Jake Fraley DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Cincinnati Reds have placed outfielder Austin Hays (foot) on the 10-day injured list with a left-foot contusion. In a corresponding move, the Reds activated outfielder Jake Fraley (calf) from the injured list. Hays suffered this injury during Wednesday's contest against the Kansas City Royals when he fouled a ball off his foot. Hays spent time on the injured list earlier this season with a hamstring injury. However, when on the field, Hays has been very productive, posting a .303/.346/.555 slash line with six home runs and two stolen bases. He has generated a strong .354 xwOBA and a .502 xSLG. Fraley has held a .205/.319/.359 line through his first 28 games. While Hays is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Gavin Lux to see most of the time in left field. Fraley will likely split time between the DH spot and right field alongside Will Benson and Connor Joe. Given his limited expected role, he will only carry value in deeper 14+ team formats.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (calf) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Saturday. Fraley has been held out of action due to a calf injury. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as he may only need a few games with Triple-A before being cleared to return from the 10-day injured list. Prior to the injury, the 29-year-old was having a slow start to the season, posting a .205/.319/.359 slash line with three doubles, three home runs, and three stolen bases. Under the hood, Fraley has generated a low .316 xwOBA, .232 xBA, and a .359 xSLG, which are all well below the average marks of qualified hitters. When he does return to the majors, fantasy managers should expect Fraley to compete for opportunities in left field.

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said on Monday that he hopes to get outfielder Jake Fraley (calf) back from the 10-day injured list early next week. Fraley is already eligible to return from the IL, but he won't return this week, and it's unclear if he'll go on a minor-league rehab assignment before potentially returning next week. When healthy, the 29-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder will be hoping to serve in the strong side of a platoon against right-handed pitching. However, that might not be the case if the lefty-hitting Will Benson is still swinging a hot bat by the time Fraley is back with the big-league squad. Fraley hasn't really proven himself in his first 78 at-bats in 2025, batting only .205/.319/.359 with three home runs, nine RBI, 12 runs scored and three stolen bases. Injuries continue to be a problem for Fraley.