Max Fried, Blake Snell and looming injury returns that'll shape the MLB playoff picture

Whether you like it or not, injuries play a huge role in how MLB regular seasons and postseasons play out — no team in baseball history has ever won it all without getting at least some luck, and it's awfully hard to make it through October if the injury gods strike at an inopportune time. And this season figures to be no exception, as here's no shortage of big-name players who are currently on the Injured List for teams in contention.

These nine players in particular are nearing returns from IL stints and could be key in getting their teams (or perhaps others) to the postseason.

LHP Max Fried, New York Yankees

• Injury: Left elbow bone bruise
• Expected return: Late July/early August

Max Fried has been out since mid-May with an elbow injury. While starting pitching has not been the reason why the New York Yankees have been struggling of late, it's obvious that his absence has impacted them to an extent.

His looming return couldn't be coming at a better time, as Clarke Schmidt remains out and Carlos Rodon recently joined that duo on the IL. With Aaron Judge still expected to be out for who knows how long, the pressure is on New York's pitching staff to limit the opposition and keep the team in games. Obviously, adding a star like Fried back to the rotation will help, in addition to whoever Brian Cashman adds ahead of the trade deadline.

3B Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians

• Injury: Left hamate fracture
• Expected return: Late July

The Cleveland Guardians have a 39-33 record when Jose Ramirez has been in the lineup, so the fact that they've only been two games under .500 in games in which he has not appeared in is pretty impressive. Now, with Ramirez's return looming and Cleveland just one game back in the AL Central, the Guardians fan base is dreaming of a possible division title.

Obviously, Ramirez should help them in that chase, but expectations should be tempered. Players coming back from hamate injuries traditionally get off to sluggish starts, particularly in the power department. It'll be interesting to see if Ramirez can be an anomaly.

OF Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves

• Injury: Left hamstring strain
• Expected return: Late July

Ronald Acuña Jr. has been out since early June with a hamstring strain — his second of the season — and the Atlanta Braves have gone just 12-19 since. While their offense has looked good since the start of the second half, it was wildly inconsistent without Acuña, and that makes sense. He wasn't having his best year, but he's still an MVP-caliber player who strikes fear into the opposition.

Getting him back obviously helps tremendously. Not only do the Braves get to plug him back atop their lineup, but with Mike Yastrzemski also hurt, Atlanta has been playing the likes of Eli White and Brewer Hicklen in right field. Acuña, even at less than 100 percent, is obviously a substantial upgrade. That's a good thing for a Braves team trying to fend off the hard-charging Phillies in the NL East.

RHP AJ Smith-Shawver, Atlanta Braves

• Injury: Tommy John surgery
• Expected return: Late July

And Acuña isn't the only Brave nearing a return. Obviously, AJ Smith-Shawver isn't the same caliber of player,, but a bigger concern for the Braves right now is their starting rotation. Chris Sale is healthy and his usual Cy Young self, but beyond that, there are precious few known quantities. Smith-Shawver can help out.

Expectations should be tempered given the fact that he hasn't pitched in a big-league game in over a year, but he had a 3.88 ERA in nine starts in 2025 before his injury, and he's been extremely sharp so far in his rehab assignment, allowing three runs and striking out 16 batters across 13.2 innings. He should be a valuable depth piece for Atlanta down the stretch at the very least.

RHP Clay Holmes, New York Mets

• Injury: Fractured right fibula
• Expected return: Late July/early August

Clay Holmes is a bit of a weird insertion because he's a member of the 42-58 New York Mets. No, the Mets are obviously not in contention, but given the fact that Holmes can hit free agency after the year, he's a popular trade candidate as he works his way back from injury. If New York trades him, he'll almost certainly end up on a contending team, ready to make an impact.

Before his mid-May injury, Holmes had a 2.39 ERA in nine starts and 55.2 innings of work. He was generating ground balls at an elite clip and keeping the hapless Mets in games. In a trade market expected to be bereft of starting pitchers, Holmes should help a contending team greatly, assuming he's moved and not extended.

INF/OF Brendan Donovan, Seattle Mariners

• Injury: Late July/early August
• Expected return: Left groin strain

The Seattle Mariners' offense has been inconsistent all year, and perhaps a reason for that has to do with Brendan Donovan being limited to just 25 games this season. He's swung the bat well when he's been able to play, slashing .274/.386/.452 with three home runs and eight RBI and looking like an ideal table setter at the top of Seattle's lineup.

Getting Donovan back to hit in front of the likes of Julio Rodriguez, Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena should ignite this offense, especially if guys like Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor can ever get going. As bad as things have gone, the Mariners are not even a full game out of first place in the AL West. Donovan's return could be what puts them over the top.

RHP Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers

• Injury: Tommy John surgery
• Expected return: August

Jackson Jobe was one of MLB's top pitching prospects when he debuted in 2024 for the Detroit Tigers. He had pitched fairly well in 10 starts in 2025 before undergoing Tommy John surgery that's knocked him out ever since. He's now made three starts on a rehab assignment, and while he hasn't gone beyond three innings in a start yet, he's pitched well, looking particularly sharp in his last outing at the Double-A level.

Detroit is a fringe playoff team as of now, but they're hoping to be able to buy and hold onto Tarik Skubal. If they can, Jobe figures to be impactful down the stretch. He has the stuff necessary to be a dynamic force, whether it's as a starter or a bullpen arm. It'll be interesting to see how the Tigers want to use him.

RHP Edwin Diaz, Los Angeles Dodgers

• Injury: Loose bodies in right elbow
• Expected return: Late July

You wouldn't know it when looking at their superb record, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have been dealing with as many major injuries as any other team. They signed Edwin Diaz to be their closer, and that's been a disaster of an addition thus far: He had a 10.50 ERA in seven starts before landing on the IL with loose bodies in his elbow. He's made more headlines off the field than on it as a Dodger.

The fact that Los Angeles has been so dominant even without Diaz providing any impact means anything they get from him is gravy. If Diaz can't find his footing, there's still no reason to bet against the two-time defending champs. If Diaz looks like his usual self, good luck beating them in a postseason series.

LHP Blake Snell, Los Angeles Dodgers

• Injury: Loose bodies in left elbow
• Expected return: Early August

Diaz isn't the only Dodger on the verge of a return. Blake Snell just began a rehab assignment, meaning he should be only a few weeks away from rejoining the big-league team. And boy, what an addition he'd be: Snell is a Cy Young-caliber arm when healthy, though he's made just one start this season.

If there's one "weakness" the Dodgers have right now, it's their rotation depth, with Tyler Glasnow out and Shohei Ohtani not pitching for who knows how long. Getting Snell back gives L.A. another star to add to that group and makes them even tougher to beat whenever he takes the ball.

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