Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Chris Stratton picked up his second save of the season in Monday's 3-2 win over the Brewers. Stratton came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one. He allowed a leadoff walk, induced a ground-ball double-play, allowed another walk, and ended the game with a groundout. Closer James McArthur pitched two innings in Sunday's game, so he was likely unavailable. Stratton has struggled this season with a 5.40 ERA and a 7.20 BB/9 rate in 15 innings of work. His fantasy value will remain limited if he cannot improve those metrics.

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar earned his third save of the season in Monday's 3-1 win over the Mariners. Thielbar came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two and delivered a 1-2-3 outing with two strikeouts. Closer Jhoan Duran was called upon to face the top of the order in the eighth inning, so Thielbar got the save opportunity. The 37-year-old veteran has gotten off to a rough start this season with a bloated 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 innings pitched. His fantasy value will remain limited if he continues to pitch poorly, as it seems unlikely that he would earn high-leverage situations.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson turned in a quality start but came away with a no-decision in Monday's 3-1 win over the Mariners. The 23-year-old pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with eight strikeouts. Woods Richardson has capitalized on favorable matchups since being called up and is now 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA, a 9.15 K/9 rate, and a 2.18 BB/9 rate in four starts and 20 2/3 IP. His streak has a chance to continue in his next projected start at the struggling Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Orelvis Martinez continued to hit on Sunday for Triple-A Buffalo, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, putting his season slashline at .296/.367/.574. If there is a question as to whether or not Martinez is ready to face major league pitching, his RBI single was a liner to left field off of Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes, who is about as close to major league pitching as you'll find in the minors. The 22-year-old doesn't have much left to prove in the minors after hitting at least 28 home runs in each of the last three seasons between the ages of 19 and 21, and tallying eight so far in 2024. His promotion to the big league club feels more or less imminent, so managers in need of some power production should consider stashing him ahead of time if possible.

The Oakland Athletics placed right-hander Joe Boyle (back) on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a lower-back strain and recalled left-hander Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Boyle heads to the shelf a day after giving up four runs while walking three in an inning to take his fifth loss of the season on Sunday versus the Miami Marlins. The poor outing dropped the 24-year-old to 2-5 on the year with a 7.16 ERA (5.07 FIP) and 1.73 WHIP with a league-leading 23 walks and 29 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings over his first seven starts. It's unclear who will replace Boyle in Oakland's starting rotation, but it could be Mitch Spence after he tossed 4 2/3 innings in relief of Boyle on Sunday after he left with his back injury.

Oakland Athletics pitching prospect Hogan Harris was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday after the A's placed starter Joe Boyle on the IL with a lower back strain. Harris had a brief debut with the A's in 2023 that was mostly forgettable, with a 7.14 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 9.9% K-BB% over 14 appearances (six starts, 63 IP). Triple-A in 2024 has gone worse for the 27-year-old, posting a 9.00 ERA in six starts, allowing five home runs, a 20:21 BB:K, and an ugly 1.95 WHIP. At this point, Hogan has not been announced as a starter for any of the Athletics' upcoming games, and the A's do have a doubleheader Wednesday, but Hogan will likely be used for long relief anyway. Regardless, as far as fantasy is concerned, you're staying away.

Seattle Mariners infielder Luis Urias got the start at third base on Sunday in the series finale against the Houston Astros after saying on Saturday night that he was looking forward to getting the chance to play more often against right-handed pitchers. Manager Scott Servais said that could happen more often moving forward. The 26-year-old went 1-for-3 with two RBI on Sunday in the win over Houston, but he's still hitting just .167 (7-for-42) with three home runs, 10 RBI and four runs scored in 20 games in 2024 in his first year in Seattle. Despite the poor average, Urias has been clutch with runners in scoring position, but even with more playing time potentially coming in the near future, he's more of an AL-only asset with the way he's been swinging the bat.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda (finger) is has not hit well during his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham, and manager Kevin Cash said on Friday that the team wants to make sure Aranda is "timed up at the plate as much as possible" before ending his rehab assignment. Aranda fractured his right ring finger during a workout on March 19, which led to surgery to insert a pin into his finger on March 21. He had the pins removed from his finger on April 15. The 25-year-old looked great in spring training before his injury and should have a significant role for the Rays when he returns, at least as the designated hitter against right-handed pitching. Aranda is at least worth a pickup in deep-mixed leagues when he makes his 2024 debut.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Devenski (knee) is playing catch and will progress based on how he feels, according to manager Kevin Cash. The skipper said on Friday that Devenski could throw a bullpen session soon "if the knee calms down." Devenski was placed on the injured list on April 29 (retroactive to April 26) with right-knee tendinitis. He said he was optimistic that he wouldn't miss much time despite an MRI exam on April 30 showing "pretty strong patella tendinitis," according to Cash. The 33-year-old will be eligible to return on May 11, but it remains to be seen if that will actually happen. Before the injury, Devenski hadn't pitched well, posting a 7.71 ERA and 1.79 WHIP with six walks and 11 strikeouts in 14 relief innings for the Rays.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Shane Baz (elbow) gave up three runs on three hits over three innings while walking one and striking out none in his first minor-league rehab assignment for Triple-A Durham on Saturday. Twenty-two of his 39 pitches went for strikes, and his four-seam fastball topped out at 97.1 mph. The 24-year-old missed all of last year after having Tommy John surgery. He was never expected to have a significant workload in 2024 after missing so much time, especially after he dealt with two minor oblique setbacks during his comeback. He essentially began his buildup after spring training ended and was put on the 15-day injured list on March 26. Baz will likely need several more rehab starts before Tampa thinks about activating him. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues need to temper their expectations for Baz in 2024 in his first season coming off Tommy John surgery.

San Francisco Giants catcher Tom Murphy (knee) is expected to miss the next four to six weeks with a left knee sprain, according to manager Bob Melvin. Murphy suffered the injury in Saturday's 14-3 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies and now will be out for the next couple of weeks after undergoing an MRI on Sunday. The veteran catcher was hitting just .118 with one home run and two RBI in 13 games this season. With Patrick Bailey (concussion) also on the injured list, look for Blake Sabol to get more opportunities behind the plate.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton recorded his fourth win of the season against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in a 5-1 victory. Paxton went 6 innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three. He has now recorded back-to-back wins in two starts. The 35-year-old has pitched 32 innings in six starts, holding a 3.06 ERA with a 5.01 K/9 and 6.68 BB/9 rate. His next projected start is against the San Diego Padres, who had already given him troubles earlier this season. Despite surrendering eight walks in last start against the Padres, Paxton has pitched well enough recently to be used as a streamer in most league formats.

Miami Marlins outfielder Nick Gordon had a day at the plate in Sunday's 12-3 victory against the Oakland A's. Gordon went 4-for-4 with one homer, two runs, and three RBI with one walk. The 28-year-old has had a rough start to the season, hitting .207 (17-for-82) with three doubles, four homers, eight runs, 15 RBI, four walks, and 17 strikeouts in 31 games this season. On Monday, Miami will start a three-game road trip against the Los Angeles Dodgers, bringing more challenges for the struggling team. Gordon does frequent the starting lineup but is mainly an option in NL-Only or deep-league formats.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah got rocked in his first start of the season against the Washington Nationals on Sunday. Manoah allowed seven runs (six earned) in just four innings, giving up six hits and walking four while striking out six. He showed glimpses of his former self, but overall it was a lackluster performance for the big righty. The Jays have already committed to Manoah for at least one more start, but he will have to be much better to instill confidence that they can keep rolling with him. Fantasy managers should not consider starting Manoah until he can consistently deliver good outings, and he can be dropped outside of the deepest of leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jose Caballero went nuts on the basepaths on Sunday, swiping four bags in a 7-6 win over the New York Mets. Caballero didn't actually get a hit in this one, going 0-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored to go with the four steals. He now has 13 stolen bases on the season, putting him fourth in the majors in that category. For his speed alone, he should be rostered in most category leagues.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet looked sharp on the mound during Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The southpaw struck out six batters over six innings of work while allowing only one run. The 24-year-old only allowed three hits and didn't walk anyone during this outing. He'll carry a 5.31 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 53/9 K/BB ratio into his next start against the Cleveland Guardians.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) threw another bullpen session this weekend as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He began throwing bullpen sessions in April and has not suffered any setbacks yet. His next step in the rehab process will be a stint in the minors, but the Astros are taking things slow with the young right-hander. The expectation is that he'll be able to return to the majors near midseason. Garcia was impressive in his last full campaign as he posted a 15-8 record, 3.72 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 28 starts in 2022. He is someone for fantasy managers to keep an eye on as he gets closer to his return date.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) threw 10 fastballs off of the mound's rubber on Saturday. He is expected to return from forearm surgery sometime around midseason after not pitching at all in 2023. The Astros have had terrible luck with injuries to their rotation so far this season, so McCullers would likely jump back into a starting spot when he returns. He is not a priority stash at this point, but fantasy managers with IL space in deeper leagues could scoop him up if he is available.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (illness) was scratched from Sunday's lineup in the Bronx against the New York Yankees due to an illness. Rookie second baseman Colt Keith will now enter the lineup at second base while batting seventh, with Andy Ibanez at third base and leading off and Matt Vierling in right field and in the two-hole versus Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes. Perez, who was slated to make his seventh straight start, should be considered day-to-day heading into Monday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. The 24-year-old has earned more playing time by hitting .302 (16-for-53) in the early going with three homers, eight RBI and two stolen bases for the Tigers. Ibanez and Vierling are both worth looking at as low-cost DFS sleepers at the top of Detroit's lineup.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Cole Sands earned his second save of the season on Saturday afternoon in a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Sands pitched a spotless ninth and added a strikeout in relief of usual closer Jhoan Duran, who was called upon to face the heart of the Red Sox order in the eighth inning. That left the save opportunity for Sands. With the usual setup men Brock Stewart and Justin Topa out with injuries, Sands could see himself in a higher leverage role in the short-term with lefty Caleb Thielbar and should earn holds and the occasional vulture save.