEA	SP
151	Jorge Soler	SF	OF
152	Mitch Keller	PIT	SP
153	Michael King	SD	SP
154	Jake Burger	MIA	1B/3B
155	Nick Lodolo	CIN	SP
156	Tanner Houck	BOS	SP
157	Craig Kimbrel	BAL	RP
158	Matt Chapman	SF	3B
159	Ryan Pepiot	TB	SP
160	Nick Pivetta	BOS	SP
161	Luis Gil	NYY	SP
162	Zach Neto	LAA	SS
163	Pete Fairbanks	TB	RP
164	Nathaniel Lowe	TEX	1B
165	Carlos Correa	MIN	SS
166	Thairo Estrada	SF	2B/SS
167	Ke’Bryan Hayes	PIT	3B
168	Jeimer Candelario	CIN	1B/3B
169	Walker Buehler	LAD	SP
170	TJ Friedl	CIN	OF
171	Yusei Kikuchi	TOR	SP
172	J.T. Realmuto	PHI	C
173	Yainer Diaz	HOU	C
174	MacKenzie Gore	WSH	SP
175	Kenley Jansen	BOS	RP
176	Yu Darvish	SD	SP
177	Nolan Jones	COL	OF
178	Tanner Scott	MIA	RP
179	Brice Turang	MIL	2B/SS
180	Giancarlo Stanton	NYY	OF
181	Max Scherzer	TEX	SP
182	Jose Alvarado	PHI	RP
183	Cedric Mullins	BAL	OF
184	Jonathan India	CIN	2B
185	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	SP
186	Brenton Doyle	COL	OF
187	Hunter Brown	HOU	SP
188	Ceddanne Rafaela	BOS	SS/OF
189	Brandon Pfaadt	ARI	SP
190	Kyle Finnegan	WSH	RP
191	Jackson Chourio	MIL	OF
192	Andrew Vaughn	CHW	1B
193	Cal Raleigh	SEA	C
194	Logan O’Hoppe	LAA	C
195	Wyatt Langford	TEX	OF
196	Bryan Woo	SEA	SP
197	Brayan Bello	BOS	SP
198	Bryan De La Cruz	MIA	OF
199	Byron Buxton	MIN	OF
200	Kutter Crawford	BOS	SP
201	Charlie Morton	ATL	SP
202	Aaron Civale	TB	SP
203	Josh Lowe	TB	OF
204	Jordan Montgomery	ARI	SP
205	Kirby Yates	TEX	RP
206	Marcus Stroman	NYY	SP
207	Josh Jung	TEX	3B
208	Taj Bradley	TB	SP
209	Jake Cronenworth	SD	1B/2B
210	Jon Gray	TEX	SP
211	Jake Fraley	CIN	OF
212	Nolan Gorman	STL	2B
213	Jason Foley	DET	RP
214	Carlos Estevez	LAA	RP
215	J.D. Martinez	NYM	DH
216	Josh Bell	MIA	1B
217	Brent Rooker	OAK	OF
218	Reynaldo Lopez	ATL	SP
219	Eloy Jimenez	CHW	DH
220	Anthony Rizzo	NYY	1B
221	Masataka Yoshida	BOS	OF
222	Seth Lugo	KC	SP
223	Jackson Merrill	SD	SS/OF
224	Jo Adell	LAA	OF
225	Jordan Romano	TOR	RP
226	Alex Verdugo	NYY	OF
227	Luis Garcia	WSH	2B
228	Lance Lynn	STL	SP
229	Brandon Marsh	PHI	OF
230	Braxton Garrett	MIA	SP
231	Masyn Winn	STL	SS
232	Ryan O’Hearn	BAL	1B/OF
233	Brendan Donovan	STL	2B/OF
234	Lars Nootbaar	STL	OF
235	Gabriel Moreno	ARI	C
236	Max Kepler	MIN	OF
237	Jonah Heim	TEX	C
238	Brady Singer	KC	SP
239	Leody Taveras	TEX	OF
240	Willson Contreras	STL	C
241	Ryan Jeffers	MIN	C
242	Kodai Senga	NYM	SP
243	Kyle Bradish	BAL	SP
244	Zack Gelof	OAK	2B
245	Jarred Kelenic	ATL	OF
246	Joc Pederson	ARI	OF
247	James McArthur	KC	RP
248	Sean Manaea	NYM	SP
249	Triston Casas	BOS	1B
250	Sean Murphy	ATL	C
251	Francisco Alvarez	NYM	C
252	Hector Neris	CHC	RP
253	Chas McCormick	HOU	OF
254	Justin Turner	TOR	1B
255	Joe Musgrove	SD	SP
256	Devin Williams	MIL	RP
257	Christian Encarnacion-Strand	CIN	1B
258	Max Muncy	LAD	3B
259	Evan Carter	TEX	OF
260	Trevor Megill	MIL	RP
261	Brandon Lowe	TB	2B
262	Erick Fedde	CHW	SP
263	Zack Littell	TB	SP
264	Merrill Kelly	ARI	SP
265	Sal Frelick	MIL	OF
266	Colton Cowser	BAL	OF
267	MJ Melendez	KC	OF
268	Ronel Blanco	HOU	SP
269	Tommy Pham	CHW	OF
270	Patrick Sandoval	LAA	SP
271	Miles Mikolas	STL	SP
272	Davis Schneider	TOR	2B/OF
273	Tyler Stephenson	CIN	C
274	J.P. Crawford	SEA	SS
275	Jurickson Profar	SD	OF
276	Kyle Gibson	STL	SP
277	Brendan Rodgers	COL	2B
278	Charlie Blackmon	COL	OF
279	Yimi Garcia	TOR	RP
280	Wilyer Abreu	BOS	OF
281	Luis Severino	NYM	SP
282	Andrew Abbott	CIN	SP
283	Andy Pages	LAD	OF
284	Eduardo Rodriguez	ARI	SP
285	Triston McKenzie	CLE	SP
286	Gavin Williams	CLE	SP
287	Noelvi Marte	CIN	3B
288	Kyle Harrison	SF	SP
289	Dane Dunning	TEX	SP
290	Gavin Stone	LAD	SP
291	Willi Castro	MIN	SS/3B/ OF
292	Eugenio Suarez	ARI	3B
293	Jordan Hicks	SF	SP
294	Shea Langeliers	OAK	C
295	Joey Ortiz	MIL	2B/3B
296	Tyler Freeman	CLE	3B/OF
297	Reese Olson	DET	SP
298	Griffin Jax	MIN	RP
299	Keibert Ruiz	WSH	C
300	Matt Strahm	PHI	RP
301	Jose Siri	TB	OF
302	Ryan Weathers	MIA	SP
303	Will Benson	CIN	OF
304	Jack Suwinski	PIT	OF
305	Michael Kopech	CHW	RP
306	David Hamilton	BOS	2B/SS
307	Frankie Montas	CIN	SP
308	Dean Kremer	BAL	SP
309	Matt Vierling	DET	3B/OF
310	Jason Adam	TB	RP
311	Alec Burleson	STL	OF
312	Michael Conforto	SF	OF
313	Tyler Anderson	LAA	SP
314	Danny Jansen	TOR	C
315	Jake Meyers	HOU	OF
316	Reid Detmers	LAA	SP
317	Kenta Maeda	DET	SP
318	Michael Busch	CHC	1B/3B
319	Nick Gonzales	PIT	2B/SS
320	Jake Irvin	WSH	SP
321	Jeff McNeil	NYM	2B/OF
322	Harrison Bader	NYM	OF
323	Jameson Taillon	CHC	SP
324	Brandon Drury	LAA	1B/2B
325	Luke Raley	SEA	1B/OF
326	Mitch Garver	SEA	C
327	Nolan Schanuel	LAA	1B
328	Jacob deGrom	TEX	SP
329	Reed Garrett	NYM	RP
330	Jeff Hoffman	PHI	RP
331	Matt Waldron	SD	SP
332	David Robertson	TEX	RP
333	Jesus Sanchez	MIA	OF
334	Elias Diaz	COL	C
335	David Fry	CLE	C/OF
336	Nelson Velazquez	KC	OF
337	Jose Soriano	LAA	SP
338	Michael Wacha	KC	SP
339	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	SP
340	Orlando Arcia	ATL	SS
341	Jose Quintana	NYM	SP
342	Spencer Arrighetti	HOU	SP
343	Christian Scott	NYM	SP
344	Tylor Megill	NYM	SP
345	Andrew McCutchen	PIT	DH
346	Max Meyer	MIA	SP
347	Luis Campusano	SD	C
348	Jesse Winker	WSH	OF
349	Logan Allen	CLE	SP
350	Ty France	SEA	1B
351	Andrew Benintendi	CHW	OF
352	Andrew Heaney	TEX	SP
353	Alek Thomas	ARI	OF
354	Joey Meneses	WSH	1B
355	Vaughn Grissom	BOS	2B/SS
356	Mark Vientos	NYM	3B
357	Mark Canha	DET	1B/OF
358	Heliot Ramos	SF	OF
359	Tim Anderson	MIA	SS
360	Connor Joe	PIT	1B/OF
361	Bo Naylor	CLE	C
362	Josh H. Smith	TEX	SS/3B/ OF
363	Javier Assad	CHC	SP
364	Simeon Woods Richardson	MIN	SP
365	JP Sears	OAK	SP