Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (knee) is set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment early next week. Before that, Perdomo will play in the Arizona Complex League this weekend. The 24-year-old switch-hitter tore the right meniscus in his knee on April 3 against the New York Yankees after previously tweaking his knee in spring training. He's been out ever since after requiring surgery but could be nearing a return after being named an All-Star in 2023 while finishing second on the team in on-base percentage (.353). After Blaze Alexander got the first shot at the 6 with Perdomo hurt, veteran Kevin Newman has since taken over and has been a solid replacement. When Perdomo returns, the D-backs have made it clear that he will remain the starter at shortstop.

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Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Jeffrey Springs (elbow, lat) threw long toss on Thursday and made 45 throws out to 90 feet, just five days after being shut down. Lat soreness caused Springs to be pulled from his second minor-league rehab outing last Saturday while pitching in the Florida Complex League at the rookie level. The 31-year-old southpaw appears to have made some nice progress since last weekend, though, and he's beginning to ramp up his throwing program once again. We'll update everyone once we know when Springs will be cleared to make another rehab start as he continues to make his way back from Tommy John surgery that he had last April. Springs will be on the fantasy radar when he's healthy. He made only three starts in 2023 before being shut down but he went 9-5 in 2022 with a strong 2.46 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with a 144:31 K:BB in 33 outings (25 starts).

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Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (oblique) is still on a "slow program" due to lingering oblique discomfort. He isn't swinging a bat right now, but manager Dave Roberts hopes Muncy will begin swinging again "soon." The veteran 33-year-old left-handed slugger has started baseball activities, but he's moving at a slow pace, and his return isn't just around the corner despite already being eligible to come off the 10-day injured list. Once he begins swinging, Muncy will eventually be required to go on at least a short minor-league rehab assignment. In the meantime, expect Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor to see some playing time at the hot corner for the Blue. When healthy, Muncy is a batting-average drag for fantasy teams, but he has high-end power and plenty of RBI opportunities in the best lineup in baseball. Keep him stashed everywhere.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (back) was throwing off the mound on Thursday and has a "ramped-up bullpen session" likely scheduled for Sunday in Baltimore, according to manager Kevin Cash. If Eflin comes out of Sunday's session without any setbacks, he could make his return from the injured list to rejoin the starting rotation next week. The 30-year-old veteran is getting close to a return from a lower-back injury that has kept him out the last few weeks on the 15-day injured list. After winning a league-high 16 games for the Rays in his first season with the team in 2023, Eflin had gone 3-4 with a 4.12 ERA (3.65 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and only four walks in 59 innings over 10 starts before getting hurt. He should be stashed in most fantasy leagues.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) will play for Triple-A Durham from Friday through Sunday this weekend, and if all goes well and he feels good, he will come off the injured list to rejoin the team on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins. Lowe is on the 10-day injured list for the second time already this year with a mild right-oblique strain, but he's recovered rather quickly from the injury and should be ready to return for fantasy managers next week, barring a setback while playing for the Bulls this weekend. The former 13th overall pick in 2016 out of a Georgia high school has only two home runs and three RBI in 50 at-bats this year while hitting .240, but he needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues after hitting 20 homers and stealing 32 bases in 2023. Lowe will return to a regular role in Tampa's outfield when he's activated.

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New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso's (hand) CT scan on his right hand came back negative for any fractures, according to a source, and he's considered day-to-day. Alonso was hit by a James Paxton fastball on his right hand in his first at-bat in the loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday and was immediately removed from the game. Initial X-rays came back negative, and now he seems to be in the clear for any kind of significant injury to his hand after his CT scan also came back negative. The Mets haven't released their lineup yet for Thursday's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect Alonso to be in it. When in the lineup, the 29-year-old Alonso is a must-start in all fantasy lineups for his elite power. He's currently hitting .231 (49-for-212) with 12 homers and 26 RBI.

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Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez went 2-for-4 with a double and his 10th home run of the season in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Twins. The veteran collected two RBI and scored twice as well. The 34-year-old is having a nice season so far, with a .325-10-41-24-0 line along with a .397 wOBA and 156 wRC+. Perez is the second-highest-scoring catcher in fantasy to date, providing fantasy managers who invested in him a bountiful early return on their investment.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (hamstring), who is currently on the injured list with a right-hamstring strain, is on the cusp of playing baseball. It's to be determined as of Thursday morning whether Hoskins will be on a minor-league rehab assignment at Single-A Wisconsin this weekend or if he'll be activated from the IL to play against the Chicago White Sox. Either way, it looks promising that he'll be active for a return in the series early next week against the former team, the Philadelphia Phillies. It would be a bit surprising if Hoskins joins the Brewers in their series against the White Sox this weekend, but either way, fantasy managers should have him back next week, at the latest, barring a setback on a rehab assignment. The 31-year-old will return to starting duties at first base when he's reinstated.

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The Atlanta Braves said after Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals that left-hander Ray Kerr will start the series finale on Thursday, not the originally announced right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. Lopez would have been on "regular" four days of rest, which he's only done once this season -- in his last start on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he had his shortest outing (4 2/3 innings) and fewest strikeouts (three) of the year. He has had five to six days of rest in all his previous starts in 2024. It's possible that the 30-year-old will be pushed back just one day to Friday in a much better matchup against the Oakland Athletics. Kerr, 29, made his first start of the year on May 24 against the Pirates and allowed five earned runs in four innings for his first loss of the season. He won't be a recommended fantasy streamer against the Nats.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Rhett Lowder was recently promoted to Double-A earlier in May and has gotten off to a rocky start. However, on Wednesday, he posted his best outing, where he tossed four innings of one-run ball with seven punchouts. After posting an 11.39 ERA and 2.12 WHIP through his first starts with Double-A Chattanooga, he began to put those struggles behind him, and Wednesday was a big step in that direction. Lower is the top prospect in the Cincinnati system and is considered the number 24 overall prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline and, is projected to reach the majors this summer. The former number-seven overall pick should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and will enter must-stash territory in redraft formats once he reaches Triple-A.

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Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Logan Allen lasted just an inning-and-two-thirds in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Rockies. The lefty allowed seven earned runs on six hits and two walks in the abbreviated outing while striking out just one batter. The former second-round pick has seven starts where he allowed three earned runs or less, but has five starts in which he's allowed four runs or more. So despite the 6-3 record, the southpaw has a bloated 5.83 ERA (5.22 FIP), 1.55 WHIP, .301 opponent BA, and a league-leading 12 home runs allowed. Allen's next start lines up with the Royals at home next week, who have the fourth-best team batting average against LHP this season, so it might be best to stay away for fantasy.

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The Oakland Athletics recalled left-hander Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday and placed left-hander Kyle Muller (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 27) with left-shoulder tendonitis in a corresponding move. Harris is making the spot start for the A's on Thursday in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 27-year-old southpaw will be making his first start of the year for the A's and only his seventh career big-league start after making six starts in his rookie year in 2023. In his two relief outings for the A's in 2024, Harris has allowed four earned runs on eight hits while walking three and fanning eight in 8 2/3 relief innings. He wasn't particularly effective as a starter in Vegas and has a 6.78 career ERA in the majors in 71 2/3 innings, so Harris is a streaming option to avoid on Thursday.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle went 2-for-2 with two walks in Wednesday's 7-4 win over the Guardians. Doyle also scored once, but it could have been an even more productive day had he not been caught stealing once and picked off once. The former fourth-round draft pick's batting average hit a high-water mark of .330 on April 25, but has seen it drop to .271 since then. He's been able to get on base via the walk, however, with 14 walks in his last 16 games, which has afforded him opportunities to steal bases. The speedster has ten stolen bases over the last 17 games after stealing just four over the first 36 games. He's also remained fantasy-relevant due to his ability to score, having crossed the plate 36 times so far this season.

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Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe will retreat to the bench on Thursday against the visiting Oakland Athletics with a left-handed pitcher on the mound. Outfielder Richie Palacios and infielder Jonathan Aranda are also taking the day off. With Lowe sitting, Amed Rosario will start at second base and bat seventh against A's lefty Hogan Harris. Harold Ramirez is serving as the designated hitter and is batting in the two-hole, with Jonny DeLuca in right field and batting fifth. Since returning from the injured list on May 20, Lowe has not been able to get comfortable at the plate, going 4-for-23 with a double, two triples, four RBI and six strikeouts in 27 plate appearances over eight games. Lowe still has appealing pop at the second base position, but he has yet to hit in 2024 and is a big injury risk.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Shawn Armstrong is listed as the starter for the team's game on Thursday against the visiting Oakland Athletics. Armstrong is serving as the opener for this contest for Tampa, with left-hander Tyler Alexander expected to take over as the bulk reliever after Armstrong goes an inning or two. The 33-year-old has performed well as the opener four other times for the Rays this year, but that doesn't mean he's a viable streamer for fantasy purposes. Armstrong is currently 1-1 on the year with a 3.91 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, one save, 30 strikeouts and nine walks in 25 1/3 innings over 20 appearances (four starts). Alexander has a good matchup once he enters the game, but the 29-year-old southpaw hasn't been nearly as effective as Armstrong has been this year.

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Milwaukee Brewers rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio will take a seat for Thursday's contest against the visiting division-rival Chicago Cubs. Chourio will get a day off after starting in each of the team's last three games. The 20-year-old has struggled in his first exposure to big-league pitching in 2024, as he's currently slashing .210/.254/.327 with five home runs, four doubles, 16 RBI and seven stolen bases in his first 49 games with the Brewers. The Venezuelan outfielder hasn't been all that much better in May and is essentially on the short side of a platoon at the moment in the outfield with Sal Frelick. Chourio is going to get his chances to turn things around, though, and he's still useful in fantasy leagues for his speed when he's in the lineup. Sal Frelick is in right field and is hitting seventh on Thursday against Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon.

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Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby threw six innings of one-run ball, but did not factor into the decision in Wednesday's 2-1 walk-off victory over the Astros. Kirby scattered six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out eight. It was a much-needed strong outing after allowing five earned runs in each of his last two starts. The righty's record stands at 4-5 on the season with a 4.08 ERA (3.33 FIP), 1.02 WHIP, and a 21.1% K-BB%. The former first-round draft pick gets another chance to keep things heading in the right direction in a favorable matchup against the A's on Tuesday, a team that has the second-most strikeouts and third-lowest team batting average in all of baseball.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki is not in the starting lineup on Thursday on the road against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. Mike Tauchman is getting the start in right field and will bat leadoff for the Cubs against Brewers right-hander Colin Rea. Suzuki will get a break in the middle of a modest six-game hitting streak in which he's gone 8-for-27 with eight singles, a walk and five strikeouts. The 29-year-old Japanese outfielder missed a little time with an oblique injury this year and is currently batting .254/.312/.389 with four home runs, 16 RBI and 19 runs scored. Expect him to return to the lineup on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Cincinnati Reds. Tauchman will be a nice DFS target in the leadoff spot against a right-handed pitcher. The 33-year-old lefty slugger has all four of his home runs against righties in 2024, also adding seven doubles in 156 plate appearances.

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Kansas City Royals right-hander Brady Singer (illness) was scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins due to an illness. In a corresponding move, the team recalled left-hander Daniel Lynch from Triple-A Omaha and optioned right-hander Carlos Hernandez to Omaha. Lynch will serve as the emergency spot starter for the Royals on Thursday. The 27-year-old Singer should be able to take his next turn in the starting rotation, but fantasy managers will want to monitor the situation. Even if Singer does make his next start, he could be a little more risky in fantasy lineups his next time out. The former 18th overall pick in 2018 out of Florida so far is having the best season of his career, going 4-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with a 64:19 K:BB in 61 2/3 innings over his 11 starts. For a resurgent and young Royals squad, Singer has been a must-roster in all fantasy leagues.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (shin) is back in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins and right-hander Chris Paddack, serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup. Pasquantino left Tuesday's game early after colliding with Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, and he wasn't included in the starting lineup on Wednesday. But the 26-year-old left-handed slugger will be back in action on Thursday after just one day off. Salvador Perez will get a day off from catching and will play first base, with Freddy Fermin catching and batting eighth for KC. Pasquantino has never faced Paddack in his career and has been ice-cold at the plate lately. He hasn't homered since May 9 and has gone 6-for-43 (.140) with eight RBI and 13 strikeouts in 13 games since May 14.

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