Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander is not in the starting lineup on Monday against the visiting Minnesota Twins. It allows the Orioles to keep Colton Cowser in the starting lineup in right field while he hits fifth against Twins right-hander Louie Varland. Cowser is swinging one of the hottest bats in baseball right now and has started the year going 15-for-34 (.441) with four home runs, 13 RBI, two stolen bases and seven runs scored. The 24-year-old's hot start has made Austin Hays the odd man out in Baltimore's outfield situation on most days. Santander has three home runs on the year in 61 at-bats, but he's also hitting just .180 (11-for-61) in the early going. Cowser has never faced Varland in his career.

Oakland Athletics third baseman J.D. Davis (groin) is being considered day-to-day after suffering a right-groin strain in Sunday's win over the Washington Nationals. Davis felt tightness in his groin area in his at-bat in the fourth inning that may have been the result of an impressive catch he made on a fly ball that was hit in the top of the fourth inning. He will undergo an MRI exam on Monday, so fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Davis isn't in the lineup for the start of a series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. Tyler Nevin replaced Davis at third base on Sunday and would likely make the start on Monday if Davis is held out. Abraham Toro and Darell Hernaiz are other options for the hot corner if Davis' injury lingers and he's forced to the injured list.

Toronto Blue Jays relievers Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are both close to returning to game action, giving the club their two best relievers back and solidifying the eighth and ninth innings. Both right-handers have been sidelined by elbow issues as Romano said before Sunday's 5-0 win over the Rockies that he's feeling good after throwing 2/3 of an inning at Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday and doesn't feel that he needs a third rehab outing before returning to the club's bullpen. Swanson has pronounced himself ready for a return after pitching for Buffalo on Thursday and Saturday. Of course, Romano is a big-time asset to fantasy managers upon his return with 72 saves over the last two seasons while Swanson is valued in leagues that reward holds with 29 of those last season alongside his 2.97 ERA.

Miami Marlins relief pitcher Tanner Scott had another rough outing on Sunday, blowing the save and taking the loss in a 9-7 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Braves. Scott allowed a crushing two-out, three-run homer to Marcell Ozuna in the ninth that flipped this game on its head. Scott has struggled severely so far this season and might be in danger of losing the closer role if he can't figure things out quickly. Fortunately for him, no one else in the Marlins pen looks worthy of the spot either, so he might be given a few more chances.

Oakland Athletics third baseman J.D. Davis (groin) was forced to exit early during Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals. Davis was replaced after a few at-bats due to a right groin strain. The severity of the injury is unknown, but it wouldn't be shocking to see Davis miss some time. If he does, Tyler Nevin figures to see more playing time at the corner infield spots. Davis wasn't offering much fantasy value anyway, so his absence probably won't be a significant loss for many.

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Evan Phillips picked up his fifth save of the season in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Padres. Phillips allowed two hits and didn't strike out a batter despite throwing 17 of his 23 pitches for strikes, but didn't give up a run on his way to recording the save. The 29-year-old has been excellent this season, posting a 1.17 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and a 7:1 K:BB over seven-and-two-thirds IP. He's just one save behind the MLB save leader Clay Holmes and the righty remains a top option at closer on one of the best teams in baseball.

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Jordan Montgomery will make his season debut on Friday against the San Francisco Giants. Montgomery signed a one-year, $25 million contract late into the offseason with the Diamondbacks. In his final tune-up with Triple-A Reno, Montgomery was torched for seven runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out six over 3 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old will join Arizona's rotation next week and likely replace Tommy Henry or Ryne Nelson. Montgomery was solid for the Rangers/Cardinals in 2023, posting a 3.20 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 166:48 K: BB across 188 2/3 innings.

New York Yankees veteran utility player Jon Berti (groin) hits the injured list Saturday with a left groin strain. The move is retroactive to April 11. In a corresponding move, the team added infielder Kevin Smith to the roster. Berti was hitting .211 in only 19 at-bats this season while playing third base in place of the injured DJ LeMahieu (foot), who has a fracture in his foot. The good news is that LeMahieu is nearing a rehab assignment, and the Yankees will need him. Oswaldo Cabrera should continue to get regular at-bats at the hot corner. Cabrera is hitting .333 in 40 plate appearances with three home runs and eight runs scored. Berti was not getting much playing time and figures to be a utility player when he returns, as long as Cabrera keeps hitting and LeMahieu is healthy again.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton will be getting some rest during the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Buxton has appeared in all 11 games so far, batting a cumulative .220/.273/.293 stat line with no home runs. Buxton is expected to be starting in center field for the second game later this afternoon and is projected to face Matt Manning. As a result, Austin Martin will man center field and bat in the nine-hole. Martin is a sneaky play in DFS as he will take on Kenta Maeda, who has struggled in his first two starts, pitching to the tune of a 9.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Ryne Stanek allowed one run on one hit and no walks across a scoreless inning in Friday's 4-2 win against the Chicago Cubs. He did not record a strikeout in Friday's victory. Stanek entered the ninth inning to protect a three-run lead. He got Dansby Swanson to fly out for the first out of the inning. The 32-year-old surrendered a solo shot to Cubs first baseman Michael Busch. Stanek was able to retire the next two hitters he faced to collect his second save of the season. Seattle's primary closer, Anthony Munoz, was used in a high-leverage situation and retired the top of the Cubs order in the eighth inning. Munoz earned his second hold of the season. Stanek owns a 3.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a 7:3 K: BB across 5 1/3 innings in 2024. The veteran could see more save chances if the Mariners continue to use Munoz in high-leverage situations and is worth rostering in most fantasy leagues that account for saves.

Toronto Blue Jays relievers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) are slated to pitch in Triple-A Buffalo's doubleheader tomorrow. Both pitchers struggled some in their most recent rehab appearance on Thursday and will look to improve on those outings. Should the outings go well, both relievers have a chance to join the Blue Jays roster and be taken off the injured list. Swanson's value as a setup man may carry more value to the Blue Jays than to fantasy managers. However, Romano should be rostered in all leagues with his return being close.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez (groin) will reportedly ramp up his running this week, according to general manager Chris Getz. The oft-injured outfielder has been sidelined since early April due to a groin issue. It's nice to hear that Jimenez is ramping up his activities, but it doesn't sound like he's ready to play again yet. The White Sox haven't given much of a timetable for Jimenez, but the expectation is that Jimenez is still a few weeks away. The expectation is that Robbie Grossman and Kevin Pillar will see more playing time until Jimenez is ready again.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman will make his third start of the season against the Colorado Rockies at the Rogers Centre this evening. The ace pitcher was dealing with shoulder fatigue earlier in the offseason, which prevented him from seeing time in Spring Training and delayed his season debut. He threw four one-run innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in his first start but struggled mightily in his second against the New York Yankees, where he allowed five earned runs. Gausman's velocity dipped in that start but did not express much concern. The 33-year-old should have an excellent opportunity to deliver a quality start against a Rockies team that has the sixth most total strikeouts, making him a fantastic option in DFS.

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list due to a right oblique strain. The move is retroactive to Apr. 9 while the club recalled utility man Niko Goodrum from Triple-A Durham. Lowe has dealt with side soreness a couple of times early in the season and it appears the club will give him some time off to get the issue behind him. For the season, the 29-year-old has hit .185 with one homer across his first 30 trips to the plate. However, he has long been a reliable option at the second-base position as he slugged 21 homers to go along with seven stolen bases across 109 games last season. He is certainly worthy of an injury stash as the issue doesn't seem to be of the long-term variety.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jacob Waguespack will get the starting nod against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. The 30-year-old has been operating as a reliever during the early portion of the season. In three appearances, Waguespack has allowed six runs over six innings of work. He does have experience as a starting pitcher, but Waguespack hasn't made a start in nearly five years. He won't be a recommended streaming option ahead of Friday's slate.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means (elbow) gave up two runs in three innings in Thursday's rehab start with Triple-A Norfolk, allowing two hits and two walks while fanning three. Means allowed one run in three innings in his last rehab appearance after getting blown up for seven runs back on March 31, so he's starting to show signs of improvement while recovering from a right forearm strain. Manager Brandon Hyde has previously stated Means' rehab assignment will last close to the full 30 days, so the 30-year-old former All-Star won't be available for the O's likely until early May. Means missed most of the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, but he produced a solid 2.66 ERA (5.24 FIP), 0.71 WHIP, and 10:4 K:BB across 23 2/3 innings after returning late last year and is a decent stash in all fantasy leagues. The struggling Cole Irvin is the most likely candidate to be bounced from Baltimore's rotation upon Means' return.

An MRI exam revealed that Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (oblique) is dealing with a Grade 1 right-oblique strain, and he will be placed on the injured list before the team's series opener on Friday against the San Francisco Giants. It's a mild strain, but Lowe is still going to miss time. It's nothing new really for the left-handed slugger after he was limited to 174 games in the last two years due to back injuries and a fractured right kneecap. Prospect Curtis Mead and veteran Amed Rosario seem likely to get more work at the keystone in Lowe's absence, and the most likely candidate to fill Lowe's spot on the roster on Friday is switch-hitting infielder Niko Goodrum. In addition to his injury, Lowe has gotten off to a slow start, going just 5-for-27 (.185) with a homer, four RBI and seven strikeouts in his first eight games played in 2024. Expect him to miss at least several weeks, if not more.

Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said there's a possibility that outfielder Eloy Jimenez (groin) is able to come off the injured list to play this weekend. "He's getting close," Grifol said. "He feels better than yesterday, that day to day thing keeps coming up. But he feels better today than he did yesterday. [Friday] is a possibility. Everything is a possibility. We have to see where he's at and we'll have to see what we want to do as an organization in the short term and long term to make sure these things don't happen again." The 27-year-old is dealing with a left-groin strain, but with both Luis Robert Jr. (hip) and Yoan Moncada (groin) facing extended absences with injuries of their own, don't expect the White Sox to rush Jimenez back. Until Jimenez is able to return, veterans Robbie Grossman and Kevin Pillar will be in line for more playing time.

New York Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session either Thursday or Friday at the club's spring training facility in Tampa Bay. The right-hander has been sidelined due to a shoulder issue this spring but appears to be trending in the right direction in his rehab. It was a successful return to the Bronx for the veteran in 2023, as Kahnle worked to a 2.66 ERA across 42 appearances after posting a 2.84 ERA in an injury-shortened 13 appearances in a brief stint with the Dodgers in 2022. Upon his return, Kahnle won't get many save opportunities behind Clay Holmes but could be a solid source of holds after recording 14 of them in the 2023 season.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease blanked a red-hot Chicago Cubs offense in Wednesday's 10-2 victory, firing six strong innings on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts for a win. The Cubs entered the day second in baseball with 71 runs scored, but Cease was up for the challenge on Wednesday. Since Christopher Morel reached on Ha-Seong Kim's fielding error in the fourth inning, Michael Busch's two-run home run represented two unearned runs on Cease's ledger. The 28-year-old right-hander looks to be getting more comfortable after landing in San Diego in March, registering a 2.16 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 20:6 K:BB over his first 16 2/3 innings (three starts) of the campaign. His next start is lined up for a potential pitching duel with right-hander Freddy Peralta next Tuesday against the hot-hitting Milwaukee Brewers. Cease threw seven two-run innings in his lone start against Milwaukee in 2023.