Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (thumb) is back to hitting flips and continues to progress. He's working toward getting back to taking batting practice soon. Friedl suffered a fractured left thumb 11 days ago but is already swinging a bat and is progressing nicely. If the 28-year-old doesn't suffer a setback with his thumb once he starts to take batting practice, he should be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment shortly after that. Surprisingly, Friedl is on track to return from the 10-day injured list when he's eligible early next month. When healthy, Friedl should be a lineup regular, at least against right-handed pitching, after hitting 18 home runs, driving in 66 and stealing 27 bases in a breakout 2023 campaign. He's been unlucky with injuries so far in 2024, though, and is currently hitting .182 (4-for-22) with no homers, two RBI and two steals.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (hand) still has swelling on the outside of his right hand after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday. Fraley said he was going to try and take some swings to test it on Thursday, but he remained out of the starting lineup for the series finale versus the visiting San Diego Padres. X-rays came back negative on the 28-year-old left-handed hitter's hand, so he's considered day-to-day for now. If Fraley feels better while testing his hand on Thursday, he could return to the lineup at some point this weekend for a series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. When healthy, Fraley is an option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues and in DFS lineups against right-handed pitching. The former second-rounder by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 out of LSU is currently hitting .272/.333/.359 with a homer, seven RBI and seven steals in 103 at-bats.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitching prospect Cristian Mena threw five shutout innings on Wednesday and tied a season-high nine punchouts. Through 50 innings with Triple-A Reno, Mena has a 3.42 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 54:25 K:BB ratio. The 21-year-old got a small taste of Triple-A ball last season but struggled with a 5.95 ERA across 19 innings. While Mena is showcasing his elite strikeout upside, he is still struggling with his control. Mena should be expected to reach the major leagues later this summer and could become a must-stash player if he lowers his walk rate over his next few starts.

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St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Jose Fermin went 3-for-4 with his sixth home run of the season to power Triple-A Memphis to a victory. Through 26 games at Triple-A this season, Fermin has posted an excellent .393/.481/.708 slash line with a 13:3 BB:K and nine stolen bases. Fermin has appeared in only 30 games in the majors over the past two years, made just nine appearances earlier this season, and holds a cumulative .227/.338/.242 line. However, the 25-year-old is on pace to set career-highs in every category in the minors and could earn himself a more extended opportunity in the majors later this summer. When he is promoted, he is worth an addition in NL-only formats, as he could provide you with a nice power and speed combination.

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The Oakland Athletics placed outfielder Esteury Ruiz (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a strained left wrist and selected the contract of outfielder Daz Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Infielder Jordan Diaz was also designated for assignment. Ruiz only made two starts in the team's last 13 games due to his injury, so they A's weren't trying to play a man short any longer. The 25-year-old speedster had a league-high 67 stolen bases in 2023 but has already been optioned to the minors once in 2024 and is currently hitting .200 (11-for-55) with two homers, eight RBI and five steals in 29 games. Ruiz has gone 2-for-19 with 10 strikeouts in May. Cameron, 27, could be an interesting option in AL-only leagues if he sees playing time. He was hitting .307 with six homers and eight steals in 41 games for Vegas before this call-up.

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Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (groin) had a successful bullpen session on Wednesday and will throw again on Saturday. Lodolo is aiming to come off the 15-day injured list and return to Cincy's starting rotation on Monday to face the St. Louis Cardinals. As long as the 26-year-old southpaw doesn't have a setback in his next bullpen session on Saturday, fantasy managers should be ready to throw him back into their starting lineups in a favorable matchup to kick off next week. Lodolo landed on the 15-day IL due to a left-groin strain that wasn't very serious, which is why he didn't require a minor-league rehab assignment. The former seventh overall pick out of TCU in 2019 should be rostered in all fantasy leagues for his strikeout upside. He was looking good this year before his injury, going 3-2 with a 3.34 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 43 K's in 35 innings.

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The San Francisco Giants placed left-hander Blake Snell on the paternity list on Thursday and recalled relief pitcher Nick Avila from Double-A Richmond in a corresponding move. Snell should be back in time for his next start against the Philadelphia Phillies. The reigning National League Cy Young winner made his return from the injured list on Wednesday to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and he'll now leave the team for a few days. In his return from a groin strain, Snell allowed four earned runs on four hits while walking a season-high four batters and striking out five in 3 1/3 innings in a no-decision. The 31-year-old southpaw remains winless on the year with a nightmarish 11.40 ERA and 2.07 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings of work over four starts. Snell should be able to get things figured out and has been notorious for being a slow starter, so he's worth some buy-low offers if you're in need of a strikeout artist.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitching prospect Cade Horton posted his best start at Triple-A on Wednesday with five innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits, one free pass, and striking out six. Through his first four starts with Triple-A Iowa, Horton has posted a 6.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 20:10 K:BB ratio. However, in his two recent starts, he has a much better 4.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, which is a good sign. The top prospect in the Chicago pipeline opened the season with Double-A Tennessee and posted a stellar 1.10 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 18:2 K:BB ratio, which allowed him to move up to Triple-A quite early this spring. The former number-seven overall pick should reach the major leagues later this summer, and with his recent turnaround at Triple-A, this promotion could come relatively soon. Horton should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and is worth stashing in deeper redraft leagues for now.

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The Baltimore Orioles placed left-hander John Means (forearm) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a left-forearm strain and recalled right-hander Jonathan Heasley from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The frustration around Means continues after he was forced to leave his start on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals early due to a flare-up with his left forearm. The 31-year-old southpaw got a late start to the 2024 campaign due to a similar issue with his arm, so fantasy managers should expect him to miss more than the 15 days on the IL. The O's are likely to play it safe with Means at this point, although hopefully he'll be able to return to Baltimore's starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July. With Means now sidelined again, it's likely that Cole Irvin will take his rotation spot.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) remains sidelined for the series finale at Wrigley Field on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. It's a mild surprise that Atlanta hasn't put Riley on the injured list yet, as this will be his 10th straight missed game due to a left-intercostal strain. The good news is that the 27-year-old right-handed slugger was able to take some swings on the field earlier this week. However, if he's not able to return this weekend for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, it would be even more of a surprise if he's not put on the IL. The former 41st overall pick in 2015 is currently slashing .245/.319/.388 with only three home runs and 18 RBI, but he remains a must-start when he's healthy. Luke Williams will get the start at third on Thursday instead of Zack Short and will hit ninth against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud will get a day to rest in the matinee affair on Thursday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs to wrap up the series. With d'Arnaud on the bench, Chadwick Tromp will do the catching for right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver and will hit in the eight spot against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown. d'Arnaud has admirably held down the fort as Atlanta's primary backstop with Sean Murphy (oblique) on the injured list since getting hurt on Opening Day. The 35-year-old veteran catcher got off to a hot start with regular playing time in April, but he's cooled off so far in May, going 9-for-43 (.209) with no homers, one RBI and 13 strikeouts in 14 games played. With Murphy's return coming soon, d'Arnaud is going to find himself on the bench more often in the near future. Tromp has gone 11-for-45 (.244) with no homers and six RBI in limited action in 2024.

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Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will get a day to rest on Thursday in the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies. In his absence, Josh Smith will handle shortstop duties and will bat third against Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. Ezequiel Duran is manning the hot corner and batting eighth for the Rangers. Seager appears to just be getting a regular day of rest during a day game after he cleared the fences in three straight games. After a slow start to the year in 2024 after having offseason sports-hernia surgery, Seager is starting to hit a stride at the plate and is currently batting .278 (20-for-72) with six of his eight home runs on the year and 11 RBI in 19 games in the month of May. He's a must-start when he's in the Texas lineup. Smith has been swinging a hot bat this year as well and is in an enviable lineup spot on Thursday, but the matchup against Wheeler will be a challenge.

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Texas Rangers right-hander Jon Gray has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a mild groin strain after it was apparent that he wasn't going to be able to make his next scheduled start for the team. Gray injured his groin during his start on Tuesday in the loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, and now he'll have to sit out for at least the next two weeks after an MRI exam revealed a strain in his groin. We'll keep tabs on the 32-year-old's recovery process as he tries to make it back to the Rangers' rotation when he's eligible. Fantasy managers should look to keep Gray stashed on their rosters after he went 2-2 with a strong 2.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 56 strikeouts in 57 innings over 11 outings this year. It's unclear who will take Gray's next turn in the rotation, which comes up on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins, but Nathan Eovaldi (groin) could be an option coming off the injured list.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez has been dropped to the sixth spot in the batting order on Thursday in the Bronx against the New York Yankees and right-hander Luis Gil. It's the first time all year that Rodriguez has not been in either the leadoff spot or the two-hole for the Mariners after he went 1-for-12 in the first three games of the series in New York against the Yankees. The 23-year-old All-Star has been one of the bigger disappointments in baseball so far in 2024 and is currently slashing .263/.311/.318 with only two home runs, 14 RBI, nine stolen bases and 19 runs scored in 198 at-bats. The good news is that even after going 1-for-12 in this series, J-Rod has been better in May with a .272 average (22-for-81) with a homer, three RBI and two steals. Shortstop J.P. Crawford is hitting leadoff on Thursday, with second baseman Dylan Moore in the two-hole against Gil.

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Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh will take a seat for the matinee game on Thursday in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. Seby Zavala will do the catching for right-hander Luis Castillo and will hit in the nine-hole for the M's against Yankees right-hander Luis Gil. It appears to be just a normal day of rest for Raleigh, who clubbed his 11th homer of the season in Wednesday's contest. The 27-year-old switch-hitting backstop has high-end power for the catching position in fantasy, but he's not ever going to do your team batting average any favors. He's currently hitting .219 (34-for-155) with a 34.5 percent strikeout rate. Those setting DFS lineups should be able to find a better catching option than Zavala, who is hitting .188 (6-for-32) with a homer and two RBI on the season.

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Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hit his eleventh home run of the season in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Yankees. The three-run blast was Raleigh's only hit of the contest and accounted for the only scoring the M's could muster. The 27-year-old hit 30 home runs last season but batted just .232, and it looks like more of the same this season. The backstop is hitting just .219 so far this year with a high 34.5% K%, but his 11 home runs lead all catchers. For fantasy, managers can't complain as this was to be expected and he's delivering in the power department. With the high strikeout rate and robust 16.7% Barrel%, managers should expect much of the same going forward as well.

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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt went seven strong innings in Wednesday's 9-2 victory over the White Sox. The veteran allowed five hits and two walks while striking out four on his way to earning the win. It was the righty's fifth quality start out of 10 starts, and his record now stands at 4-6. This season has been a bit of a mixed bag, as the 35-year-old has a 4.39 ERA on the season despite Wednesday's strong outing, and owns a 1.46 WHIP with a low 10.0% K-BB%. His K% is slightly below average at 20.5%, but it's the walks that have been hurting him, as his BB% stands at 10.5%. He's also got an elevated .314 BABIP, which isn't normal for him (career .281), so perhaps there's been a bit of bad luck too. You're probably only using Bassitt in easier matchups like this one against the Sox, and as luck would have it, he'll face them again in his next start next Monday in Chicago.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes did not give up a run on his way to picking up the win in Wednesday's 7-3 victory over the Mariners. It was the second straight start that Cortes did not allow an earned run, and in Wednesday's outing, the lefty went five innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out six. The win pushed his record to 3-4 on the year and lowered his ERA to 3.29. The southpaw also sports a 1.07 WHIP and a solid 18.2% K-BB%. The 29-year-old will draw the Angels in his next start which will be next Tuesday in Anaheim.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu went 2-for-4 with a home run and walk in Wednesday's 8-5 win over the Rays. The home run was a two-run shot in the sixth, which gave the Sox plenty of breathing room, putting them ahead 8-3 at the time. It was Abreu's fifth home run of the season and pushed his RBI total up to 20. The 24-year-old has also scored 20 times and stolen seven bases, so he's been plenty productive when he's been in the starting lineup. The left-handed hitter is slashing .275/.357/.486 with a .367 wOBA and 133 wRC+ on the year.

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Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello went six innings Wednesday, allowing three earned runs on four hits and four walks while striking out six in an 8-5 victory over the Rays. It was just the righty's second quality start of the season in eight starts, but he's now 5-2 on the year with a 4.04 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 13.7% K-BB%. He's slated to square off against the Orioles in divisional matchup on the road next Tuesday. The 25-year-old faced them in early April, going five-and-a-third innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out three batters.

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