New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (back) will move his rehab to Triple-A Syracuse this week, and "it's possible" the team could activate him when they get home on Friday for the start of a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals, per manager Carlos Mendoza. After receiving a cortisone shot due to lower back tightness, Martinez returned to a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday and is on track to make his 2024 regular-season debut in Queens in Week 4 of fantasy baseball. With the Mets struggling to find consistency in the heart of their batting order, the 36-year-old All-Star slugger figures to slot right in as the No. 5 hitter in the lineup immediately upon his move to New York's active roster. After slashing .271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs, 27 doubles, and 103 RBI across 432 at-bats (113 games) with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, Martinez should be rostered for those in need of power numbers.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado has been placed on the paternity list on Monday. The superstar infielder will be away from the team for one to three days due to personal matters. In a corresponding move, infielder Matthew Batten has been recalled from Triple-A El Paso. Batten will take over the active spot on the roster and figures to play in a few games until Machado returns. Eguy Rosario is starting at third base and is hitting seventh on Monday against the Colorado Rockies and left-hander Austin Gomber.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-hander Wade Miley (elbow) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 19) with left-elbow inflammation on Monday. In other moves, the team recalled right-hander Tobias Myers from Triple-A Nashville, reinstated first baseman Jake Bauers from the bereavement list, and optioned infielder Andruw Monasterio to Nashville. The 37-year-old Miley started the 2024 season on the injured list with a left-shoulder injury and he also missed time in 2023 with elbow and lat ailments. Miley is set to undergo tests on Tuesday and could be out for an extended amount of time. Myers is the most logical choice to fill in for Miley on Tuesday and start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Miley already wasn't really an attractive option for fantasy managers in deep-mixed leagues before the injury.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed first baseman Bryce Harper on the paternity list on Monday before their series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. In a corresponding move, the team recalled infielder Kody Clemens from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Harper will miss between one and three games for the Phillies this week, which makes him tough to roll with in weekly fantasy leagues. The most likely scenario is that we see the 31-year-old former All-Star back in action for the series finale in Cincinnati on Thursday. The seven-time All-Star has started off the 2024 campaign by hitting .241/.330/.443 with four home runs, four doubles, 14 RBI, one stolen base and 10 runs scored in his first 21 games. Be prepared to be without him for the next couple of days.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (foot) will start a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Tuesday. Lemahieu hasn't played in the 2024 season yet after injuring his foot before the season started. Lemahieu has his work cut out for him to get into the Yankees lineup, as Oswaldo Cabrera has started the season hot and the team might prefer to stick it out with him for a while. That said, Lemahieu should still get his at-bats in, whether that be as the starting third baseman or as a utility man. He is a deeper league option at this point.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte went 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored in Saturday's 6-4 win over the Dodgers. Marte belted a three-run shot in the sixth inning off Dodgers right-hander Ryan Brasier to put the Mets ahead 5-4. He has collected a hit in five of his last six games while driving in eight runs in his previous three contests. The 35-year-old has been healthy this season and is off to a terrific start, slashing .282/.330/.459 with four home runs, five stolen bases, and 16 runs over 20 games. Fantasy managers should continue to start Marte in all league formats while he's wielding a hot bat.

Boston Red Sox right-hander Kenley Jansen struck out the side to earn the save in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jansen entered Saturday's game in the ninth inning to protect a two-run lead. The 36-year-old struck out all three hitters he faced to earn his fifth save of the year. Jansen has converted 5-of-6 save chances with a 2.35 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings in 2024. Fantasy managers should continue to roll with Jansen as he continues to rack up saves as Boston's primary closer.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander went six innings in his season debut on Friday and picked up the win in a 5-3 victory over the Nationals. The veteran hurler allowed two earned runs on four hits (one HR) and didn't walk a batter while striking out four. It looks like the 41-year-old won't miss a beat despite missing the first few weeks of the season. Even though his K% has gone down in three consecutive seasons and Contact% has gone up in each of those seasons, the 3x Cy Young winner has remained effective, going 13-8 last season with a 3.22 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 14.8% K-BB%. His next start lines up with the Cubs next Thursday in Chicago.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) is slated for a rehab start on Wednesday. Scherzer recovered well from his live batting practice session and the team feels comfortable enough to move him forward in his recovery process. The expectation is that Scherzer may be ready to return to the Rangers' rotation in early May. The 39-year-old was solid in the regular season with the Rangers in 2023, posting up a 3.20 ERA in eight starts. Scherzer did show some cracks late in the season, though, and expectations for the veteran right-hander may need to be tempered by fantasy managers who are used to Scherzer's gaudy numbers. When he joins the AL West leading Rangers, his value may be best in DFS formats

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the New York Mets and right-hander Jose Butto. It's a predictable absence as the Dodgers and Mets played a night game on Friday but will get together for an afternoon clash on Saturday. Smith went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, and a run scored on Friday but the Dodgers took a 9-4 loss despite his efforts. The 29-year-old has come out of the gate hot this season, hitting .356 with a homer, five doubles, and an .861 OPS across 81 plate appearances, good for fourth-most among big-league backstops. The Dodgers have surprisingly dropped four of their last five entering Saturday's contest.

The Tampa Bay Rays selected the contract of right-hander Erasmo Ramirez from Triple-A Durham on Saturday and optioned left-hander Jacob Lopez to Durham in a corresponding move. The Rays also moved infielder Taylor Walls (hip) to the 60-day injured list. Ramirez will join Tampa's bullpen for the first time in 2024 after giving up two earned runs while striking out 13 in 8 1/3 innings pitched for the Bulls on the farm. The 33-year-old is unlikely to be a fantasy asset after posting a 6.41 ERA (5.05 FIP) and 1.57 WHIP with 13 walks and 43 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings over 38 appearances (two starts) for the Rays and Washington Nationals. Ramirez has only struck out 6.8 batters per nine innings in his 12-year MLB career.

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is getting the day off on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Aaron Judge is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat third, while Trent Grisham is starting in center field and hitting sixth against Rays right-hander Zach Eflin. Stanton went 0-for-4 on Friday night and is now hitting .238 (15-for-63) in his first 16 games this year with five home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, four walks and 21 strikeouts in 67 plate appearances. Judge is a must-start in regular fantasy leagues every day, but as a DFS play he's one to avoid on Saturday with a .111 average in nine career at-bats against Eflin. Grisham has hit .167 against Eflin in his six career at-bats. Judge has struggled to get going in 2024, hitting .189 with three home runs and 11 RBI.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Turner hit his second home run of the season in Friday's 5-1 win over the Padres. It was a solo shot, and he also added an RBI single. The veteran has six multi-hit games on the year and is now batting a robust .345 on the young season, with two home runs, 11 RBI, and eight runs scored.

Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman's suspension has been reduced to one game after he settled with the league. Chapman will serve his one-game suspension on Friday night against the Boston Red Sox and won't be available out of the bullpen. The league suspended the 36-year-old southpaw for getting into a confrontation with an umpire during Monday's game against the New York Mets. The Cuban hurler does have a save on the season but has also allowed four runs (three earned) on two hits while walking six and striking out 11 in 5 2/3 innings pitched so far in 2024. The seven-time All-Star isn't Pittsburgh's primary closer but he can still be useful for his strikeout numbers and holds in deeper fantasy leagues.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (foot) said after undergoing an MRI exam on Thursday, doctors don't yet feel comfortable sending him on a minor-league rehab assignment. The hope is later this week he can start playing in games. When the 35-year-old is finally cleared, he's expected to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset. LeMahieu has yet to make his 2024 MLB debut with the Yankees after initially being expected to open the year as the team's regular third baseman. Manager Aaron Boone said that next Tuesday is now the target date for LeMahieu to begin his rehab assignment. Oswaldo Cabrera is starting at the hot corner for the Yankees on Friday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and left-hander Tyler Alexander.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing when he takes on the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday. The veteran was touched up for five earned runs on six hits, including a homer, while walking three against seven strikeouts across seven innings in a loss to the Marlins his last time out. Despite the tough outing, Sale has been quit good early on in his Braves tenure. While his ERA has risen to 4.58, he also sports a 2.91 xFIP, 3.09 SIERA, and a healthy 21.1% K-BB% through his first three starts with Atlanta. He remains a quality fantasy asset whose injury woes are seemingly behind him.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch and catcher Yan Gomes are not in the starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Miami Marlins and left-hander A.J. Puk. Garrett Cooper is playing first base and batting seventh in the lineup, while Miguel Amaya is doing the catching and batting in the nine-hole against Puk. Busch had a streak of five straight games with a home run come to an end this week and he's hitting a strong .317 (19-for-60) overall with six total long balls, 13 RBI and 10 runs scored to start his first year in Chicago. He's hit just .167 (4-for-24) and has yet to homer against a left-hander in his career, though, so he'll likely occasionally be rested against lefties this year. Cooper has never faced Puk in his career, while Amaya has a hit and RBI in his only career at-bat against the southpaw.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (shoulder, elbow, hip) said after the game on Thursday night that he had an MRI exam come back clean and that he will throw on flat ground on Friday. The news comes after it was reported earlier on Thursday that Cobb developed "mild shoulder inflammation" in his right arm two days after his latest bullpen session. The 36-year-old veteran has now dealt with elbow and shoulder issues while initially rehabbing from offseason hip surgery. It's good news that his shoulder injury isn't anything serious, but he's going to need at least several weeks to ramp his arm back up before he becomes a realistic option for the Giants' starting rotation in 2024. Injury issues aside, there's not a ton of fantasy upside with Cobb at this point in his career.

The Texas Rangers are now hoping that right-hander Max Scherzer (back) can return from the injured list in early May after originally believed to be out until maybe late June. Scherzer threw 25 pitches during a live batting practice session on Monday and is expected to throw 40 pitches in a another live BP session on Friday. If he comes out of Friday's session all good, he could embark on a minor-league rehab assignment after that. Scherzer said he's still a bit cautious about his return from surgery to fix a herniated disc in his back, but this is still a very positive development for the Rangers and fantasy managers that have been stashing Scherzer since the regular season started. Don't expect ace-like numbers from the 39-year-old at this point in his career, but when healthy, Scherzer can still act as a solid mid-rotation fantasy starter.

The San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday that starting pitcher Alex Cobb (hip, shoulder) is now dealing with mild shoulder irritation amid his recovery from offseason surgery on his left hip. Cobb says his arm is just still a little "cranky" as he ramps back up, but he doesn't believe his timetable has changed much. It's still yet another minor setback for Cobb, who just resumed throwing on Monday following a brief shutdown due to a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. The 36-year-old right-hander was an All-Star in 2023 and should still be able to return at some point in the month of May. Until Cobb is ready to re-enter San Fran's rotation, swingman Jordan Hicks should remain locked in as a starter for the Giants. Hicks features a 1.57 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 18:6 K:BB through 23 innings (four starts) and is a must-roster fantasy player ahead of Sunday's scheduled start versus the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks.