Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Enmanuel Valdez is starting at second base and is hitting leadoff for Friday's series opener at Great American Ball Park against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Brady Singer. Valdez will get a shot at leadoff with outfielder Oneil Cruz (finger) sitting out for the second straight game. The Pirates continue to experiment at the top of their batting order early in the 2025 season. The left-handed-hitting Valdez has started his first season with the Bucs by going just 3-for-17 with a double, triple, two RBI, a run scored, one walk and five strikeouts in seven games played. It will be his first start at the keystone this year with Adam Frazier in right field on Friday. Normally, Valdez will be a bench player for the Pirates, although he'll have deep-sleeper appeal in DFS on Friday in the leadoff spot against a pitcher he's never faced.

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has been moved up to the leadoff spot for Friday's series opener against the New York Yankees and right-hander Marcus Stroman in the Bronx after hitting a two-run, walk-off shot against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Not only was Yastrzemski the hero the other day, but he's hitting .344 (11-for-32) with two homers, fix RBI, five runs scored and two stolen bases early on this season. Before moving up to the top spot in the batting order on Friday, Yaz had hit near the bottom half of the lineup this year. If he stays hot, he could stay in the leadoff spot against right-handed pitchers. First baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. will move down to sixth for the Giants on Friday. Yastrzemski now becomes a much more attractive DFS play despite the fact he's hit just .214 with one RBI in 14 career at-bats against Stroman.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen will start on the bench for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Adam Frazier is making the start in right field and will hit eighth against Reds right-hander Brady Singer. Bryan Reynolds (triceps) continues to serve as Pittsburgh's designated hitter, leaving the 38-year-old McCutchen as the odd-man out. The former MVP has gotten off to a .267 (8-for-30) start at the plate in his 17th big-league season, and he's added a homer, two doubles, five RBI and two runs scored in his 10 games played. Cutch should start to see more regular playing time as the DH whenever Reynolds is able to return to left-field duties. Frazier will be a low-upside DFS option at the bottom of Pittsburgh's lineup. He has hit .286 with one RBI in seven career at-bats against Singer.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (finger) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Cruz was hit by a pitch on his finger on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals and will sit out for the second straight day as a result. It's not considered a very serious injury, though, so fantasy managers should hopefully get Cruz back at some point over the weekend in Cincinnati. With Cruz out, Jack Suwinski is making another start in center field and will hit sixth against Reds right-hander Brady Singer. Suwinski will be a poor DFS play on Friday night. He's gone 3-for-25 in the early going and has never faced Singer in his career. Cruz has started the year hitting only .211 (8-for-38), but he does have two long balls, five RBI, five runs scored and a league-leading seven stolen bases.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez is making the start in center field and will bat seventh in Friday's series opener against the division-rival Kansas City Royals and left-hander Kris Bubic at Progressive Field. Nolan Jones has been starting in center the last few days with Lane Thomas (wrist) out of the lineup, but he'll take a seat on Friday with a southpaw on the mound in favor of Martinez. The 23-year-old switch-hitting Dominican will be making his 2025 debut after slashing .232/.298/.338 with three home runs, seven doubles, 11 RBI, three stolen bases, 15 walks and 33 strikeouts in his first 43 big-league games in Cleveland in 2024. Without much speed or power, Martinez lacks a ton of fantasy upside, but he'll likely remain with the Guardians while Thomas heals up after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas (wrist) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener at Progressive Field against the division-rival Kansas City Royals. Thomas will miss a third straight start for Cleveland after being hit by a pitch on his right wrist in the team's home opener on Tuesday. The 29-year-old has reportedly been feeling better, so hopefully he'll be able to return to the starting lineup before the end of the series against the Royals this weekend. If he cannot, the Guardians will likely consider placing him on the injured list. Thomas was struggling offensively before his wrist injury, going 5-for-30 with a double, two RBI, one stolen base and eight strikeouts in his first eight games in 2025. Jhonkensy Noel is making another start in right field on Friday and will bat fifth against Royals left-hander Kris Bubic. Noel is hitless in just two career at-bats versus Bubic.

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With struggling St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras on the bench on Friday, outfielder Jordan Walker is being bumped up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order against Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola in the series opener. The Cardinals are considering moving Contreras down in the batting order moving forward after his slow start tot he 2025 season, and Walker could be the beneficiary up in the two-hole. The 22-year-old former top prospect was a big disappointment in his first two big-league seasons for the Cards and was sent back to the minors multiple times. However, he will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself this year, and so far, he's looked good. In the first 11 games, he's gone 11-for-39 with a homer, four RBI and two steals. The matchup isn't a great one on Friday, but a permanent move to the two-hole would be great news for Walker's fantasy value going forward.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said he's pretty confident that second baseman Matt McLain (hamstring) will return from the 10-day injured list when he's eligible next Tuesday, April 15. The Reds placed McLain on the IL early this week as a precaution with a left-hamstring strain, and he should be able to rejoin the team early next week. Because the Reds don't seem very concerned with his injury, the 25-year-old will likely skip a minor-league rehab assignment altogether. Gavin Lux has seen some action at the keystone with McLain out this week, but Santiago Espinal is making the start at second and is batting eighth for the Reds on Friday. When McLain returns, he will return to starting duties at the position for the Reds. The former first-rounder looked great in his rookie season in 2023 before missing all of last year due to injury. He went 6-for-28 with three homers, a double and five RBI before his injury.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that right-handed reliever Alexis Diaz (hamstring) will throw on back-to-back days over the next two days on his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville. Diaz struggled mightily with his command in spring training before suffering a hamstring injury in camp that landed him on the injured list to begin the 2025 regular season. The 28-year-old Puerto Rican hasn't been much better in the minors during his rehab assignment, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while walking four and striking out four in three innings with the Bats. The fact that the Reds are having Diaz go on back-to-back days is likely an indication that he's getting close to coming off the IL. However, even if he rejoins Cincy's bullpen soon, fantasy managers should expect the former closer to be eased into low-leverage situations given his struggles with command so far this year.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that outfielder/infielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) will take his throwing program to the next step and will start working on throws from first base over the next few days. Steer battled a right-shoulder injury in spring training and has only served as a designated for the Reds early in the season while he rehabs his arm. The 27-year-old is the DH and is batting cleanup on Friday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates. It's very possible his shoulder is responsible for his slow start at the plate in 2025 as well, as Steer comes into Friday's series opener against the Bucs hitting just .143 (5-for-35) with one home run, two doubles, three RBI, four runs scored, three walks and nine strikeouts in 38 trips to the plate over 10 games played. The good news is that it sounds like his shoulder is feeling better.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley is out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park with a left-hander on the mound. Blake Dunn will get the start in right field for the Reds and will bat second against Pirates left-hander Bailey Falter. Fraley is often rested against southpaws, so this shouldn't come as much of a surprise to fantasy managers in deeper leagues that have the 29-year-old lefty swinger rostered. In addition to his struggles against lefties, Fraley has gone just 6-for-32 in the early going this year with no homers, one RBI, one steal, three runs scored and five strikeouts in 10 games played. Dunn is in a nice lineup spot to make him a potential DFS sleeper on Friday, but he has just four hits (one homer) in his first 20 at-bats this year. He has never faced Falter in his career.

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras is not in the starting nine on Friday when they begin a series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Contreras has had a slow start to the campaign and will be given the night off. Instead, Alec Burleson will cover first base and bat in the five-hole. Through the first 12 games of the campaign, Contreras has held an underwhelming .102/.170/.143 slash line with two doubles. However, he has tallied three hits over his last four games and has begun to slowly turn the corner. Fantasy managers should expect the 32-year-old to return to the starting nine on Saturday. He remains a must-start option despite his slump as he held a strong .262/.380/.468 line last summer. Burleson is worth a look in DFS facing Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola.

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The Tampa Bay Rays have placed right-handed pitcher Kevin Kelly (glute) on the 15-day injured list with a left gluteal strain. Kelly made an appearance during Wednesday's contest against the Los Angeles Angels but will now be sidelined for at least the next two weeks. Through his first five innings of work in Tampa Bay this season, Kelly has held a 3.60 ERA with a stellar 0.80 WHIP. He has tallied one hold and held a 2:2 BB:K. Last summer, Kelly saw work as a high-leverage relief option in the Tampa Bay bullpen, logging 70 2/3 innings of work. During this stint, Kelly tallied 17 holds and posted a 2.67 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP. While Kelly is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Edwin Uceta, Garrett Cleavinger, and Mike Montgomery to continue to see the set-up opportunities behind Pete Fairbanks.

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The Chicago White Sox have designated right-handed pitcher Justin Anderson for assignment. This transaction will open a roster spot for infield prospect Chase Meidroth, who is expected to make his MLB debut on Friday. Anderson has spent the start of the campaign with the Charlotte Knights and will return there if he goes unclaimed on waivers. Last summer, Anderson logged 53 1/3 innings of work in the major leagues and held a 4.39 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP. He tallied 57 punchouts but held a high 13.6 percent walk rate. Through his first five 2/3 innings of the campaign at Triple-A, Anderson allowed seven hits and gave up five earned runs. He has logged 155 2/3 career innings in the major leagues and could draw interest on waivers as a depth option in the bullpen.

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The Detroit Tigers have optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Toledo. This transaction is expected to open a spot for infielder Gleyber Torres (oblique), who is expected to be activated off the 10-day injured list prior to Friday's contest against the Minnesota Twins. Hicklen has seen an at-bat during his brief stint in the majors this season. He has appeared in five games with Triple-A Toledo already and has tallied five hits with two stolen bases during this stint. Last summer, the 29-year-old spent most of his time with Triple-A Nashville and held a .246/.363/.470 slash line with 17 doubles and 22 round-trippers across 115 contests. Fantasy managers should expect Hicklen to remain a depth option in the outfield in the Detroit system.

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According to Sonja Chen of MLB.com, Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller could be a candidate to see a spot start. Chen noted that Miller was not a candidate to see opportunities during their series in D.C., as Miller pitched for Triple-A on Sunday. However, with extra days of rest, the Dodgers could turn to Miller to start a game later this weekend or during the early part of next week. Tony Gonsolin (back) is currently ramping up his workload but may not be officially cleared to return by next week, which could open the door for Miller. Last summer, Miller took a significant step back in the majors as he posted a high 8.52 ERA across 56 innings. In his debut campaign in 2023, Miller performed quite well, tallying 119 punchouts in 124 innings with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He is worth monitoring as he could have value in deeper formats if given an opportunity.

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The Minnesota Twins will be re-signing right-handed reliever Darren McCaughan and will head to Triple-A St. Paul after he initially elected free agency after being designated for assignment. McCaughan got caught in an early-season roster crunch but has now returned to the organization and should reappear in Minnesota's bullpen at some point this year. The 29-year-old former 12th-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2017 out of Long Beach State had looked good in his first three relief appearances with the Twins before being DFA'd, allowing only one earned run on five hits while walking one and striking out six in 5 1/3 innings pitched. He hasn't been nearly as good in his previous three MLB seasons with the Guardians, Marlins and Mariners, though, posting a 6.43 ERA and 1.61 WHIP with two saves in 56 innings pitched.

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Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) had a very successful first minor-league rehab outing on Thursday with Triple-A Worcester, tossing a scoreless inning with one hit and three strikeouts. The 36-year-old veteran threw 13 of his 18 pitches for strikes and said he felt good after needing an injection in his elbow two weeks ago to help with a nerve issue. He will most likely need a few more rehab appearances before he's ready to rejoin the Red Sox's bullpen for his 2025 season debut. After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2024, Hendriks hasn't pitched in a big-league game since June 9 of 2023, when he pitched for the Chicago White Sox. The Australian is a three-time All-Star and has 116 career saves in 13 MLB seasons, though, so he could be in the mix for saves in Boston alongside lefty Aroldis Chapman when he's fully healthy.

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The Atlanta Braves announced on Friday that they placed left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer on the major-league bereavement list and recalled right-hander Zach Thompson from the minors in a corresponding move. Bummer will most likely miss the entire three-game series in St. Louis against the Cardinals, but he should be able to rejoin the team next week for their series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 31-year-old southpaw has gotten off to a bumpy start in 2025 in his second year with the team, allowing three earned runs on five hits while walking four and striking out two in five innings out of Atlanta's bullpen. Thompson, 31, will give the Braves an extra arm in their bullpen this weekend at Busch Stadium. He has not appeared in a major-league game since 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he had a 5.18 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 29 outings (22 starts) over 121 2/3 innings.

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Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Yanquiel Fernandez tallied seven total bases during their contest on Thursday evening. Fernandez went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and a single. He tallied three RBI and scored two runs. This outing extended his current hitting streak to four games. During this impressive stretch, Fernandez has launched two home runs and held a .389 AVG with a .944 SLG. However, before this recent surge, the 22-year-old tallied just three hits (one double) during his first seven contests of the campaign. Last summer, Fernandez spent most of his time at Double-A before receiving a brief taste of Triple-A. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression as he should be in the mix for an MLB debut later this season.

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