San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kyle Harrison issued five walks but still managed to throw five innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Harrison didn't pick up the win as San Francisco went ahead for good in the seventh, but Harrison had a solid start nonetheless. He allowed just three hits and struck out seven to round out his line. The 22-year-old rookie has allowed three or fewer runs in six of his seven starts this season. If Harrison can put it all together, he's got major upside that warrants being rostered in most leagues.

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Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner went 1-for-4 with a pair of walks in a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday. Hoerner didn't run much early in the season, swiping just one base in April. That caused some panic among his fantasy owners, who expected much closer to the 43 stolen bases Hoerner picked up in 2023. Those owners will be happy with the last two games though, as the speedster picked up three steals to bring his season total to four. If he keeps running at that pace, there is no reason to worry about Hoerner.

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish threw 4 innings of one-run ball in his first start of the 2024 season against the New York Yankees on Thursday. Bradish didn't pick up the win as he didn't go five innings, but he was solid and gave his team a good chance to win. He gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five in the shortened outing, throwing 84 pitches. Bradish should get back to a normal workload soon and will hopefully return to his 2023 form where he posted a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 168 strikeouts in 168 IP. The 27-year-old should be universally rostered in fantasy.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti was solid in an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Arrighetti didn't end up getting the win with the Astros doing most of their damage late in the game, but he spun 5 frames of two-run ball and looked better than he has in any start this season. The 24-year-old gave up four hits and three walks while striking out six to round out his line. He has some prospect pedigree and is worth keeping an eye on in fantasy leagues as he has shown strong swing-and-miss stuff despite poor results early in his career.

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen (lung) was used as the opener in Triple-A Oklahoma City's game on Thursday, throwing a perfect inning with two strikeouts. Treinen has looked good in his past two appearances, allowing just one hit and accumulating three strikeouts and zero walks. With five rehab appearances under his belt, he might be ready to make his 2024 season debut soon for the Dodgers after bruising his lung early in Spring Training. The veteran will be a welcome addition to the Dodgers bullpen and should see a decent share of work late in close games, making him a solid add in saves-plus-holds leagues.

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Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez continued his slump at the dish on Thursday, going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Alvarez is now 0-for-17 with seven strikeouts and zero walks in his last four games. Fortunately for the 26-year-old, the Astros have won three of those games anyway. Alvarez is down to a .244/.312/.439 triple-slash line to go with 18 runs, 18 RBI, and a modest seven homers. They aren't terrible numbers by any means, but they certainly aren't what fantasy managers were hoping for when they drafted the slugger with a top-20 pick in most cases. Alvarez will likely turn things around and end up being one of the best four-category contributors in fantasy, but this stretch is frustrating nonetheless.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) went 2-for-3 with a home run in a rehab game with Triple-A Memphis. Carlson was playing in his second rehab game and was used as the designated hitter in this one after playing in center field on Wednesday. He will likely need a decent amount of time to get himself ready for a return to the majors, as he hasn't yet played in a game for the Cardinals this year after suffering a sprained left shoulder in Spring Training. The 25-year-old doesn't have much fantasy appeal, but he was once a well-regarded prospect and is still young, so a post-hype breakout is possible.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena increased his hitting streak to five games as he tallied two hits in Thursday's victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Pena tallied his first hit of the game in the fourth inning with a ground ball to second base and then swiped second base but was unable to score. Later in the sixth, Pena ripped his first triple of the campaign to score Gabriel Arias. The shortstop would then score twice, courtesy of a Jon Singleton blast in the same frame and sacrifice fly in the seventh. Pena has a solid .333/.375/.467 line, and his underlying metrics suggest he could be in for a big summer with a .324 xBA. The former World Series MVP should be rostered in all formats and remains a solid DFS option.

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Texas Rangers relief pitcher David Robertson tallied his 10th hold of the season and is now tied for the most in baseball with Nationals pitcher Hunter Harvey and Cardinals pitchers JoJo Romero and Andrew Kittredge. Robertson entered in the seventh inning with two outs to face Ildemaro Vargas with a runner on first and was able to retire him. Then, the 39-year-old remained in the game to pitch the eighth inning. He surrendered a leadoff walk to Jacob Young but then retired the next three batters via two strikeouts and a groundout. The veteran reliever carries a stellar 1.08 ERA and 0.84 WHIP across 16 2/3 innings with 20 punchouts. Robertson remains an elite option for holds and should be considered next in line to receive ninth-inning duties in Texas.

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Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim tallied two hits for the seventh time of the season to lead the Rangers to a series victory over the Washington Nationals. Heim laced a single to left field in the second frame and was able to cross home plate via an Ezequiel Duran double. The 28-year-old then knocked an RBI single in the eighth inning to score Nathaniel Lowe to increase the Texas lead. During the young season, Heim has proven to be a solid batting average contributor with a .263 AVG, which is on pace to be a new career-high. Heim remains a strong second catcher in two-catcher leagues and is a sneaky play in DFS due to the strong lineup around him.

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There has been speculation that Oakland Athletics rookie closer Mason Miller, who has the most pitches at 102-plus mph (19) this year, could be dangled at this summer's trade deadline. Rival executives are split on whether the A's would actually dare trade their biggest start with a move to Sacramento coming next year. Miller has topped out at 103.7 mph and is an "elite" closer that should bring "a prospect package worth pursuing." A rival executive envisions a bidding war that could make a Miller trade irresistible for the A's. "They may want to cash in while stock is so high." The 25-year-old former third-round pick in 2021 out of Gardner-Webb University has been lights-out in 2024 with a 1.26 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, eight saves and 29 K's in 14 1/3 innings, although a trade to a contender wouldn't necessarily mean he'd stay in a closer's role.

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The Colorado Rockies are expected to place right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence on the paternity list and to summon right-hander Angel Chivilli from Double-A Hartford for their upcoming series in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. Lawrence is technically the Rockies' closer with two saves on the year, but he's also sporting an ugly 7.20 ERA (2.94 FIP) and 1.80 WHIP with five walks and 10 strikeouts in his 10 innings in 11 appearances out of the 'pen for the lowly Rockies. The 29-year-old is only worth rostering for fantasy managers that are desperate for saves, but Lawrence isn't going to see a ton of chances if the Rockies continue playing like they have been. If a save situation arises this weekend in Pittsburgh with Lawrence away, it will likely go to Jake Bird.

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Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve registered three hits in Thursday's victory over the Cleveland Guardians. The 33-year-old has now tallied at least three hits in five games this season and continues to improve on his .341/.409/.585 line. In addition, Altuve tallied 11th RBI of the season in the seventh inning by scoring Jake Meyers. He also swiped his fifth and sixth bags on Thursday. Altuve continues to be a high-end five-category fantasy contributor with his stellar bat-to-ball skills and his excellent 13.9% K rate. The 2017 American League MVP should be a weekly lineup lock and remain matchup-proof in DFS.

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Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton went 2-3 in Thursday's victory with three RBI to power the Astros to their 11th victory of the season. Singleton tallied a single in his first at-bat of the game in the third inning and was to cross home plate via a passed ball. Then, in the sixth inning the 32-year-old launched his second home run of the season, which scored shortstop Jeremy Pena. This was Singleton's second home run of the series and of the season, and is carrying a .275/.362/.431 line into a three-game set against their division rivals, Seattle Mariners, which will begin Friday evening. Singleton has been subject to limited playing time but could be a viable option in DFS in a favorable matchup.

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Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain (shoulder) is about a week away from a follow-up appointment with a doctor. The evaluation should allow the Reds to map out a clearer return timetable for McLain, who is recovering from March 26 left shoulder surgery. Manager David Bell said on April 1 that "there is a chance [McLain] gets back this year," so fantasy managers should still be prepared for the 24-year-old former top prospect to be sidelined through the All-Star break. With McLain on the shelf, former National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India is operating as Cincy's everyday second baseman. India could heat up in a hurry, and over his last nine games, he's batting a strong .344 (11-for-32) with one home run, six RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base, and three walks.

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Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby has been a big reason why the team has a 1.58 ERA over their last 19 games since April 10. After yielding 13 runs in his first 14 1/3 innings (three starts) of the 2024 regular season, Kirby has turned it around for a 1.00 ERA and a 25:2 K:BB across the subsequent 18 frames (three starts). The 26-year-old All-Star right-hander will take the ball in a tough spot on Friday for the start of a three-game weekend set on the road against the division-rival Houston Astros, but in three career starts against Houston, Kirby owns a 1.62 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 14:3 K:BB across 16 2/3 innings. The current Astros roster is batting a career .218 (12-for-55) with zero extra-base hits against Kirby, who'll have plenty of DFS tournament appeal on Friday's full slate.

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Miami Marlins starting pitcher Braxton Garrett (shoulder) made his second minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday since overcoming a bout of "dead arm", launching five one-hit innings on three walks with three strikeouts. After throwing 61 pitches in the outing, Garrett's next appearance may very well come with the major-league roster for his 2024 regular-season debut. The Marlins should make a decision on that sometime this weekend. Last season, the 26-year-old former No. 7 overall pick fanned 156 hitters and walked only 29 for a 3.66 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over his 159 2/3 frames of work (30 starts). If his next showing indeed comes in Miami's rotation, it would likely be in place of rookie Roddery Munoz during Monday's series opener and a shy-away spot from a fantasy perspective against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.

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The New York Mets have concerns that relief pitcher Brooks Raley (elbow) could miss the remainder of the 2024 season. Manager Carlos Mendoza already stated on Thursday that Raley won't return from inflammation in his left elbow when first eligible on May 6, but this update is a bit more ominous. The 35-year-old southpaw was serving as New York's primary left-handed setup man this season, working seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and three walks while logging four holds over eight appearances. Although veteran lefty Jake Diekman now figures to operate as a high-leverage arm, unheralded right-hander Reed Garrett has emerged as a weapon with a 0.54 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 28:8 K:BB through 16 2/3 frames out of the Mets' bullpen this year. Reed is throwing well enough right now to warrant fantasy consideration in all formats.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) will shift to the 60-day injured list to free up a 40-man roster spot for incoming right-hander Matt Bowman from the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations. This is a fairly significant update for Kelly, considering manager Torey Lovullo said on April 23 that the hurler's strained right shoulder would undergo re-imaging in the upcoming weeks. As a result, the D-backs and fantasy managers will now be without Kelly until early July at the earliest. The 35-year-old right-hander was working to an excellent 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:6 K:BB over 24 2/3 innings (four starts) before heading to the IL, and he's well worth a stash for those who can afford the roster spot. Right-hander Slade Cecconi should continue functioning from Arizona's rotation, and he's trending up with a 2.25 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, and 11:1 K:BB across 12 frames (two starts).

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tyler Wells (elbow) played catch on Wednesday and is still undergoing tests, according to manager Brandon Hyde, who had nothing further to report on the hurler. Working his way back from inflammation in his right elbow, Wells still has no clear timetable for his return to Baltimore's rotation at this juncture. Considering the big 29-year-old right-hander logged a shaky 5.87 ERA, and 1.37 WHIP while striking out 13 batters and walking three over 15 1/3 innings (three starts), he doesn't need to be stashed in the majority of fantasy leagues. The O's just reinstated Kyle Bradish and John Means from the injured list this week, but Dean Kremer and Cole Irvin will still be needed as starters until Wells is back in the fold, and they'll have streaming appeal under the appropriate circumstances.

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