San Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Conforto (hamstring) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Sacramento, and shortstop Nick Ahmed (wrist) will join him in Sacramento on Saturday. Both Conforto and Ahmed could rejoin the Giants early next week if they get through their rehab assignments this weekend without any setbacks. Conforto was hitting a solid .280 (40-for-143) with seven home runs and 20 RBI before he suffered a right-hamstring strain on May 11 against the Cincinnati Reds. Conforto will be a lineup regular for the Giants when he returns. Ahmed, meanwhile, was the regular shortstop in San Fran before spraining his left wrist against the Braves on May 9. The 34-year-old vet is more of a defensive asset and was hitting a mere .236 with 11 RBI on the year before his injury.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (3-3) was roughed up for the loss Friday night giving up six runs while allowing nine hits and three walks with four strikeouts in a 10-9 slugfest against the New York Mets. The Diamondbacks jumped on the board early with three runs of support for Montgomery, but unfortunately, the southpaw gave it all right back and more allowing four runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. After allowing just four runs in 13 1/3 innings in April the lefty has allowed 23 earned runs in 31 1/3 innings in May. Not only that he has 15 walks in 44 innings pitched which means he's on a full-season pace of almost doubling his walk total from last season. It's been a tough go, to say the least for the new Diamondback pitcher who will be looking to lower his 5.48 ERA on Wednesday against a San Francisco Giants he allowed one run in six innings against in his first start of the season.

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Cleveland Guardian starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (4-1) picked up his fourth win and whiffed seven batters in 6 1/3 one-run innings allowing three hits and one walk in a 7-1 victory over the Washington Nationals Friday night. Bibee was fantastic and efficient on Friday only needing 89 pitches to pick up a quality start while giving his team plenty of support to pick up their eighth win in their last 10 games. With a 4.01 ERA in May, it wasn't quite the encore month Bibee had in mind after posting a 2.96 ERA in April, but was able to hold teams to two total runs in his last four starts. Despite the so-so month, Bibee was able to escape with only one recorded loss because the scorching hot Guardians offense provided an abundance of run support for him and all of the other starters in the rotation. The 25-year-old will look to start June off on the right foot against the Kansas City Royals next Thursday.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (3-2) dazzled Friday night allowing one run on four hits and two walks while whiffing eight batters and picking up his third win in a 4-2 victory against the Oakland Athletics. We are sitting here on May 31st and Reynaldo Lopez of all pitchers, a reliever with only one start under his belt in the last two seasons and a career 4.12 ERA, is leading the National League with a 1.73 ERA. That is exactly why baseball is the beautiful game that it is. The unlikeliest outcome can occur at any given moment for any given team. Although it's unlikely to expect a pitcher who hasn't pitched over 66 innings in over four seasons to continue this domination over a full season, it is making for one heck of a story, and fantasy managers have reaped the rewards thus far. Look for him to continue his breakout campaign against the division rival Washington Nationals next Thursday.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder/infielder Tommy Edman (wrist) is taking left-handed batting practice for the first time since undergoing right wrist surgery in October. It's a been a very slow recovery process for Edman, who has been sidelined far longer than anticipated in 2024. It's unclear when he'll be ready to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment, which will likely be on the lengthier side, but Edman does have a chance to return to St. Louis before the end of June if he does so in the next week or so. The 29-year-old switch-hitter should only be stashed for fantasy managers absolutely desperate for speed. 2023 top prospect Masyn Winn has hit safely in each of his last 18 starts for the Cardinals, slashing .368/.389/.559 with two home runs, 11 RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases through 72 plate appearances during this hot streak and is worth rostering in NL-only leagues for as long as Edman is out.

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Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson smacked a late-inning, three-run homer, adding an RBI single on a 2-for-4 night as the Diamondbacks came up short in a 10-9 slugfest against the New York Mets. The home run was Pederson's seventh on the season to go along with his impressive .308 batting average. Pederson is having a nice season as he tours the National League West with his third team. Due to his career .239 batting average, you can expect some regression in the batting average moving forward, but it's nice to see Pederson performing well in his new home. He's only accumulated six at-bats against left-handed pitching on the season because of his strict strong-side platoon, but that plus hitting in the middle of a solid Diamondbacks lineup is reason enough for him to be rostered in most fantasy formats.

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer's (triceps) injury is not a long-term concern, according to general manager Mike Elias, who said on Friday that the hurler could return before the end of June. Kremer may need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before he rejoins Baltimore's banged-up rotation, though. The 28-year-old right-hander is recovering from a strained right triceps and owns a respectable 4.32 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 49:18 K:BB, and a career-best .204 batting average against across nine starts (50 innings) for the O's this year, but fantasy managers should be able to find stashes with more overall upside on waiver wires. For the time being, veterans Albert Suarez and Cole Irvin are both worth considering as streaming options in favorable matchups.

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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (foot) had a walking boot on his left foot after being hit by a line drive from the first batter of Friday's series opener against the visiting San Diego Padres, and he's heading for scans on Saturday to determine the extent of the damage. The Royals will be able to provide an official diagnosis after the scans are completed, but it's encouraging that the hurler didn't need to exit the contest early. Wacha ended up throwing 5 1/3 innings on Friday, giving up two runs on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts without factoring into the decision. The 32-year-old veteran right-hander should be deemed day-to-day until more information comes to light, but his next scheduled start on Thursday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians look to be very much up in the air. Wacha has a mediocre 4.24 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 56:20 K:BB over 12 starts (68 innings) during his first season in KC this year.

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Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (shoulder) is asymptomatic, and he'll be continuing his throwing program in Jupiter, Florida. Cabrera had previously been shut down following a bullpen session two weeks ago before resuming flat-ground work on Monday, and he appears to be back on track for a return in late June at the moment. The 26-year-old former top prospect has immense strikeout upside, as evidenced by his 31 punchouts through 21 1/3 innings for the last-place Marlins this season, but his lack of command has yielded a 7.17 ERA and 1.59 WHIP over five starts. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues don't need to hold onto Cabrera, and it remains to be seen when rookie right-hander Max Meyer will be recalled from the minor leagues to give Miami's rotation a boost.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (illness) was unavailable for Friday's series opener against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates due to food poisoning. If Varsho is feeling better by the time Saturday's matchup with Pittsburgh and right-hander Mitch Keller comes around, he could make his way back into Toronto's lineup as early as then. The speedy 27-year-old former catcher has been an excellent source of power and speed with 10 home runs, 30 RBI, and five stolen bases over 52 games as an everyday player for the Jays this year, despite batting just over the Mendoza Line at .205 (36-for-176). Varsho should be considered day-to-day, and he shouldn't be out for very long with the ailment.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela blasted two home runs and collected five RBI in a 7-3 win versus the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. Rafaela made friends with the Green Monster, hitting a three-run homer over it in the fourth inning, followed by a two-run homer over it in the sixth inning. It's the young rookie's first career multi-homer game. Rafaela is in the midst of a hot streak where he has three home runs and a .348 batting average in his last seven games. After batting .167 with two home runs in April, he's improved to a .239 average in May while smacking five home runs. We love to see progress from exciting rookie prospects such as Rafaela, but his numbers on the season do not warrant a roster spot quite yet until he's shown enough improvement to earn a promotion out of the No. 9 spot in the batting order.

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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said before Friday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers that outfielder Masataka Yoshida (thumb) is scheduled to take batting practice on Saturday. It'll mark the first time Yoshida has done so since he was placed on the injured list a month ago due to a strained left thumb. If he is able to take batting practice without discomfort, Yoshida expects to ramp up toward a minor-league rehab assignment soon and could return to the Red Sox at some point in June. Even though the 30-year-old left fielder felt like a fantasy bust before he got hurt, Yoshida was batting a healthy .275 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored through 24 games (80 at-bats) as Boston's primary designated hitter and can chip in across the board when available. With Yoshida on the shelf, veteran sluggers Dominic Smith and Garrett Cooper are platooning for ABs at DH but aren't viable fantasy options.

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Cleveland Guardian outfielder Steven Kwan (hamstring) went 3-for-4 with three singles, one RBI, and one walk in a 7-1 victory against the Washington Nationals on Friday night after returning from the injured list. If you didn't think the red-hot Guardians couldn't get any better think again. Their pesky everyday leadoff hitter with a .365 batting average on the season has returned after nearly missing an entire month's worth of games. Although the Guardians haven't needed his bat in May with their 19-9 record and an average of five runs per game, Kwan is a welcome site atop any lineup. Kwan will not provide you much in the power and RBI department, but should continue to provide a solid batting average, OBP, and runs scored to satisfy any fantasy baseball lineup.

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (hip) is tracking toward a return in time for Tuesday's series opener against the crosstown-rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Working his way back from a strained right hip flexor, Robert is entering the final stages of his recovery and should be back available to fantasy managers and the last-place White Sox during the first week of June. While Robert's batting just .105 (2-for-19) across six outings on his minor-league rehab assignment, the 26-year-old All-Star slugger presents five-category fantasy upside when healthy and will be a welcome return to all rosters. Veteran Tommy Pham is slashing a solid .301/.348/.431 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases over 123 at-bats as the primary leadoff man on the South Side this season, but his streaming appeal is expiring.

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Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (quad) made his fifth appearance with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, striking out three times in four at-bats. Lewis is not in Houston for the club's weekend series with the Astros at Minute Maid Park, but it would make sense for him to return to the Twins in time for Tuesday's series opener against the New York Yankees in the Bronx. Although he's gone just 3-for-19 with one extra-base hit over five games in the minor leagues, fantasy managers should be glad to hear that Lewis does have one stolen base during his assignment. The talented 24-year-old infielder should play every day in Minnesota when he comes back from a severe right quad strain, with utility man Willi Castro likely being the biggest loser in terms of playing time from a fantasy perspective.

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Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider says that closer Jordan Romano (elbow) "didn't bounce back" from his last outing on Wednesday, so he wasn't available for Friday's series opener against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Schneider described it as right elbow soreness for Romano, and the club will know more on Saturday. It needs to be noted that Romano's start to the season was delayed due to a bout with inflammation in the same elbow, so it's not what the Jays or fantasy managers want to hear. The hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander has struggled to a 6.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 13:4 K:BB over 13 2/3 innings this year, so it's fair to wonder if he isn't fully recovered. Yimi Garcia pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a tie ballgame on Friday, and he figures to split save chances with Chad Green if Romano needs to miss additional time. Garcia and Green registered two saves apiece during Romano's absence earlier this year.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (hamstring) participated in some light fielding drills before Friday's series opener against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. There's no timetable on when Turner will start running the bases, however, per manager Rob Thomson. Turner experienced a minor setback with leg soreness amid his recovery from a strained left hamstring during the club's series in Colorado against the Rockies last weekend, and he still needs to ramp up his running program and go through baserunning and sliding drills before starting a minor-league rehab assignment, so he's unlikely to return to the Phillies until after the club's London Series with the division-rival New York Mets on June 8 and 9. Meanwhile, Edmundo Sosa is slashing a robust .307/.378/.591 with four home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored, and two stolen bases over 88 at-bats (30 games) this year and represents a high-end fantasy streamer until Turner is back.

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San Francisco Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (elbow) will pitch in an Arizona Complex League game next week as part of his rehab from Tommy John surgery in May of last year. Ray threw live batting practice last weekend after he initially started throwing bullpen sessions during spring training. Slowly but surely, Ray has worked his way back to pitching in games, although he still has a ways to go and probably isn't going to be an option for the Giants' starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 32-year-old southpaw, a former 12th-round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2010, was the American League Cy Young in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays and has racked up five 200-strikeout seasons in his 10 MLB seasons. Ray could be even more erratic when he returns in 2024, but the strikeout upside alone makes him worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.

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Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel (thumb) was scratched from Friday's starting lineup on the road against the division-rival Seattle Mariners with left-thumb soreness. In his place, Willie Calhoun got the start at first base and was hitting cleanup against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, with Matt Thaiss serving as the DH and batting seventh. Until we know more, fantasy managers should consider Schanuel to be day-to-day and check back to see if he's in there on Saturday. The 11th overall pick last year made a quick rise to the majors in 2023, although he hasn't been much of a fantasy option in mixed leagues at first base with limited power on a bad team in Anaheim. If Schanuel's thumb injury ends up sending him to the injured list, both Calhoun and Luis Guillorme would be options for the Halos at first base.

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The injury to Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter's back is now being described as a "lumbar spine stress fracture," according to the team's medical report. Carpenter's injury was originally described as lumbar-spine inflammation. It's bad news for the Tigers and fantasy managers, as Carpenter will obviously miss well behind 10 days on the injured list with a pretty significant injury. The 26-year-old doesn't exactly have a timetable for a return, but we wouldn't be surprised if he's not able to return until sometime after the All-Star break. In the meantime with Carpenter out, Akil Baddoo is likely to benefit the most with more playing time. He got the start in left field for Detroit and was batting sixth on Friday against the Boston Red Sox and right-hander Tanner Houck. Before getting hurt, Carpenter had a healthy .283 average with eight homers and 29 RBI in 145 at-bats.

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