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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New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to throw his first bullpen session on Saturday, with the new target for his return now being "mid-June." Cole is all set to resume throwing off the mound, which is a big step forward in his throwing progression, and a mid-June return is pretty much in line with his original recovery timetable from discomfort in his right elbow. The 33-year-old reigning American League Cy Young Award winner still needs to build up his stamina and then start a minor-league rehab assignment, which could begin sometime in the next few weeks if all continues to go well. Cole notched a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 222:48 K:BB over 209 innings (33 starts) a year ago. Until he's ready to rejoin New York's rotation, right-handers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil should continue getting starts for the Yankees as fantasy streaming options in favorable matchups.

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Boston Red Sox catching prospect Kyle Teel launched his third home run of the season in Wednesday's victory. Teel went 2-4 at the plate with four RBI. The fifth overall catching prospect in baseball now sits with a solid .231/.351/.400 with 12 RBI and a 21:11 K:BB ratio across the first 17 games of the season. This is the 22-year-old's first full test in Double-A, as he only appeared in nine games at this level last season. The former Virginia Cavalier should be rostered in all dynasty leagues but should not be expected to make his major league debut until 2025, especially since he may not reach Triple-A until later this summer.

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Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (elbow) has been cleared to begin throwing and did so on Thursday pain-free, according to manager Stephen Vogt. An elbow injury has kept Williams from making his 2024 debut with the Guardians after a fine rookie season in 2023 in which he went 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA (4.05 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP with 81 strikeouts and 37 walks in 82 innings in his first 16 major-league starts. He allowed just one earned run in 4 2/3 spring training innings over two appearances as well before getting hurt and landing on the injured to open the year. The 24-year-old former 23rd overall pick in 2021 out of East Carolina isn't exactly close to joining Cleveland's rotation, but he showed enough last year to be worthy of stashing in mixed fantasy leagues if you have the room on your roster.

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New York Yankees pitching prospect Clayton Beeter tallied a season-high of nine strikeouts to earn his third victory of the season in Triple-A. This was his best start of the season, putting the 25-year-old in a good opportunity to return to the major leagues. Beeter was named to the Yankees Opening Day Roster but only threw one inning while with the major league team this season before returning to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. However, after being sent back down to Triple-A, Beeter has posted a strong 2.74 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 35 punchouts across 23 innings. The former Texas Tech Red Raider should be a name to monitor in deeper AL-only formats, as he could see opportunities later in the summer to start games for the Yankees.

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San Francisco Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks (side) is scheduled to make the start on Friday in the series opener in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Hicks felt some tightness in his side in his last start on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he managed it well and struck out a season-high nine batters while giving up just one earned run in six innings. There was a lot to be skeptical about from Hicks from a fantasy perspective with his move to a full-time starting role in 2024, mainly because of his history with injuries as a hard-throwing reliever. However, he's excelling so far in San Fran and has gone 2-0 with a fantastic 1.59 ERA (3.08 FIP) and 0.91 WHIP with 27 K's and 10 walks in 34 innings over his six starts. He'll face a tough matchup in a hostile environment on Friday against a Phillies offense that ranks seventh in MLB in OPS (.742), but he's been a must-start through the first month.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Christopher Morel went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run and a walk during Thursday's extra-innings loss to the New York Mets. The 24-year-old is now slashing .209/.287/.383 with five homers, 17 RBI and three stolen bases in 31 games. Morel has not had the breakout campaign some pundits were expecting as he has struggled to find consistency at the plate. There is still value in his bat due to his power potential and positional versatility, but he is becoming more of a liability in shallow formats.

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back, thumb) is likely to make his next minor-league rehab start next week. He started a rehab game at Triple-A Round Rock last Wednesday and dealt with some lingering thumb soreness that pushed his next appearance back a few days. Apparently, that outing will come sometime in the next seven days as Scherzer said his thumb is improving. The 39-year-old is a risky fantasy asset due to potential injury reoccurrence, but he is still worthy of a roster spot if he has a place to be stashed. Scherzer still probably needs a couple of starts to build his arm up before joining the Rangers. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers can anticipate his return sometime in mid-May.

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New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto went 2-for-4 in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles and extended his hit streak to 10 games. Soto's streak is currently the third-longest active streak in the majors. He has only gone hitless in seven of his first 33 games this year. The 25-year-old is enjoying a strong first season in the Bronx, as he is slashing .331/.441/.589 with eight homers, 25 RBI, and four stolen bases. He has also scored 22 runs and owns a ridiculous 26:20 BB:K. Soto is unquestionably one of the top fantasy assets in baseball and should be locked into lineups whenever he takes the field.

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San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval struck out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. The 26-year-old is six-for-six on save opportunities this season to go along with a 3.09 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 15/6 K/BB. Doval has not been flawless this year, but he has found a way to work around trouble when it pops up. The right-hander remains a premium fantasy option as he tries to usurp last season's career-high of 39 saves.

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Miami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera allowed four runs on three hits across four innings of work during Thursday's 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. Cabrera struck out nine batters in the shortened outing while issuing four walks. A three-run shot by Jacob Stallings in the second inning put a sizeable blemish on the 26-year-old's day. He also struggled with his command, as he only tossed 56-of-91 pitches for strikes. Cabrera owns a bloated 6.05 ERA through four starts in 2024, although he still possesses significant strikeout upside. He should be sat in all fantasy formats heading into his next start against the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon had a start to forget on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles. The left-hander was tagged for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts. He did not issue a walk, but he gave up three homers in the defeat. Prior to this outing against a tough Orioles lineup, Rodon had not allowed more than three runs in any outing this season. He will carry a 3.68 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 36/14 K/BB into his next projected start against the underperforming Houston Astros. Rodon still deserves to be rostered in most fantasy formats.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor did not start Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs, but he still managed to make a massive impact. The talented infielder came off the bench in the sixth inning and proceeded to hit a two-run double to bring the Mets within a run. In extra innings, Lindor smacked another double to cash two runs and earn the walk-off win. It was one of Lindor's stronger games this season as he has struggled at the plate in the early going. His .207/.287/.380 slash line is rather uninspiring, so hopefully this performance kick-starts the four-time All-Star.

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Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier (neck) will embark on a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend. It was reported earlier this week that Javier had a shot to come off the 15-day injured list to start this weekend against the Seattle Mariners, but that won't be the case. Instead, the 27-year-old will make a start in the minors. If that goes well, he should come off the IL to join Houston's rotation at some point late next week. The Dominican hurler should be rostered in all fantasy formats after starting the 2024 season with a 2-0 record, 1.54 ERA (3.57 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with 11 walks and 18 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings over his first four starts. When Javier is back in the fold in Houston, rookie Spencer Arrighetti will likely be sent back to the minors.

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