Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said before Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals that starting pitcher John Means (forearm) still needs to get stretched out more in his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk. Means' fourth rehab start on Wednesday compounded on his recent struggles, as he was blown up for five earned runs in one-third of an inning. He's now given up 15 runs (five homers) and five walks in 7 1/3 innings in the minors, so the O's likely want to see him sharpen things up before considering activating him from the injured list. The 30-year-old left-hander is working his way back from a strained left forearm and should still be able to rejoin Baltimore's rotation in late April or early May. After posting a 2.66 ERA (5.24 FIP) and 0.71 WHIP with 10 K's over 23 2/3 frames (four starts) late last season, Means is someone to consider stashing in mixed fantasy leagues.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before Friday's game versus the Houston Astros that starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) was able to increase his throwing distance up to 60 feet on Thursday and Friday. Gray has been on the 15-day injured list since April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, and while he's eligible to come off the IL after the weekend, fantasy managers should not expect Gray to be available before May. The Nats could opt to send him on a brief minor-league rehab assignment before returning him to the big-league roster, as it's fair to expect a cautious approach after the 26-year-old former top prospect allowed 13 runs in his first 8 1/3 innings of the year before going down. Rookie left-hander Mitchell Parker is occupying Washington's rotation for now, but he won't be a recommended streamer in a tough matchup for Sunday's scheduled start against Houston.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before Friday's game versus the Houston Astros that catcher Keibert Ruiz (influenza) is feeling a lot better after he recently played catch and took batting practice. Martinez said the backstop lost 20 pounds while battling the flu, so Ruiz still needs to build his strength back up. With that said, he's eligible to be reinstated from the 10-day injured list as early as Tuesday's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers and seems unlikely to need a minor-league rehab assignment before getting back behind the dish for the Nats. The 26-year-old former top prospect was off to a sluggish start, however, batting .194 (6-for-31) with one home run and three RBI over eight games. Riley Adams will get the bulk of the catching work in DC in the interim and is worth a look for fantasy managers in deep two-catcher leagues, hitting .306 (11-for-36) with two homers and five RBI in 10 outings this year.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (thumb) departed Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning with an apparent injury to his left thumb. The injury occurred while Alvarez was hustling to second base on an errant Yoshinobu Yamamoto throw to first base, and he went 0-for-1 with a run scored before veteran Omar Narvaez replaced him and took over behind the plate. The Mets should offer another update on Alvarez's status following Friday's contest, and fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day until more is known about the issue. Expect the 22-year-old former top prospect to at least get the day off in the second matchup of the series on Saturday. Alvarez is off to a slow start at the dish this season, batting .236 (13-for-55) with one home run, four doubles, eight RBI, eight runs scored, and one stolen base over 16 appearances.

Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said on Friday that starting pitcher Braxton Garrett (shoulder) is playing catch at 90 feet. Braxton could next advance to a bullpen session, but the Marlins will first re-evaluate him after the catch session before he moves ahead in his progression. Working his way back from a left shoulder impingement, Garrett made two minor-league rehab starts earlier in April before experiencing a "dead arm" after Monday's bullpen session. His return timetable is murky at the moment, but the team should provide another update in the coming days. The 26-year-old left-hander fully broke out a year ago, registering a 3.66 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a wonderful 156:29 K:BB through 159 2/3 innings (31 appearances) and should be stashed in the majority of fantasy leagues. The scuffling A.J. Puk would be a prime candidate to move back to Miami's bullpen when Garrett ultimately makes his 2024 season debut.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitching Spencer Turnbull took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and recorded a win in the Phillies 7-0 victory on Friday night. Turnbull struck out six and only yielded one hit to Gavin Sheets to end his no-hit bid. The righty bounced back from a so-so start in his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates and continued a very strong start to his 2024 campaign. Turnbull now has a 1.23 ERA in four starts and is posting up a 0.77 WHIP. Fantasy managers are certainly going to be interested in adding Turnbull if he's available on the waiver wire. By expected stats we can expect some negative regression to come his way, but at a 3.39 xERA the negative regression won't hit him too hard. Turnbull is worth the addition to your roster, even if it's just stashing him for a little longer. His next start will be Wednesday at Great American Ballpark against the Cincinnati Reds.

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm blasted two three-run home runs to record six RBI and two runs in the Phillies' 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. Both of Bohm's HR came in his first two at-bats and was all the Phillies would need to win the game. The 27-year-old bumped his OPS up to .834 on the season and is outpacing his 2023 season when he posted just a .727 OPS. Bohm will look to continue his solid homestand on Saturday night when he gets to face White Sox right-hander Michael Soroka.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo had a strong outing on Friday and picked up the win in the Reds 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Lodolo struck out six batters and gave up just one run in 6 1/3 innings. He did give up seven hits, but that was his only blemish on the day as none of the hits yielded much damage. The 26-year-old now has two good starts in a row after returning from a tibia injury that held him out of major league action for nearly a year. He'll look to notch another strong start on Wednesday when he faces the Philadelphia Phillies, though fantasy managers may want to temper expectations as the Phillies have been strong against lefties this season.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon recorded a win in his season debut on Friday in the Cubs 8-3 victory over the Miami Marlins. Taillon struck out four and gave up one earned run in five innings in his return. The 32-year-old had been recovering from back tightness since early March. It was good for the Cubs and fantasy managers to see Taillon start off on the right foot and start to bounce back from a slightly subpar 2023. He'll have a much tougher test in his next scheduled start on Wednesday night when the Cubs host the Houston Astros.

New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (hamstring) will remain out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The young corner infielder has been sidelined since being forced out of Tuesday's game. The organization is hopeful to avoid a stint on the injured list. Baty was able to get through a full workout prior to Friday's game. It sounds like he is making progress, but isn't quite ready to play yet. It'll be Joey Wendle at third base and batting ninth versus right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) needs at least one more minor-league rehab outing, according to manager Dave Roberts, which means rookie Landon Knack will stay in the team's starting rotation for at least one more start. Roberts said Buehler's execution during his rehab start on Thursday night was "not great" and that his command was lacking. The 29-year-old gave up two runs on four hits while walking four and striking out three in just 2 2/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City. It's no surprise the Dodgers want to see more from Buehler before they feel comfortable letting him pitch in the big leagues for the first time since 2022. Buehler's outing on Thursday in the minors is a reminder that fantasy managers are probably going to have to be patient with him once he returns.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon. Manager David Bell said the plan is for Friedl to begin his rehab work within the next week or two. The 28-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a fractured wrist in March. The organization is hopeful that Friedl can get back on the field for the Reds around early May. He's coming off a career-best 2023 season. Fantasy managers should hold tight for a little longer as Friedl appears to be making progress.

Chicago White Sox relief pitcher John Brebbia (calf) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. The right-hander appears to be back on track after suffering a calf injury during a game two weeks ago. It's uncertain how many outings Brebbia will need before rejoining the big league bullpen. The assumption is that Brebbia should be back before or in early May. However, Brebbia is likely going to take a backseat to Michael Kopech who appears to be the primary closer in Chicago. Brebbia should still be used in high leverage spots, but probably won't offer the same fantasy value.

New York Yankees relief pitcher Nick Burdi (elbow) has been placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday. This is a tough blow to the Yankees bullpen that is already dealing with injuries. Burdi was pitching well as he hasn't allowed a run through 6 1/3 innings this season. The Yankees are hopeful that it'll be a minimal stint on the injured list for Burdi. In a corresponding move, right-hander Cody Morris has been recalled from Triple-A to take the spot on the active roster.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (elbow) is set to make his next rehab start with Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday. The right-hander looked sharp during his most recent rehab outing on Tuesday. The organization has bumped him up to Triple-A, but he'll likely need at least one or two more outings before he's ready to return to the O's rotation. Fantasy managers should continue to hold Bradish and be hopeful for a return in early May.

San Diego Padres first baseman Jake Cronenworth (calf) has returned to the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 30-year-old has missed each of the last two games due to a minor right-calf issue. However, Cronenworth will be back in there at first base and batting third against right-hander Yariel Rodriguez on Friday. Fantasy managers should make sure to get Cronenworth back in their lineups.

Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) threw 21 pitches of live batting practice before Friday's game at Target Field against the Detroit Tigers and didn't feel any discomfort. Duran is close to embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment. "He was supposed to throw 20 and he wanted an extra one, so that tells you he's feeling good," manager Rocco Baldelli said. Once the 26-year-old goes on a rehab assignment, it might not be long before Duran is able to make his 2024 debut. He should be rostered in all fantasy formats despite getting a late start to the season. While Duran can be a high-end fantasy closer when he's healthy, don't be surprised if the Twins ease him into late-inning situations when he initially returns to the big-league bullpen.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. This appears to be a rare rest day for the 23-year-old outfielder. Greene has started the first 19 games of the season, so he has earned a day off on Friday. Wenceel Perez will bat second and cover right field versus right-hander Joe Ryan on Friday. Fantasy managers and DFS players should be able to find a better option than Perez for Friday's slate.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (hamstring) was pulled in the seventh inning of Friday's win over the visiting Miami Marlins due to right-hamstring tightness, according to manager Craig Counsell. Happ's status for the rest of the weekend is now to be determined. Given the fact that Happ also missed time in spring training with a left-hamstring strain, fantasy managers should not be surprised at all if this ends up being an injured-list situation for the switch-hitting outfielder. For now, the 29-year-old should be considered day-to-day. There's a good chance he won't play on Saturday, but check back anyway to see if he's active. With Seiya Suzuki (oblique) already on the IL, the Cubbies would be down to Cody Bellinger, Mike Tauchman and rookie Alexander Canario in their outfield, although Garrett Cooper and Patrick Wisdom could also be used out there.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (elbow) played catch on Friday, and manager Joe Espada said the hope is that Valdez could throw off a mound on Saturday or Sunday. Valdez is currently on the injured list while dealing with left-elbow inflammation, but there's no structural damage and he's already throwing again after being sidelined on April 9. The 30-year-old southpaw won't come off the IL when he's eligible next week, but a minor-league rehab assignment may not be far off. In the meantime, his fantasy managers will be hoping he'll return sometime in May. Keep Valdez stashed in all fantasy formats until then. The Dominican starter had picked up where he left off in 2023 through his first two starts before his elbow injury, giving up just three earned runs while striking out 10 in 12 1/3 innings.