Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho is not in the team's starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates with a left-hander on the mound. Davis Schneider will start in left field for the Jays and will bat in the leadoff spot against southpaw Bailey Falter. The left-handed-hitting Varsho is hitting only .205 (36-for-176) on the year for Toronto but does have 10 home runs, 30 RBI and five stolen bases. He's actually been better against lefties in 2024, albeit in just 38 at-bats. Schneider comes into Friday's series opener against the Bucs with a .316 average (6-for-19) with a homer and eight RBI in the last seven days. He's gone 9-for-39 (.231) against left-handed pitchers so far in 2024, but he also has three of his six home runs on the year against them. Scheider isn't a bad low-cost DFS play in the outfield on Friday night.

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Toronto Blue Jays top pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) threw a 20-pitch live batting practice session on Friday, and manager John Schneider expects the left-handed hurler to make a rehab outing next, either in Single-A or at the team's spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida. It was the first time that Tiedemann had faced live hitters since landing on the seven-day minor-league injured list on April 18 with ulnar-nerve inflammation. The 21-year-old southpaw is making some good progress at this point, but expect the Blue Jays to be extremely careful with their prized arm, especially when considering his injury history. Once he's deemed healthy, he'll return to Triple-A Buffalo. Fantasy managers that have been stashing Tiedemann for a potential 2024 big-league call-up might get their hopes up this year.

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Baltimore Orioles left-hander John Means (elbow) will miss the rest of the season, according to general manager Mike Elias. Means is set to undergo left-elbow surgery, but Elias said it's not yet known whether he'll have Tommy John surgery. That won't be known until Means goes in for his season-ending procedure. The 31-year-old had been seeking a second opinion after landing on the 15-day injured list last Thursday with a left-forearm strain. It's the same injury that caused him to get a late start to the 2024 season. Means has already had Tommy John surgery once in his career, but this time around he could have an internal-brace procedure. Either way, the veteran southpaw is going to miss the rest of this year and most likely half of the 2025 campaign. Fantasy managers that had been stashing him can cut bait in redraft leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Tyler Wells (elbow) will miss the rest of the 2024 season, according to general manager Mike Elias. Wells is set to undergo season-ending elbow surgery, but Elias said it's not yet known whether it will be Tommy John surgery. That won't be known for Wells until he goes in for his procedure. It's a tough break for a pitcher that has already had Tommy John surgery in his career. The 29-year-old recently was scheduled to play catch for the first time since May 1, but apparently that didn't go well. The former 15th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2016 out of Cal State San Bernardino was able to make only three starts for the O's in 2024, posting a 5.87 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. Because of the timing of his surgery, Wells probably won't be an option for the O's and fantasy managers until the second half in 2025.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Friday that they have placed right-hander Alek Manoah (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with a right-elbow sprain. In other moves, the team acquired right-hander Ryan Burr from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations and designated right-hander Joel Kuhnel for assignment. Manoah is reportedly going for a second opinion on his right elbow, according to sources, but the expectation at this point is that he's likely to miss an extended period of time. The 26-year-old is dealing with damage to his UCL, which is going to require significant rest and could eventually lead to surgery down the road. After a disastrous 2023 campaign in which he was demoted to the minors, Manoah has held his own in five starts in Toronto this year, going 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 26 strikeouts and eight walks in 24 1/3 innings.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (hand) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays after he was hit by a pitch on the right hand/wrist area on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox. Westburg is considered day-to-day going into the weekend after X-rays on his hand/wrist came back negative, and he could return to action as soon as the second game of the series on Saturday. With the 25-year-old missing his second straight game, Ramon Urias will man the hot corner and bat eighth in the lineup against Rays right-hander Aaron Civale. Urias hit just his second home run of the season in Wednesday's win over the Red Sox but remains a low-upside DFS play at the bottom of Baltimore's batting order. Westburg has been a lineup staple for the O's in 2024 and is currently slashing .291/.351/.508 with an .859 OPS with eight homers, 34 RBI and five thefts.

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The Cleveland Guardians activated outfielder Steven Kwan (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Friday after he spent 23 yards on the sidelines and designated outfielder Estevan Florial in a corresponding move. Kwan, a two-time Gold Glove left fielder, will slot in immediately in his customary leadoff spot for Cleveland on Friday in the series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals and left-hander Patrick Corbin. The 26-year-old has recovered from the left-hamstring strain he suffered on May 4 and should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups immediately. Kwan was leading the American League in hits, batting average, fewest strikeouts per plate appearance and multi-hit games before getting hurt. In four minor-league rehab games at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, he had two hits (one homer) and four RBI.

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New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (hand) had a scare with a hand injury in the series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday but is back in the starting lineup on Friday for the second game of the series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks after sitting out on Thursday. Alonso is back at first base and is hitting second on Friday versus D-backs left-hander Jordan Montgomery. X-rays and a CT scan came back negative on the 29-year-old's right hand after he was hit by a pitch by a James Paxton fastball in the first inning on Wednesday. In six career at-bats against Montgomery, Alonso is hitting just .167 with two RBI, but fantasy managers will want to get him back in there in all formats. Alonso already has 12 homers and 26 RBI with a .235 average (50-for-213) for the Mets this year.

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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn will not start on Friday in Philadelphia against the Phillies. In his place, veteran Brandon Crawford will start at shortstop and will hit eighth against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Not only is Crawford hard to trust as a deep DFS sleeper in the eight-hole, but he's hit just .176 with three RBI in 17 career at-bats against Nola. The Cardinals are giving Winn a day off in the series opener in Philly despite the fact that he's currently riding an 18-game hitting streak. During his 18-game streak, the 22-year-old youngster has gone 25-for-68 (.368) with two home runs, seven doubles, 11 RBI, two stolen bases, three walks and six strikeouts in 72 plate appearances to raise his season slash line to .308/.358/.440. Winn has become a must-start player in all fantasy leagues in 2024.

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Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo has put his slow start behind him and is performing at an elite level. He is currently riding an incredible 12-game hitting streak and has posted a .422/.469/.578 line with two home runs, nine RBI, and two stolen bases during this stretch. Through 44 games with Double-A Bowie this season, the number two prospect in Baltimore holds a .287/.332/.439 line with seven home runs. The 19-year-old is considered the number 14 overall prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline and is projected to reach the majors next season. Basallo is one of the best young backstops in the game and should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues.

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San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said on Tuesday that right-hander Keaton Winn (forearm) is "getting close" and could be an option for the team the next turn through the starting rotation. Winn walked off the mound with team trainer Dave Groeschner after his velocity began to dip in the fifth inning in the loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 14. MRI results showed a mild strain of his right forearm. Winn was able to throw two bullpen sessions recently, most recently with 45 pitches on Monday. The 26-year-old could come off the 15-day injured list sooner than later, potentially avoiding a minor-league rehab assignment since his injury wasn't all that serious. If Winn avoids a rehab assignment, his next start could come in a plus matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks on next Monday or Tuesday. Winn was 3-6 with a bloated 6.17 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in nine starts before getting hurt.

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San Francisco Giants left-hander Ethan Small (oblique) is "still a ways away" from returning, manager Bob Melvin said on Tuesday. Small has not responded well to throwing after suffering a moderate right-oblique strain. He was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason and was in the running for a bullpen spot before suffering the injury during spring training. The 27-year-old southpaw is on the 60-day injured list and may struggle to make it back before the All-Star break at this rate. Small made a full-time move to a relief role last year with the Brewers but only pitched in relief in two games in the majors, allowing five earned runs on nine hits with two walks and six strikeouts in four innings. He's allowed 10 earned runs in just 10 1/3 innings for Milwaukee since debuting in 2022.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman has been performing well since being moved down to Triple-A and should be back up in the major leagues fairly soon. Through nine games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, the 27-year-old has posted a .333/.524/.567 line with two home runs, four RBI, two stolen bases, and a 10:13 BB:K ratio. Outman had a big game on Thursday where he tallied three hits, including a home run, and brought in two runs. The former seventh-round pick struggled at the plate during the early part of the season and posted a poor .147/.250/.266 line, which resulted in his demotion. However, Outman is looking much more comfortable since taking some time in the minor leagues and is worth stashing in deeper redraft leagues as he could still provide fantasy managers with a solid combination of power and speed when he returns to Los Angeles.

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Nick Ahmed (wrist) started taking batting practice on Wednesday and has also started taking ground balls on the field as he ramps up his baseball activities. Ahmed was forced from the game on May 9 in the loss to the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning after he took an awkward swing in his previous plate appearance. The 34-year-old veteran had been experiencing pain in his wrist since taking a 108 mph liner off his wrist during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 27. An MRI exam on May 10 revealed his wrist sprain. It's uncertain if Ahmed will go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the Giants. With Marco Luciano (hamstring) day-to-day, Brett Wisely heads into this weekend's games as San Fran's primary shortstop with Ahmed still on the IL. When healthy, Ahmed is more of a glove guy than a fantasy asset for his offense.

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater (concussion) cleared the concussion protocol and started a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. Slater suffered a concussion after running into the center-field wall while trying to make a catch in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park on May 10. He continued to experience fogginess and blurry vision the next day, which prompted the Giants to put him on the seven-day concussion injured list. After missing more than two weeks due to his head injury, the 31-year-old is finally feeling better and has returned to game action. If he continues to progress, Slater could be an option to be activated and rejoin the team this weekend. When healthy, Slater is an option for the short side of a platoon in San Fran's outfield against lefties. He's gone just 5-for-39 (.128) on the year with no homers.

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Oakland Athletics right-hander Luis Medina (knee) gave up two runs and struck out six in 3 2/3 innings in his third minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, throwing 44 of his 72 pitches for strikes. Medina's fastball averaged 97 mph and topped out at 100.2 mph. He rejoined the big-league club on Thursday and made it through a bullpen session prior to the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Medina could now be activated from the injured list during this weekend's series against the Braves in Atlanta. The hard-throwing 25-year-old appears to have recovered from his Grade 2 MCL sprain, but it remains to be seen if the A's will use him as a starter or reliever when he's back. Medina has intriguing pure stuff, but his lack of control is pretty concerning.

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Oakland Athletics right-hander Joe Boyle (back) allowed four runs on four hits while walking four and striking out three in 2 1/3 innings in his second minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday. He threw 25 of his 43 pitches for strikes and averaged 100.1 mph with his four-seam fastball, which he threw 28 times. Manager Mark Kotsay said that Boyle feels like he has "turned a corner" with his back injury, which put him on the 15-day injured list on May 6. The 24-year-old didn't even record an out in his first rehab start last week, so Wednesday's outing was definitely an improvement. The A's are probably going to have Boyle make another rehab start or two, but the hard-throwing right-hander is nearing a return. Boyle had struggled in seven starts before his back injury cropped up, posting a 7.16 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with 29 K's and 23 walks in 27 2/3 innings for the A's.

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Oakland Athletics right-hander Paul Blackburn (foot) was still in a walking boot as of Tuesday. Manager Mark Kotsay said that Blackburn will probably be re-evaluated when the team returns to Oakland to open its next homestand on June 4 against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Blackburn was placed on the injured list with a right-foot stress reaction and doesn't appear to be very close to a return. The 30-year-old's IL stint is retroactive to May 11, but as of right now, it looks like he won't return to the A's until the middle of June. At best, Blackburn will be deep-league streaming option when the matchups are right when he's healthy. Before injuring his foot, he went 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (4.16 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 13 walks in 46 innings over his eight starts.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (hamstring) appears to be on the verge of being reinstated from the 10-day injured list. The 26-year-old outfielder went 1-for-2 with an RBI, three runs scored, a stolen base and two walks in a minor-league rehab game with Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Kwan played in two games for High-A Lake County before moving his rehab assignment to Columbus. If the Guardians have seen enough from Kwan in the minors, they could certainly activate him from the injured list in time to return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals. Once he's back, Kwan will be a must-start in all fantasy formats. The former fifth-rounder in 2018 out of Oregon State uses a contact-based approach at the plate and is currently slashing an exceptional .353/.407/.496 with a .903 OPS in 133 at-bats in 2024.

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New York Yankees right-hander Cody Poteet (finger) will make the start on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants after the Yankees placed right-hander Clarke Schmidt (lat) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday. Poteet had been dealing with a blister on his finger at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but manager Aaron Boone said he's good to go for this weekend. The 29-year-old had a quality start and a win in his lone start in the big leagues for the Yankees this year, allowing one earned run while walking none and striking out four in six innings against the Cleveland Guardians on April 13. At Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he's gone 3-0 with a 4.05 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with a 38:11 K:BB in 33 1/3 innings over seven starts. Poteet should be sufficiently stretched out and will only be worth a look as a fantasy streamer in much deeper leagues.

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