Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Charlie Morton had his swing-and-miss stuff going during Thursday's game against the Boston Red Sox. The veteran right-hander struck out 10 batters across five innings of work, which isn't easy against the Red Sox lineup. However, Morton also allowed six hits, five earned runs, and two walks during Thursday's outing. The final results were a mixed bag, but fantasy managers should've still received a decent performance due to the double digit punchouts. Morton has been smacked around for nine runs over two starts this season. Possibly, the Fountain of Youth has finally run dry, but we'll see what Morton can do during his next start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was a tough out at the plate all game long on Thursday. The veteran backstop would finish his day 3-for-3 with three singles in the win over the Colorado Rockies. Realmuto would also add on two steals, which are a little more rare at this stage in his career. Regardless, fantasy managers will continue to take these kinds of performances out of the 34-year-old backstop. His days of being an elite fantasy option are probably behind him, but Realmuto is still worth rostering in most fantasy formats.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown got off to a rough start during Thursday's game against the Minnesota Twins. The right-hander gave up two runs in the first inning, but settled down nicely after that. Brown would follow that rough first frame with five scoreless innings to record his second quality start of the season. Brown allowed five hits, walked no one, and struck out eight batters in the win over Minnesota. He'll take a 3.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts through 12 innings into his next start against the Seattle Mariners.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive March 31st. The Dodgers were hopeful to avoid this, but Freeman wasn't progressing as they hoped from his right ankle sprain. It's worth noting that the sprain is on the same ankle Freeman had surgically-repaired. That being said, the Dodgers aren't going to take any chances this early in the season and give Freeman some time to rest. Enrique Hernandez figures to handle a majority of the playing time at first base while Freeman is out. Hernandez isn't a must-have fantasy player, but he does hit well against left-handed pitching. The veteran slugger figures to see a boost in value while Freeman is on the shelf.

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Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker has been off to a slow start with his new team, but was able to do some damage on Thursday. Walker helped his team get on the scoreboard with a solo shot off right-hander Joe Ryan in the second inning. His day wouldn't end there as he would also single later in the game as Walker reached base three times during this contest. The veteran slugger is still hitting under .200 through the first seven games. However, his two-hit performance did help as the Astros were able to come back and win this ballgame. Fantasy managers will just need to be a little more patient with Walker.

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Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins was productive out of the leadoff spot on Thursday despite an 8-4 loss to the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards, as he went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI, a walk, a stolen base and a strikeout. Mullins' third home run of the year came in the first inning to lead off the bottom half of the inning against right-hander Tanner Houck in which he just hooked it inside the right-field foul pole on a screaming liner on a changeup. It's been a fast start for the 30-year-old outfielder, as he now has eight hits in his first 26 at-bats with 11 RBI and two stolen bases in seven games played. While Thursday's series finale against Boston was his first time batting leadoff for Baltimore, it's unlikely he'll remain there regularly moving forward with All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) set to make his season debut on Friday in Kansas City.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker had a throwback outing in his first start of the year on Thursday against the visiting Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park in the team's 3-1 victory. Walker kept the Rockies scoreless through six innings while giving up three hits, walking one and striking out four for his first win of the 2025 season. Fantasy managers in deep leagues will want to take this outing with a grain of salt since it came against Colorado, but it was a good first outing for the 32-year-old veteran as he fills in for lefty Ranger Suarez (back) in Philly's starting rotation to begin the season. Things probably won't come as easy in his second start next week against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, though, and Walker will head back to the bullpen when Suarez is ready to return from the injured list.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck was unable to go deep enough into Thursday's game on the road in Baltimore against the division-rival Orioles to pick up a win in an 8-4 victory at Camden Yards. Houck allowed three earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out six in four innings of work for a no-decision. It wasn't a very efficient outing for the 28-year-old hurler, as he needed 82 pitches to complete four innings against the O's. The former first-rounder (24th overall) out of the University Of Missouri will be hoping to be better in his third start of the year next week at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. It's not the start that his fantasy managers were hoping for, as Houck has now allowed seven runs in only 9 2/3 frames to begin the year.

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Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman had a big day on Thursday in the 8-4 win over the division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, going 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, two doubles, three RBI, two runs scored and two strikeouts. Bregman broke out in this one with his first three extra-base hits in his first year with Boston. The 31-year-old veteran hit his first homer of the year in the first inning off veteran right-hander Charlie Morton and later added two doubles. The two-time All-Star came into Thursday's contest with six hits in his first 27 plate appearances with one walk and six strikeouts. Fantasy managers have to be happy to see him break out for his first big game of 2025, and they'll be hoping he can keep it going this weekend for a series at Fenway Park against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Todd Rosiak reports that pitching prospect Carlos Rodriguez is in the team's clubhouse on Thursday before their game against the visiting division-rival Cincinnati Reds. It sounds as though he's being called up from Triple-A Nashville, and the 23-year-old will be a candidate to start just his third game in the big leagues on Friday. In his first start of the year for Nashville, the team's No. 23 prospect per MLB Pipeline, gave up an unearned run while walking one and fanning seven in five innings of work. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound hurler allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on 19 hits (three homers) while walking three and striking out nine in 12 1/3 innings in his first three MLB starts in 2024. Rodriguez attacks hitters with six different pitches but doesn't really have an elite pitch and should probably be avoided in fantasy if he makes a spot start on Friday.

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The Seattle Mariners reinstated infielder Jorge Polanco from the paternity list on Thursday and also optioned infielder Leo Rivas and left-hander Jhonathan Diaz to Triple-A Tacoma. Polanco will return to the team after missing the last few games and should be back in the starting lineup at second base for Friday's series opener versus the San Francisco Giants and veteran right-hander Justin Verlander. After an injury-plagued 2024 campaign for the veteran 31-year-old, it's been nice to see Polanco get going early in 2025 with six hits in his first 15 at-bats. He's cleared the fences one time and driven in four in 16 plate appearances. Polanco doesn't have great history in his career against Verlander -- he's hit .133 with a .649 OPS in 15 at-bats -- but he does have a solo home run against him.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Thursday that infielder DJ LeMahieu (calf) is "about a week away" from taking live at-bats as he recovers from a left-calf strain that he suffered in spring training. "It would be a pretty big build-up, I'd want him to have a spring training," Boone said when asked about a timeline for LeMahieu's return. It sounds as though the Yankees don't expect the 36-year-old veteran to be back with the big-league squad during the month of April, which is good news for Oswaldo Cabrera, who has been serving as the Yankees' primary third baseman to begin the year. LeMahieu, a three-time All-Star and two-time MLB batting champion, played in only 67 games in 2024 due to injuries and has fallen off a cliff offensively in recent years. He hit just .204/.269/.259 with two homers when on the field last year and won't be guaranteed consistent playing time when he returns to the Bronx.

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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Gavin Lux and outfielder Jake Fraley are both sitting out on Thursday in Milwaukee against the division-rival Brewers with a left-hander on the mound. Matt McLain is starting at second base and batting second, and Blake Dunn gets the start in right field and is hitting sixth versus Brewers lefty Nestor Cortes. Santiago Espinal is starting in left field and is batting eighth. Lux, who has hit righties much better in his career, is off to a slow start in his first year in Cincy by going 4-for-19 with a double, RBI, two walks and four strikeouts in his first six games. Fraley has been even worse, going 2-for-18 with an RBI, no walks and three strikeouts in five games played in the early going. Espinal is the only one who has faced Cortes in his career and is hitless in just five at-bats.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that closer Devin Williams will come off the paternity list on Friday for the team's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Williams will miss his third and final game in the series finale in the Bronx on Thursday against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, but he'll be available if a save situation arises on Friday. Right-hander Luke Weaver is the next man up for save situations for the Yankees with Williams away from the team temporarily, but he hasn't been used at all since Williams left the team. The 30-year-old Williams picked up a save in his first appearance with the Yankees last week against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, but he did give up an earned run on two hits while striking out two. If he stays healthy, Williams could be one of the most productive closers in the league for fantasy managers.

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Milwaukee Brewers catching prospect Jeferson Quero (hamstring, shoulder), who is still building back from right-shoulder surgery last year to fix a torn labrum, has recently been set back by a hamstring injury in recent days, according to MLB Pipeline's Sam Dykstra. Quero is expected to return to minor-league action (likely with Triple-A Nashville) later this month. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should keep an eye on Quero, as he could be an elite defensive option for the Brewers by the second half of the season. The 22-year-old backstop is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and is also considered the No. 5 catching prospect in the league. His defense is ahead of his offense, though, so fantasy managers will likely need to practice patience whenever he makes his MLB debut. Quero only played one game last year for Nashville and hit .262/.339/.441 with 16 homers and 49 RBI in 90 games at Double-A Biloxi in 2023.

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The Tampa Bay Rays are hopeful that first base prospect Xavier Isaac (elbow) will be ready to rejoin Double-A Montgomery in a few weeks as he builds his throwing program, according to MLB Pipeline's Sam Dykstra. Isaac is currently on the seven-day injured list at Montgomery due to a left-elbow injury that cropped up early in spring training. The 21-year-old left-handed-hitting first baseman is the team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and was taken in the first round (29th overall) in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder hit .264 (97-for-367) with 18 home runs, 78 RBI, 15 stolen bases and 65 runs scored in 102 games with High-A Bowling Green and Montgomery, but he did strike out 54 times in 133 plate appearances after moving to Double-A. There's lots of raw power with Isaac, but his elbow injury will set him back early on in 2025, and he's unlikely to be an option for a big-league promotion until next year.

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San Diego Padres infielder Eguy Rosario cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and has been outrighted to Triple-A El Paso, the team announced on Thursday. The Padres also selected outfielder Oscar Gonzalez to the major-league roster and optioned him to El Paso. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Jhony Brito (forearm) was moved to the 60-day injured list. The Padres were reportedly trying to trade the 25-year-old Rosario, but he'll remain in the organization for now and provide infield depth in the minors. The Dominican debuted in San Diego back in 2022 and has only played in 48 games with the Friars since then, hitting .245/.283/.500 with a .783 OPS, five home runs, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored in 100 plate appearances.

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New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells will retreat to the bench for Thursday's series finale at Yankee Stadium against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Rookie J.C. Escarra is doing the catching for right-hander Carlos Carrasco and will hit ninth in the batting order against Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly. Wells will get his first rest day after starting in each of the team's first five games of 2025. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting backstop has started his third year with the Yankees by going 4-for-17 with two home runs, a double, three RBI, three walks and three strikeouts in 20 plate appearances. The 29-year-old Escarra will be appearing in just his second major-league game on Thursday and starting his first-ever game in the big leagues. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups will want to avoid him against Kelly.

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Cleveland Guardians shortstop prospect Angel Genao (shoulder) sprained his right shoulder during drills in spring training and won't return until June, according to MLB.com's Jim Callis. Genao, who is ranked as the team's No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is on the injured list at Double-A Akron to begin the 2025 season. The 22-year-old switch-hitting Dominican shortstop really impressed in 2024 by slashing .330/.379/.499 with an .878 OPS, 10 home runs, 71 RBI, 25 stolen bases and 72 runs scored in 110 total games with Single-A Lynchburg and High-A Lake County. The 5-foot-9, 150-pounder has excellent bat-to-ball skills and control of the strike zone, but unless he adds some size, his power output down the road might leave plenty to be desired, especially if he sticks at the shortstop position. Genao is at least another year away from a potential MLB debut, and his shoulder injury will set delay his timeline.

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New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is getting the day off on Thursday for the series finale against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium. Ben Rice is getting the start at first base and is hitting leadoff against D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly. Goldy will take his first day off of the year after hitting atop New York's batting order the last four games. The 37-year-old former National League MVP has gotten off to a .250 batting average (5-for-20) with a homer, double, two RBI, one walk and six strikeouts in five games played. The seven-time All-Star showed plenty of signs of decline his last two years in St. Louis, but he could be a bit more intriguing as a bounce-back candidate if he continues to hit atop the Yankees' batting order. Rice will be a popular DFS play on Thursday in the leadoff spot after going 5-for-13 with two homers, a double and two RBI in his first five games in 2025.

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