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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The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 30) with a left-oblique strain on Friday and recalled infielder Jose Fermin from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Nootbaar is most likely going to miss more than 10 days after injuring himself on a check swing during the win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. The oft-injured 26-year-old opened the year on the IL as well due to fractured ribs and has been very frustrating to roster in fantasy. He's still worth holding onto if you have the room in deeper leagues, though, as he was hitting a strong .313/.418/.552 with four home runs in his last 79 plate appearances. Nootbaar's injury will mean more consistent playing time for Alec Burleson and Dylan Carlson, as well as veteran Matt Carpenter.

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St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Giovanny Gallegos (shoulder) will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Memphis. Gallegos is nearing a return to St. Louis' big-league bullpen after being put on the injured list in early May due to a right-shoulder impingement. If the 32-year-old Mexican reliever can avoid any setbacks on his rehab assignment this weekend, he could return to the Cardinals' bullpen early next week. Gallegos will be hoping to be more effective as a late-inning setup man in front of closer Ryan Helsley when he returns, as he had surrendered 12 earned runs on 14 hits (five home runs) while walking seven and striking out 13 in just nine relief innings for the Red Birds before landing on the shelf. The Cardinals aren't going to rush him back until he's ready.

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The New York Mets acquired catcher Luis Torrens from the New York Yankees on Friday in exchange for cash considerations and designated catcher Omar Narvaez in a corresponding move, according to sources. Narvaez was hitting just .154 this year with five RBI in 28 games, while Torrens has spent the 2024 campaign so far with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting .279/.339/.469 with an .807 OPS, five home runs and 19 RBI in 30 games played. The Mets are just trying to get by right now at the catcher position with Francisco Alvarez (thumb) still on the injured list. The 28-year-old Torrens will now serve as the direct backup to Tomas Nido with Narvaez out of the picture. Torrens can be ignored in fantasy leagues with a .227 career batting average and 19 home runs in six big-league seasons with three different teams.

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Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch will not be in the starting lineup for Friday's matinee affair against the visiting division-rival Cincinnati Reds. Cody Bellinger is making the start at first base and will bat third, while rookie Pete-Crow Armstrong is in center field and is hitting in the eight-hole against Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft. Bellinger is swinging a hot bat right now for fantasy managers and has a solo home run in two career at-bats against Ashcraft. The Cubs recalled Crow-Armstrong from the minors on Thursday, which means the 26-year-old Busch could see more frequent time on the bench if the team is adamant about getting Crow-Armstrong consistent playing time. Outside of homering in five straight games early in the season, Busch has disappointed in the month of May and is hitting .208 (15-for-72) with two homers, six RBI and 32 K's in 85 plate appearances.

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The New York Mets optioned right-handed rookie Christian Scott to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, according to sources, further changing their roster a day after designating reliever Jorge Lopez for assignment following his ejection and glove-fling into the stands on Wednesday. In his first five major-league starts this year, Scott had a decent 3.90 ERA while striking out 25 hitters and walking six in 27 2/3 innings. He's expected to return to the big leagues soon, as the stint in the minors aligns with an upcoming stretch in which the Mets have extra days off due to their upcoming trip to London. Scott is considered the team's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, so fantasy managers should keep him stashed if they have the room. This quick demotion will allow the Mets to limit the 24-year-old's innings a bit before he eventually rejoins the big-league rotation.

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The New York Mets sent struggling third baseman Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, according to sources. The 24-year-old is being sent down to the farm for the second straight season after struggling to stand out given full-time repetitions at third. Mark Vientos had recently taken a share of Baty's at-bats at third base and has made the most of them, hitting .295/.354/.591 with three home runs in 14 games. Baty, meanwhile, is slashing .225/.304/.325 on the year. With Baty heading down to the farm, Vientos will presumably now have third base to himself, while the Mets recalled veteran shortstop Jose Iglesias for additional infield depth. Iglesias will be joining the big-league roster for the first time since signing a minor-league deal in December. Baty should have a chance to come back up to New York and reclaim playing time at the hot corner, but when that may be is unknown.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's victory against the Boston Red Sox. Baddoo was recently recalled from Triple-A Toledo with outfielder Kerry Carpenter (back) being placed on the 10-day injured list. Baddoo has been a popular preseason pick for managers over the past few seasons, but has failed to live up to expectations throughout his career. With Carpenter sidelined, Baddoo should continue to see at-bats versus right-handed pitching, but he will need to string together some good games before managers have reason to take a chance with him. Baddoo will look to keep it going on Friday in a tough matchup versus Tanner Houck and the Boston Red Sox.

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has had his stay on administrative leave extended to July 14. Franco's original had an end date of June 1. Franco has been on leave since last August with allegations of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor. The extension allows more time for any developments in his case, while he will continue to receive $2 million in salary from the Rays. Authorities have until July 5 to formally charge Franco and there should be plenty of development until then with the case. Franco was one of the young stars on the rise in the big-leagues in 2023, but his off the field allegations have likely ended his career.

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