Milwaukee Brewers right-handed reliever Nick Mears (illness) is starting his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday, the team announced. Mears only appeared in three spring training games due to an illness that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2025 regular season. He's eligible to come off the IL on April 8, but it's unclear if he'll start the year at Nashville or with the Brewers in their bullpen. The 28-year-old hard-throwing righty has intriguing swing-and-miss stuff but has been inconsistent in his brief time in the big leagues with three different teams because of his inability to locate effectively in the strike zone. Mears has the stuff to work in a high-leverage relief role for the Brew Crew, but fantasy managers can avoid him for now with his 5.20 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 107 1/3 career innings.

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Despite landing on the injured list on Monday, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Aaron Civale (hamstring) was able to play catch on Tuesday after his MRI exam revealed only a mild strain of his hamstring. While nothing is set in stone just yet, this news means that Civale should have a chance to return from the IL when he's eligible on Tuesday, April 15. If at all possible, the Brewers would love to have him back in their injury-depleted starting rotation, too. Civale made it only three innings in his first start of 2025 in the Bronx against the New York Yankees on March 30, allowing five earned runs on four hits (three homers allowed) while walking one and striking out two. If the 29-year-old hurler continues to improve quickly, he could even forego a minor-league rehab assignment. Injury aside, Civale has limited fantasy upside due to lack of strikeout stuff.

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Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) played catch at Globe Life Field on Sunday before the team's series finale against the Texas Rangers after he was originally told not to throw for three days after getting an injection to improve a compressed nerve in his right elbow. Hendriks is expecting to resume a normal throwing program in hopes of being activated from the injured list relatively soon, although it sounds the like the Red Sox won't be activating him when he's eligible to return on April 8. The team is going to exercise caution with the veteran reliever since he hasn't pitched in the big leagues since June of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old Australian has 116 career saves in 13 big-league seasons and should be a late-inning option for Boston when he's healthy, but he also had a 9.95 ERA and 2.21 WHIP in 6 1/3 innings this spring before injuring his elbow.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (back, shoulder), who started the season on the injured list as he recovers from a right-shoulder labral repair last October, is doing baseball activities again after being shut down for a few days with minor back tightness. Yoshida took 50 swings in Boston on Sunday, according to manager Alex Cora. The left-handed-hitting Japanese outfielder continues to build up to a throwing program, but he might be a man without a position on the major-league roster when he makes his 2025 debut now that Rafael Devers is serving as the team's primary DH. "Feeling better," Cora said Saturday. "Nothing throwing-wise." When Yoshida is eventually cleared to play in games, he's expected to join Triple-A Worcester on a minor-league rehab assignment. Barring a setback, Yoshida could be activated from the IL before the end of April.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (hamstring) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab start on Wednesday for the Triple-A Worcester WooSox, according to MassLive's Christopher Smith. In what will be his first rehab start since suffering a hamstring strain in spring training, Giolito is expected to throw three innings. The 30-year-old veteran will need at least two more rehab starts before that before the Red Sox consider activating him from the 15-day injured list, so in a best-case scenario, Giolito might be looking at making his debut with Boston at the end of April. When both Giolito and Brayan Bello (shoulder) are able to return to the starting rotation, Richard Fitts and Sean Newcomb will likely be bumped to the minors or the bullpen. Giolito had two straight down seasons in 2022 and 2023 before having elbow surgery last year and missing all of the 2024 campaign.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford (knee), who is recovering from right patellar tendinopathy, is significantly behind Brayan Bello (shoulder) and Lucas Giolito (hamstring) in his recovery. Crawford is working out in Florida but hasn't faced hitters yet and could be in line for a lengthy absence to begin the season. The 29-year-old also dealt with knee issues in 2024 and could be feeling the effects of career-high workload last year in which he threw 183 2/3 innings over 33 starts in his fourth year in the big leagues. Because he's without a timetable to return and hasn't even started throwing to hitters, it's safe to assume we won't see Crawford back in Boston's starting rotation until at least sometime in May. With Crawford, Bello and Giolito on the IL to begin the year, Richard Fitts and Sean Newcomb started the year in the back end of the rotation in Beantown.

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Cincinnati Reds right-handed reliever Alexis Diaz (hamstring) threw live batting practice on Tuesday, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. Diaz displayed terrible control in spring training and then injured his hamstring, which landed him on the 15-day injured to begin the 2025 regular season. The 28-year-old is already throwing to live hitters and is eligible to come off the IL on April 8, but it's unclear if he'll be ready by then or if the Reds are even comfortable throwing him back into their big-league bullpen by then. After recording the team's first save chance early on, right-hander Emilio Pagan is manager Terry Francona's clear preferred choice for the ninth inning with Diaz sidelined, but Tony Santillan is also a very trusted weapon in high-leverage situations. It's quite possible that Diaz is eased into lower-leverage situations out of the 'pen in Cincy when he does make his season debut.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello (shoulder) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab start for the Triple-A Worcester WooSox on Tuesday, according to MassLive's Christopher Smith. Bello suffered a right-shoulder strain right at the start of spring training in mid-February and was unable to pitch at all in the Grapefruit League as a result. The 25-year-old is expected to make at least two rehab appearances for Worcester, and barring any setbacks, he could be ready to come off the 15-day injured list when he's first eligible on Friday, April 11. When the BoSox do clear Bello to make his 2025 debut and return to the starting rotation, left-hander Sean Newcomb will likely be the odd-man out of Boston's rotation. Bello has so far been inconsistent and has struggled with keeping the ball in the yard and with his command.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) is out of the starting lineup again on Tuesday against the visiting Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium and likely won't play again until Friday, at the earliest, according to 570 LA Sports' David Vassegh. Freeman slipped and fell on his right ankle in the shower on Sunday morning, but thankfully X-rays showed that he didn't damage his surgically-repaired right ankle. Enrique Hernandez will get another start at first base on Tuesday and will hit sixth against Braves left-hander Chris Sale, who won the National League Cy Young award last season. Fantasy managers will be without the 35-year-old Freeman for another few days, but he should be back in L.A.'s lineup at some point this weekend for a showdown in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Through three games played, Freeman has gone 3-for-12 with two homers, a double and four RBI for the Blue.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) received a cortisone shot in his right thumb to reduce swelling and pain and is now day-to-day, with his next steps to be determined on how he feels in the coming days. Scherzer, who has dealt with injuries the last few seasons, is on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2025 season and has no timeline for a return at this time. In a best-case scenario, the 40-year-old veteran will begin to feel better and be cleared to resume throwing, but even then, there's a good chance he'll be forced to miss the first month of the season as he ramps his arm back up. While Scherzer was initially looking like a value pick for the back end of fantasy rotations going into his first season with the Blue Jays, we've gotten to the point where we're now wondering how much he'll even be able to pitch in 2025. For now, keep him stashed in an IL spot until we know more.

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher/first baseman Willson Contreras is out of the lineup on Tuesday for the first time this year against the visiting Los Angeles Angels at Busch Stadium. Catcher Ivan Herrera will also start on the bench, with Pedro Pages doing the catching for left-hander Matthew Liberatore and batting seventh against Angels right-hander Kyle Hendricks. It's a good time for Contreras to get off his feet for the first time this year, as the 32-year-old Venezuelan backstop is hitless with eight strikeouts in 19 plate appearances over his first four games in 2024. Alec Burleson is starting at first for the Cards and is batting second on Tuesday. Burleson will be the more popular DFS play for this matchup against the soft-tossing Hendricks, as Burleson has hit .429 with a 1.071 OPS in a small sample size of seven career at-bats against Hendricks.

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Minnesota Twins second baseman Edouard Julien (illness) is making his first start of the 2025 season on Tuesday on the road in Chicago against the division-rival White Sox at Rate Field. Julien will serve as the designated hitter and bat eighth against right-hander Shane Smith, who will be making his major-league debut. Although this will be Julien's first start of the year due to an illness he's been dealing with, the 25-year-old had three at-bats off the bench on Monday and has gone hitless with two strikeouts. Most of the Canadian's playing time should come at second base again for the Twins this year, but at best, he'll be in more of a platoon situation, limiting his fantasy appeal to deeper formats. In his second year with the Twins in 2024, Julien slashed just .199/.292/.323 with eight home runs, 21 RBI and six steals in 94 games played.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is getting the day off in the Bronx on Tuesday against the hosting New York Yankees. Jake McCarthy is starting in left field and is batting seventh, while Alek Thomas will start in center and hit eighth against Yankees right-hander Will Warren, who will be making just the sixth start of his young career. Gurriel will get his first breather early in the season after going 4-for-19 with a home runs, double, three RBI, three runs scored and a strikeout in his first four games. McCarthy, a former first-rounder, is still searching for his first hit of 2025 after going 0-for-8 with two RBI and two strikeouts in his first three games. Thomas has played in only two games so far this year but has looked good at the plate, going 5-for-7 with two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored in nine plate appearances.

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Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews will head to the bench for Tuesday's contest against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Alex Call is starting in right field in his place and will hit eighth against Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios. The Nationals are giving Crews an early mental break after the former second overall pick in 2023 out of LSU has started his first full year in the big leagues by going 0-for-15 at the plate with a steal, run scored, one walk and 10 strikeouts in his first four games. While it's still early, fantasy managers hoping Crews would contribute nicely across most categories this year have to be at least a little bit concerned. Call will be making his season debut on Tuesday after hitting .343 (34-for-99) with three homers, 14 RBI and five steals in just 30 games for Washington a season ago. Call has never faced Berrios in his career.

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New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is batting leadoff again on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander Corbin Burnes. It will be Goldschmidt's third time leading off in the early going in five games played. In his first game at leadoff on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, the 37-year-old right-handed slugger hit the first pitch he saw out of the park and set the stage for the Yankees to set a new MLB record by homering three straight times on only three pitches to begin a game. He will now hit leadoff for the third straight game against a right-hander, and the Yanks don't really have any reason to change their lineup up after scoring 32 runs in the games that Goldy has hit leadoff. He's gone 5-for-12 with a homer, double and two RBI in three games and has hit .323 with an .834 OPS, a homer and two RBI in 31 career at-bats against Burnes.

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New York Mets infielder Brett Baty is on the bench for Tuesday's contest in Miami against the Marlins at loanDepot Park. Luisangel Acuna will make the start at the keystone and will hit eighth against right-hander Sandy Alcantara. Baty did not play on Opening Day last Thursday against a left-hander but then made three straight starts against righties, going 1-for-9 with a double and three strikeouts at second base. Acuna made the start at shortstop on Monday night with Francisco Lindor out for the birth of his son, but he'll slide back to second on Tuesday. On most days moving forward with Jeff McNeill (oblique) on the injured list to start the season, Baty will be on the strong side of a platoon at second for the Mets against right-handed pitching. Acuna, the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr., has just one hit and a stolen base in his first nine plate appearances in 2025 over four games.

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New York Mets outfielder Jose Siri is starting again in center field and is batting ninth on Tuesday against the division-rival Miami Marlins and right-hander Sandy Alcantara at loanDepot Park. Siri has made the last three starts in center for the Mets after Tyrone Taylor opened the first two games of the season as the team's center fielder. In his first two games for the Mets early on, Siri has a double, RBI, stolen base, one walk and three strikeouts in seven plate appearances. Taylor also has only one hit with two strikeouts in nine plate appearances in his three games for the Mets. Expect the Mets to continue to mix and match in center field with both Siri and Taylor, limiting the fantasy appeal of both players to mainly NL-only leagues. Because of Siri's high whiff and strikeout rates, Taylor will probably be the safer fantasy bet offensively.

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Tampa Bay Rays first baseman/designated hitter Jonathan Aranda and outfielder Christopher Morel are both on the bench to start Tuesday's game at George M. Steinbrenner Field versus the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Curtis Mead is making the start at first base and is batting fifth, while rookie Kameron Misner is starting in left field and hitting sixth for the Rays against rookie right-hander Thomas Harrington, who will be making his big-league debut. Aranda has gotten off to a hot start this year by going 5-for-9 with four doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in his first four games. When healthy, he'll be a lineup regular for the Rays at either first base or the designated hitter spot. Morel has gone 3-for-9 in the early going with an RBI, two runs scored, two walks and four strikeouts in four games so far. In addition to Misner, rookie Jake Mangum is starting in right field for Tampa on Tuesday.

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Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka is behind the plate again and will hit eighth on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Carson Spiers at Great American Ball Park, with Jonah Heim retreating to the bench. Through the team's first six games of the 2025 season, Higashioka and Heim have split the catching duties down the middle with three starts apiece. Heim has four hits (two homers) and two RBI in 10 at-bats so far, while Higashioka has gone 2-for-7 with a double and an RBI in his first two starts. The near-even split behind the dish should continue and will keep both catchers fresh throughout the year. However, it's also bad news for both players' fantasy ceiling at the weak catcher position. Higashioka is coming off a career-best year in San Diego with 17 homers and 45 RBI, but fantasy managers can't expect that kind of output again if he's in a timeshare.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is not in the starting lineup when the Royals continue a series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday evening. Pasquantino has been in the lineup for each of the first four games of the regular season. He was in danger of missing Opening Day due to a hamstring injury, but was able to recover in time. On Tuesday, the Royals will give Cavan Biggio the start at first base. Through his first four games, Pasquantino has held a .214/.333/.643 slash line with one double, one triple, and one long ball. He has tallied four RBI and held a 2:2 BB:K. Fantasy managers should expect Pasquantino to return to the starting nine on Wednesday when the Royals will face Milwaukee ace Freddy Peralta.

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