The 2026 All-Star Game break is on the horizon, meaning a time to reset things for the second half. That period is a good time to start stashing in fantasy, just to get rosters set for the weeks and months ahead. So, with that stated, here’s a look at five players who are worth stashing.
Brendan Donovan
Normally, fantasy IL stashes are pitchers, not hitters. However, there are always exceptions, and Brendan Donovan is one of those.
Donovan hasn’t played in a game since May 15 and has been on the injured list since then with a left groin muscle strain. While that injury opened up an avenue for Colt Emerson to emerge, Donovan’s fantasy value took an obvious hit given that he’s been out for two months. The good news is that Donovan is scheduled to go on a rehab assignment around the All-Star Game break (h/t Seattle Times).
Gauging Donovan’s value over the second half is tough. He’s never been an elite power threat but he can play plenty of positions and hits. But, one other thing to watch is how the Mariners use him once he returns from the injured list. Emerson, Cole Young, and J.P. Crawford haven’t torn the cover off the ball this season.
Clay Holmes
It’s not hyperbole to state that Clay Holmes was one of the best fantasy pitchers over the first two months of 2026. As of May 17, Holmes had the 17th-best ERA (2.39) in the Majors among starters with 35+ innings thrown. And while he didn’t net a ton of strikeouts, Holmes also had one of the 20-lowest HR/9 (0.5) in the league, limiting hard contact.
That date is important, as it was when Holmes was placed on the IL with a fractured fibula after he took a comebacker against the Yankees. His injury came with a roughly three-month timeline, and for now, Holmes is on track to return in August.
Why Holmes is so intriguing is because, aside from how he pitched before his injury, the Met could be moved this summer. Holmes has a $12MM player option for 2027. And, given how much pitchers have been paid over the years, Holmes could easily reject it and go to free agency.
Ryan Jeffers
Before Ryan Jeffers went down with a broken hamate bone, the Twins catcher was one of baseball’s best hitters over the first three weeks of May.
From May 1 through May 22, Jeffers slashed .279/.385/.605 with three home runs, six RBI, and more walks (8) than strikeouts (6). That unfortunate injury dampened what a good run for Jeffers was, and at a time when there was higher-than-usual volatility at the catching position.
There’s no guarantee that Jeffers will hit like that once he returns. However, he does have a good body of work to work with from a fantasy perspective.
Jackson Jobe
The next few weeks could bring a lot of upheaval to the Tigers’ rotation. But Jackson Jobe won’t be going anywhere.
Jobe, who’s been out since mid-2025 thanks to UCL surgery, is now working his way back to the Majors. The second-year right-hander tossed 32 pitches in his first outing with Low-A Lakeland back on July 7. Jobe’s velocity was very good, as he was sitting in the upper-90s and capped out at 100 MPH.
Obviously, there are concerns with Jobe, namely how careful the Tigers will be with him. Jobe is going to be a focal point of the Tigers for 2027 and beyond — but if last year was any indication, the stuff is legit.
AJ Smith-Shawver
Lastly, AJ Smith-Shawver is emerging as an option for the second half.
Smith-Shawver, like Jobe, is also rehabbing after he had season-ending elbow surgery halfway through last season. Through two starts, the Braves pitcher struck out nine over seven innings. He only allowed one run in his first two starts, which came off a home run.
For now, the Braves have enough depth to get through rotation turns. But given how tenous it has been over the past few weeks, especially with Martin Perez now on the IL, Smith-Shawver should be back in the Braves’ rotation once he comes back.
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