Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (ribs) will take ground balls on Friday, according to manager Alex Cora. Casas said that he recently started a running program and has been lifting weights as well, so he's clearly making good progress as he recovers from a tricky rib injury. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter is currently on the 60-day injured list and won't be able to return to Boston until June 21, though, so fantasy managers are going to need to stay patient and keep him stashed until then. The last step of his rehab will likely be throwing before he's cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Until Casas is able to return to Beantown, expect the BoSox to continue rotating players like Garrett Cooper, Dominic Smith and Romy Gonzalez in at first base.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) is unlikely to play until Monday's series opener against the Washington Nationals. Riley is taking batting practice on Friday, and the Braves are just being extra cautious in keeping the right-handed-hitting slugger out for his 11th straight game. Manager Brian Snitker said he isn't surprised if Riley ends up missing two weeks, and if the team needed somebody to ride the bench, they would have already put him on the injured list. The 27-year-old suffered a left-intercostal strain on May 12 against the New York Mets and hasn't played since, although it still sounds like he won't go on the IL. Until Riley returns, Zack Short should continue to play the hot corner in Atlanta, although new signee Joey Wendle could also be an option there. Riley was hitting .245/.319/.388 with three homers, eight doubles and 18 RBI in 163 plate appearances before his injury.

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The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Dean Kremer (triceps) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 21) on Friday with a right-triceps strain and recalled pitchers Dillon Tate and Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk in corresponding moves. Additionally, pitcher Jonathan Heasley was optioned to Norfolk. The Orioles placed lefty John Means (forearm) on the IL on Thursday, so Baltimore's rotation depth has taken a big hit this week. It is unclear if the 28-year-old Kremer will be able to return to the rotation when he's eligible in early June. Kremer has been serviceable in his nine starts this year, going 3-4 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 18 walks over 50 innings pitched. It's unclear who might take Kremer's spot in the big-league rotation, but Albert Suarez feels like the best bet.

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Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (quadriceps) got through his workout well on Friday and will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Saturday as the designated hitter. Lewis will return to game action for the first time since straining his right quadriceps on Opening Day back on March 28. It's great news for the Twins and the 24-year-old, but he's probably going to need at least a handful of minor-league games before he's reinstated from the injured list. When he's back in Minnesota, Lewis will return to starting duties at the hot corner and needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues. He's been injury-prone early in his career, but Lewis' power/speed upside cannot be ignored. Jose Miranda will most likely revert to a bench role when Lewis is back, although the Twins could choose to ease Lewis back into the fold.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman and rookie outfielder Colton Cowser are both out of the lineup on Friday against the Chicago White Sox. James McCann will do the catching and bat ninth, while Austin Hays will play left field and bat sixth against White Sox right-hander Chris Flexen. Rutschman is currently slumping at the plate but is still hitting an impressive .299/.335/.474 with an .809 OPS, nine home runs and 31 RBI in 194 at-bats for the O's in 2024. The young switch-hitting backstop needs to be in fantasy lineups every day that he's playing. Cowser will head to the bench after starting each of the last 15 games. As a result of the 24-year-old's everyday playing time, Hays has essentially become a fourth outfielder for the Orioles this year. Cowser has cooled off a bit of late as well and is hitting .256 on the year with six homers, 23 RBI and three steals.

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Washington Nationals outfield prospect James Wood (hamstring) is dealing with right-hamstring tightness after he was forced from Triple-A Rochester's game early as a precaution on Thursday night, according to manager Dave Martinez. The Nationals skipper said he didn't have an update on how Wood was feeling on Friday. It sounds like the 21-year-old left-handed slugger isn't dealing with a serious injury, but it's unclear how this might delay his inevitable major-league debut in 2024. The team's top prospect and the fifth-ranked prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline, has been destroying Triple-A pitching this year to the tune of a .355/.465/.596 slash line with a 1.062 OPS, nine home runs, 31 RBI, 10 steals and 39 runs scored in 45 games played. Wood's massive fantasy upside makes him stash-worthy in most leagues, as he could make an immediate impact in D.C. when he's eventually called up.

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New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (shoulder, triceps) will be shut down for three to five days. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday, but that was shut down due to inflammation in his triceps area. Senga played light catch on Tuesday but apparently had yet another setback as he tries to return from a right posterior shoulder capsule strain. The 31-year-old starter has been sidelined since spring training and will now be pushed back a little longer. Senga had his scheduled bullpen session last Sunday pushed back due to right-triceps tightness. We'll have to wait and see if Senga can get back on a mound again after the next three to five days. If he can't, there's a chance we may not see him until after the All-Star break.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (hand) will not return to action on Friday for the start of a series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander James Paxton. Even if Fraley were ready to go after taking a pitch off his hand during a game against the San Diego Padres earlier this week, he'd likely be on the bench on Friday against a southpaw. The 28-year-old is still dealing with some swelling in his hand but was used as a pinch-runner recently and could get back in the starting lineup later this weekend against a right-hander. When healthy, Fraley is nice for outfield depth in deeper fantasy leagues for his prowess against righties. Rookie Jacob Hurtubise is starting in right field and batting ninth for the Reds on Friday against Paxton. Hurtubise has only three hits in his first 14 MLB at-bats this year and is low-upside dart throw in DFS.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Bryse Wilson is no longer listed as the starter for Friday's contest against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, but he could end up serving as the bulk reliever following left-handed Jared Koenig, who will serve as the opener. The 26-year-old Wilson is still worth starting in fantasy lineups on the road in Beantown. In his second season with Milwaukee, he's gone 2-1 with a strong 2.79 ERA (4.95 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 16 walks and 31 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings over 12 appearances (six starts). His 4.95 FIP shows he's been a bit fortunate so far this year, but he's been better as a starter for a Brewers rotation that has been hit hard by injuries in 2024. Even though he's not starting, Wilson will be the best candidate to pick up a win for the Brew Crew on Friday in a bulk role.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe (side) remains out of the team's lineup on Friday as they face the visiting Kansas City Royals. The Rays had the day off on Thursday, but Lowe will not be able to return after having to leave Wednesday's game early due to a right-side strain. The results of the MRI exam that he had on Thursday are unknown, so fantasy managers should consider the 26-year-old left-handed slugger to be day-to-day for now. Jose Siri is starting in center field and batting ninth, while Jonny DeLuca is in right field and hitting third for the Rays on Friday versus Royals right-hander Seth Lugo. Lowe has been injury-prone, but his power/speed upside makes him stash-worthy if he needs another trip to the injured list. DeLuca, who has hit .260 with two homers, 13 RBI and four steals in 50 at-bats this year, would be the biggest beneficiary in terms of playing time if Lowe misses more time.

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Detroit Tigers right-hander Reese Olson (hip) is scheduled to make his next start on Saturday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Olson was forced to leave his last start on Monday early against the Kansas City Royals when he was hit by a comebacker in his hip, but he only suffered a bruise and is ready to take his next turn in the rotation this weekend. In the plus matchup against a Blue Jays offense that has been out of sorts for most of the early part of the year, Olson should be returned to starting fantasy lineups in most leagues. The 24-year-old former 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 has yet to win a game and has five losses, but it's not because he hasn't pitched well. He's currently sporting a great 2.16 ERA and 1.06 WHIP and has walked 16 and struck out 43 in 50 innings over his nine starts.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. Riley will be missing his 11th straight start and will probably land on the injured list this weekend if he's unable to return by Sunday due to a left-intercostal strain. However, the 27-year-old was able to swing a bat earlier this week. Even if Riley goes on the IL, he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his power upside in one of the best lineups in baseball. Zack Short will make another start at the hot corner for Atlanta on Friday and will hit ninth against Pirates left-hander Bailey Falter, but Joey Wendle could also become an option for the Braves there if Riley misses more time after the team signed Wendle on Friday. Short has only seven hits in 45 at-bats with three different teams already in 2024.

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Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal (groin) is back behind the plate and is batting eighth for the Pirates on Friday in their series opener against the visiting Atlanta Braves and left-hander Ray Kerr, who will be making his first career spot start. The switch-hitting Grandal has a hit in his only career at-bat against Kerr. The 35-year-old backstop missed two games this week with left-groin soreness but is ready for the weekend series in Pittsburgh. As long as former first-rounder Henry Davis remains in the minors to work on his swing, Grandal will continue to split the catching duties with Joey Bart. Grandal is a pretty low-upside DFS play at the catcher position on Friday, though, and he's batting just .214 (9-for-42) with two homers and eight RBI after getting a late start to the 2024 season due to injury.

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The Detroit Tigers announced on Friday that they have reinstated right-hander Kenta Maeda (illness) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Matt Manning to Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move after Thursday night's game. Maeda is recovered from his illness and will toe the rubber against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Even against a Toronto lineup that has mostly struggled to put up runs this year, the 36-year-old Japanese starter isn't a recommended fantasy streamer in his first start off the IL and probably isn't very likely to go deep in this ballgame. In his first seven starts in 2024, Maeda has been pretty hittable and has posted a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 2/3 innings. There just isn't any fantasy upside left with Maeda, especially while pitching for Detroit.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez tallied three hits on Thursday, including a home run, which extended his current hitting streak to four games. Since May 14, Rodriguez has posted a stellar .379/.550/.828 line with three long balls and an 11:6 BB:K ratio. This is a great sign as the 21-year-old is beginning to look quite comfortable in his first extended look at Double-A pitching. The number three prospect in the Minnesota system is not projected to reach the majors until next season, but that could change due to his recent surge in the batter's box. Dynasty managers should pay close attention to him as he could be earning a Triple-A promotion in the coming months, which could set him up for an opportunity to join the Twins in the stretch run.

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With an off day coming on Thursday, the Washington Nationals are taking advantage of it to give left-hander Mitchell Parker some extra rest. Left-hander Patrick Corbin will now toe the rubber for the series finale this weekend against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Parker has gone 3-2 with a solid 3.32 ERA (3.45 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with eight walks and 32 strikeouts in 38 innings over his first seven major-league starts, but the Nationals aren't trying to burn him out too quickly. Corbin's next start, meanwhile, will come after he surrendered eight runs to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. The 34-year-old southpaw has been up-and-down and unreliable for fantasy streaming purposes so far in 2024, going 1-5 with a 6.29 ERA and 1.77 WHIP with 32 K's in 54 1/3 innings over 10 starts.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has tallied at least one hit in all but three games in May with a .290/.380/.406 line. He has posted a stellar 10:10 BB:K ratio and swiped five bags in this stretch as well. Clark got a small taste of Single-A ball last summer but struggled over his first 11 games. However, that seems to be far behind him now, as he has a .277 AVG through 36 games this season. The former number three overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft is considered the number two prospect in the Detroit system on MLB Pipeline and is expected to reach the majors in 2026. However, dynasty managers should continue to monitor him as he should be promoted to High-A fairly soon and could even push for a short debut with Double-A at the end of the summer.

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Things could have gone better for Oakland Athletics right-hander Joe Boyle (back) in his minor-league rehab start on Thursday for Triple-A Las Vegas. Boyle was unable to record a single out in the outing, allowing three hits and four earned runs while walking two and striking out none to take the loss against Triple-A Tacoma. The 24-year-old threw only 26 pitches, with only half going for strikes. Boyle didn't encounter any setbacks with his back, but he's going to need to show more efficiency in another rehab start before he's an option to return to the big-league roster. He wasn't very good in seven starts (27 2/3 innings) with the A's this year before landing on the injured list, either, going 2-5 with a 7.16 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with 23 walks and 29 strikeouts. Control has been a real issue, as his four wild pitches lead the league.

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Pittsburgh Pirates backstop Henry Davis has been on an impressive run at Triple-A over the past week. Since May 16, the former number-one overall pick has tallied at least one hit in every game and posted an incredible .464/559/.1.250 line with six long balls and one stolen base. Davis struggled in the majors the past two seasons with an overall .201/.297/.317 slash line and just seven home runs across 85 games. However, he was once considered a top prospect and should be given another opportunity in the Steel City later this summer. He should remain rostered in dynasty and keeper leagues as he is still seen as the backstop of the future in Pittsburgh.

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Baltimore Orioles outfielder/designated hitter Anthony Santander went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in the team's 8-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night on the road. The home run was his eighth of the season, and his first long ball since May 11, but the switch-hitting Venezuelan outfielder is still batting just .206 (35-for-170) on the year with 27 RBI and 23 runs scored for the O's in 45 games played. The homer was a good sign for the 29-year-old, though, as he's recently been dealing with a bruised knee. In the month of May, he's struggled to the tune of a .194/.265/.419 slash line with four homers, nine RBI and 13 strikeouts in 17 games. Santander will continue to play regularly in a strong Baltimore lineup when he's healthy, but he's also squaring the ball up on just 18.2% of his swings in 2024, which ranks 200th in baseball.

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