Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. This is a good step forward as Ginkel has been sidelined to open the season with right shoulder inflammation. The D-Backs are certainly excited to get Ginkel back soon considering he was one of their last relief pitchers last season. He posted a 3.21 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, with a 77/15 K/BB ratio in 72 appearances in 2024. Ginkel figures to get some save chances in Arizona, but will probably be stuck behind A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez in the pecking order. That being said, Ginkel probably won't be worth rostering in fantasy formats, but his progress is good news for the D-Backs bullpen.

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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Easton Lucas will get the starting nod against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. The right-hander received an extra day of rest with Jose Berrios moving up to start on Monday. Lucas looked good during his season debut against the Washington Nationals. He tossed five scoreless innings, allowing one hit, and striking out three batters. The 28-year-old will get a tougher challenge this time around against a tough Red Sox lineup at Fenway Park. Lucas could offer some deep league or AL-only appeal, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect another scoreless outing from Lucas.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (side) has been scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the San Francisco Giants. He was slated to start in right field and bat eighth, but has been pulled from the lineup due left side pain. Fraley should be considered as day-to-day, but fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if he ends up on the injured list. In his absence, Blake Dunn will shift to right field, while Jacob Hurtubise moves into the lineup and covers left field against right hander Logan Webb. Neither player is a viable streaming option against an elite pitcher such as Webb.

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Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong (hand) has been removed early during Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Wong was hit in the hand on a catcher's interference play during the first inning. He suffered a right hand contusion when George Springer hit him in the glove hand, which led to him being replaced. Carlos Narvaez took over behind the plate in the second inning as the Red Sox didn't want to take any risks. The expectation is that Wong will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. For now, fantasy managers should consider Wong as day-to-day until there's another update.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) was struck in the pitching hand by a line drive while playing catch during batting practice on Monday. It was a freak accident that resulted in Arrighetti breaking his right hand. Ouch, Arrighetti is looking at an extended absence as he could require surgery to fix the issue. His next scheduled start was Friday versus the Los Angeles Angels. The Astros haven't announced who will make that start yet. Right now, Colton Gordon and A.J. Blubaugh are two popular names in Triple-A Sugar Land. The expectation is that Arrighetti will miss at least a month of action, but it could be longer if he needs surgery.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that catcher Tyler Stephenson (oblique) was "revved up" after his MRI exam on Monday, which yielded favorable results. Stephenson will now be more aggressive in his recovery from a left-oblique injury that he suffered in spring training and caused him to open the 2025 regular season on the injured list. The 28-year-old backstop will need to eventually go on at least a short minor-league rehab assignment, but barring a setback with his oblique injury, he could be able to make his season debut before April ends. When he's healthy, Stephenson will be Cincy's primary catcher, and he has appeal as a No. 1 catcher in all fantasy leagues. Until he returns, the Reds will continue to move forward with veteran Jose Trevino as their starter behind the dish with Austin Wynns backing him up.

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San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (hamstring) is sitting out for Monday's series opener in Sacramento against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park due to a balky hamstring, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. It's a precautionary move and could stretch into Tuesday's game. Fantasy managers will be hoping that this is something that doesn't linger for the 21-year-old star, who is batting .378 (14-for-37) in the early going (10 games) while leading the team with three home runs and 10 RBI. Brandon Lockridge has moved to center field and will bat eighth on Monday, while Jason Heyward is in left and batting seventh against A's right-hander Luis Severino. Both Lockridge and Heyward are DFS options to avoid on Monday. Lockridge has never faced Severino, while Heyward has a solo homer in just four career at-bats against him.

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Houston Astros prospect Cam Smith will start on the bench for a second straight game for Monday's series opener against the hosting Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mauricio Dubon will make the start in right field and will hit ninth against Mariners ace Logan Gilbert. Smith was amazing during spring training, slashing .342/.419/.711 with a 1.129 OPS, four home runs and 11 RBI in 15 Grapefruit League games, but it hasn't carried over to his first six MLB games in his rookie season. So far in 21 plate appearances, the 22-year-old has gone just 2-for-18 with two walks and nine strikeouts for a .111 batting average. Last year's No. 14 overall pick will hopefully benefit from a couple of days off, but fantasy managers may not want to reinsert him into their starting lineups this week until he shows signs of breaking out of his slump. Dubon has three hits in 10 career at-bats against Gilbert but will be a weak DFS play.

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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (hamstring) will not return to the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Oracle Park against the San Francisco Giants, but he'll be available off the bench. McLain did some supervised running and work on the field before the Reds made the call to hold him out for a fourth straight game due to left-hamstring soreness. Gavin Lux is starting at the keystone and is hitting cleanup for the Reds versus Giants right-hander Logan Webb. Fantasy managers should treat the 25-year-old McLain as day-to-day, and he could return to the lineup as early as Game 2 of the series on Tuesday. The former first-rounder is hitting only .214 (6-for-28) through his first eight games, but he does have three homers and five RBI. Lux has plenty of experience against Webb, batting .286 with three RBI in 21 career at-bats.

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Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (side), who missed the team's last two games due to soreness in his side, is back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park. Polanco is the designated hitter and will bat second, with Ryan Bliss playing second base and batting eighth against Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski. Fantasy managers will want to get the 31-year-old Polanco back in their starting lineups to begin the week with the veteran switch-hitter going 9-for-20 with two home runs and eight RBI in his first six games for Seattle in 2025. Polanco also has a homer and two RBI in only three career at-bats against Wesneski. If the Dominican infielder can get through Monday's contest without a setback to his side, he could return to second-base duties as soon as Tuesday.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw on Monday and is still experiencing "lingering tightness" from a cortisone shot, according to Hazel Mae. "It's purely related to the injection," Scherzer said. When asked whether it was encouraging, Scherzer said, "It's good/bad." The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer will need more time before he throws again as he continues to work his way back from right-thumb inflammation. The three-time Cy Young winner dealt with thumb issues during spring training that cropped up again during his first start of the 2025 season on March 29, forcing him to the injured list. Scherzer received two cortisone shots in his thumb last week and will hopefully feel better the next time he throws. There's still no timeline for his return to Toronto's rotation, though, and Scherzer will likely need to go on at least a short minor-league rehab assignment.

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The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Monday that they acquired outfielder Daz Cameron and cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for left-hander Grant Wolfram. Cameron will head to the National League Central after spending the 2024 season with the Athletics, slashing just .200/.258/.329 with five home runs, 15 RBI, five stolen bases and 22 runs scored in 66 games played. The 28-year-old son of former big-leaguer Mike Cameron started the 2025 season at Triple-A Norfolk and had gone 4-for-18 with a double, three RBI, two walks and six strikeouts in his first five games. Cameron will likely be assigned to Triple-A Norfolk after the trade to Milwaukee and serve as minor-league depth in the organization. In four big-league seasons, Cameron has a weak .201/.263/.330 slash line, .593 OPS, 10 homers, 39 RBI and 14 steals in 139 games played.

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Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) "felt great" during a bullpen session over the weekend, according to general manager Justin Hollander. Kirby will throw two more bullpens this week and then start a more traditional game progression. The Mariners don't have an official timeline for Kirby to make his 2025 season debut, but it sounds like May is more likely at this point. The 27-year-old started the year on the injured list after being diagnosed with inflammation in his right shoulder back in early March in spring training. It caused most fantasy managers to pass on the former first-rounder in drafts, but he's been making good progress and might only have to miss the first month of the season. Kirby is an elite control artist and will be valuable in all fantasy leagues once he's healthy, but he's also sported a below-average strikeout rate in his three big-league seasons.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) said he's been pitching through left-shoulder soreness for three weeks, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. He thought he could get through it but was unable to finish his bullpen session on Sunday. Thankfully, an MRI exam on Sunday showed only inflammation and no structural damage in his left shoulder. Snell is hopeful he will only need a couple of weeks, but that will depend on when he resumes throwing after being placed on the injured list. With Snell on the shelf, both Landon Knack and Justin Wrobleski are expected to be recalled from the minors this week while the Dodgers roll with a six-man starting rotation moving forward. Fantasy managers will need to stash Snell in an IL spot after he opened his first year in L.A. by giving up only two unearned runs with eight walks and four strikeouts in nine innings in his first two starts for the Dodgers.

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MLB.com's Daniel Kramer reports that Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles (shoulder) is heading to the 10-day injured list on Monday due to a left-shoulder injury that he suffered in Sunday's loss to the San Francisco Giants. Robles is undergoing an MRI exam to determine the severity of his shoulder injury, at which point we should have a better idea of how much time he might have to miss. The 27-year-old sold out to make a fantastic play in the ninth inning on Sunday, but he paid the price. Dominic Canzone is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move, but the left-handed-hitting Luke Raley figures to benefit the most from extra playing time in right field with Robles on the shelf. After breaking out with the M's in 77 games in 2024, Robles was hitting .273 (12-for-44) with three doubles, three RBI and three steals in his first 10 games in 2024.

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Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) will head to Los Angeles soon to get the final clearances from doctors to ramp up his running and eventually start a minor-league rehab assignment, according to 929 The Game's Grant McAuley. There is no firm timetable for when Acuna might make his 2025 season debut, but the team is anticipating an early- to mid-May return, barring a setback. The 27-year-old has been taking batting practice and doing some baseball activities for a while, but he'll need to ramp up his running program and be cleared to play defense before he can start a rehab assignment. The Braves want the former MVP to be a full-go when he's activated from the injured list, so they aren't going to rush anything for a player coming off a second torn ACL in his other knee. Acuna might not be the same player that hit 41 homers and stole 73 bags in 2023, but he still has the ability to be a difference-maker when healthy.

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New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (calf) has rejoined the team in Detroit for their series this week against the Tigers. LeMahieu will work out in Motown for the next three days, and if that goes well, he will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday. Given the fact that LeMahieu played in just one spring training game and hasn't yet been cleared for a rehab assignment, we shouldn't expect him to make his 2025 debut in the Bronx until early May. And even when that finally happens, the 36-year-old veteran infielder won't be guaranteed regular at-bats at a corner-infield spot for the Yankees. When he's back with the Yankees, LeMahieu will be competing primarily for playing time at third with Oswaldo Cabrera. The two-time batting champion and three-time All-Star played in only 67 games due to injuries in 2024 and barely hit above the Mendoza Line.

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St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (illness) has been scratched from Monday's series opener at PNC Park against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates due to an illness and soreness, according to manager Oliver Marmol. Thomas Saggese will replace him at third base and will bat sixth against Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski. It doesn't sound like anything serious for Arenado, who should be considered day-to-day, and fantasy managers will want to check back on him on Tuesday. The 33-year-old veteran has looked great in the early going, batting .343 (12-for-35) with a homer, six RBI and six runs scored in 35 at-bats. Saggese, one of St. Louis' top prospects, hit his second career home run on Sunday night against the Red Sox and is 2-for-4 with four RBI in just two games in 2025. He should be considered a DFS sleeper against Mlodzinski, who he has faced only one time in his career.

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (knee) has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee after getting more tests in St. Louis on Monday and will miss a minimum of four weeks, according to manager Oliver Marmol. With Herrera on the injured list for the foreseeable future, Willson Contreras isn't a candidate to return behind the plate, according to Marmol. Herrera was forced to leave in the third inning in Game 1 of the team's doubleheader on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. It's a tough break for the 24-year-old native of Panama, as he was off to a red-hot start at the plate in 2025 as the Cards' primary catcher, going 8-for-21 with four home runs, two doubles, 11 RBI and six runs scored in his first seven games. Given his excellent start, he's worth stashing in deeper fantasy leagues. Pedro Pages will now be the primary backstop, with Yohel Pozo backing him up.

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Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill will start Monday's series opener against the hosting Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on the bench. The left-handed-hitting Ryan O'Hearn will start in right field and will bat third against D-backs right-hander Zac Gallen. O'Neill homered yet again on Opening Day to get off to a nice start in his first year in Baltimore, and he's continued to hit well in his first nine games, going 11-for-33 (.333) with three doubles, a triple, seven RBI, six runs scored, three walks and eight strikeouts in 37 plate appearances. Expect O'Neill to return to the starting lineup on Tuesday in Phoenix. O'Hearn should be a popular DFS sleeper on Tuesday in the matchup against Gallen, who he has hit .375 against with two RBI in a small sample size of eight at-bats. O'Hearn is searching for his first homer of 2025 and has gone 6-for-22 with three runs scored early on.

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