Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (leg) left Friday's game early in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays with an apparent right-leg injury after he went into the first-base bag awkwardly while trying to avoid a throw from right-hander Chris Bassitt. Before departing, J-Ram went 2-for-2 with a stolen base. Gabriel Arias shifted from second base to third base, while Daniel Schneemann entered the game to play second base for Cleveland. The good news is that the 32-year-old Ramirez walked off the field under his own power, but that doesn't mean it isn't a significant injury. Fantasy managers will want to check back for more information on Ramirez's status, but don't expect him to be in the lineup for Game 2 of the series on Saturday. If J-Ram's injury requires an injured-list stint, both Arias and Schneemann would become everyday players on the infield for the Guardians.

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Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that outfielder Tyler O'Neill (neck) and infielder Jordan Westburg (hamstring) are more "days away" than "weeks away" from returning from the injured list. The Orioles are talking about whether either player needs to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated from the IL. The oft-injured O'Neill is eligible to return this Sunday and should return to a regular role in the Orioles outfield despite starting the season with a .215/.284/.385 slash line with two homers and 10 RBI in 75 plate appearances. Ramon Laureano will return to the bench when O'Neill returns. Westburg can come off the IL as soon as next Wednesday. The 26-year-old was also struggling at the plate with a .217 average, four home runs and six RBI, but he should resume his regular role at third upon his return, especially with Ramon Urias (hamstring) currently injured.

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Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge (knee) will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday at High-A Aberdeen. Kittredge is ready to pitch in minor-league games after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee back in spring training. Because of the long layoff, the Orioles probably will not be in any rush to bring the 35-year-old back off the injured list. However, barring a setback with his surgically-repaired knee, Kittredge should make his 2025 debut sometime in May. Felix Bautista is the club's unquestioned closer when healthy, but Kittredge figures to be a high-leverage, late-inning setup man for Baltimore when he returns. He was a first-time All-Star back with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 and has 16 career saves in eight MLB seasons. Kittredge had a 2.80 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with a save and 67 K's in 70 2/3 innings last year with St. Louis.

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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with High-A Aberdeen on Sunday, according to MASN's Roch Kubatko. If things go well for Eflin on Sunday, the 31-year-old veteran hurler could be back in Baltimore's starting rotation late next week, potentially on May 10 in what would be a nice matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. He has been out since early April with a strained right lat, and when he's ready, the O's will have a rotation spot waiting for him. It will be a nice reinforcement for the team's rotation with Grayson Rodriguez (elbow, lat) potentially out until the second half of the season. Eflin looked good in his first three starts before getting hurt, allowing six earned runs on 14 hits while walking one and striking out eight in 18 innings. He's worth a look as a back-end starter in deep-mixed leagues if he's available on the waiver wire.

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Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (elbow, lat) will have re-imaging in a few weeks, and if the results come back positive, he could potentially resume throwing before the end of May. Elias still expects Rodriguez to return before the end of the year. Rodriguez has yet to pitch in 2025, initially due to inflammation in his right forearm that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the season. The 25-year-old was then moved to the 60-day IL du to a mild right-lat strain. He has a long ways to go to rejoin Baltimore's starting rotation and won't be guaranteed to be ready before the All-Star break in mid-July, even if he doesn't encounter anymore setbacks. Rodriguez is worth stashing in all fantasy formats, but it's going to be a while before we see him back in the big leagues.

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San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (hamstring) is "towards the finish line" of his rehab, according to manager Mike Shildt. Merrill has spent a couple days at the team's spring training complex in Arizona this week taking live at-bats, and it's unclear if he'll require a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated from the 10-day injured list. The 22-year-old landed on the IL on April 8 with a right-hamstring strain but is knocking on the door to return to the big-league roster, possibly by the end of the weekend series in Pittsburgh against the Pirates if he doesn't need a rehab assignment. If he doesn't rejoin the Padres this weekend, it could come next week in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. Merrill was a first-time All-Star in his rookie season in 2024 and was squaring the ball up regularly before his injury in 10 games, going 14-for-37 with three homers and 10 RBI.

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The San Diego Padres announced on Friday that they reinstated outfielder Brandon Lockridge (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfield prospect Tirso Ornelas to Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. Lockridge didn't require a minor-league rehab assignment despite being out since mid-April with a strained left hamstring. The 28-year-od is not in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Pittsburgh against the Pirates and will most likely just be a short-side platoon option for the Friars in left field when they face left-handed pitching. Lockridge went just 6-for-31 (.194) with no home runs, an RBI, three runs and three RBI in a bench role before getting injured. Ornelas, the club's No. 11 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will head back to the farm for more development after going 1-for-14 with an RBI in his first seven big-league games.

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San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (rib) has been cleared for all baseball activities and was sent to the team's spring training complex in Arizona for live at-bats, starting on Thursday, May 1. Cronenworth's non-displaced right-rib fracture won't fully heal for another few weeks, but he could return from the 10-day injured list before it does. The 31-year-old was placed on the IL back on April 11 for an injury that occurred when he was hit by a pitch in Chicago against the Cubs early in the season. If Cronenworth is required to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, which is likely, he probably won't be back with the big-league roster for another few weeks. When healthy, he'll return to regular duties at second base, which will push veteran Jose Iglesias back to a bench role. Cronenworth was hitting .257 (9-for-35) with two homers, five RBI and seven runs before going on the IL.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow) threw his first bullpen session last Saturday since going on paternity leave last week. Ohtani threw 31 pitches, according to manager Dave Roberts, and is still only throwing four-seamers, two-seamers and splitters. He will not face live hitters until he begins working in all of his pitches. But Roberts said that Ohtani is expected to resume throwing light side sessions on Wednesdays, followed by a full bullpen every Saturday. The timeline for the 30-year-old to return to the mound remains indefinite, although the Dodgers had previously been aiming for sometime in May. He's recovering from a right UCL repair he had in September of 2023, and he didn't have a full offseason to build up on the mound due to left-labrum surgery last November. Ohtani will likely be eased into a starting role when he eventually returns as a pitcher, but he'll be fantasy relevant in all leagues.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-handed reliever Michael Kopech (shoulder) has started facing live hitters in Arizona and is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week. Kopech has been dealing with arm issues since late last season and he landed on the injured list to begin the 2025 regular season due to right-forearm inflammation. A shoulder impingement has slowed him down of late, but he's making good progress now and could be on the verge of making his season debut as long as he doesn't have setbacks during his rehab assignment. The 29-year-old should return to the Dodgers' bullpen, barring a setback, by the end of May. Kopech was great in his 24 relief innings in the regular season last year after being acquired from the White Sox, posting a 1.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, six saves and 29 K's, but he'll be more of a setup man in 2025 in the Dodgers' revamped bullpen.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) is expected to resume playing catch next week in Miami on the team's road trip. Snell landed on the 15-day injured list way back on April 6 and is still working his way back from a left-shoulder injury after encountering a setback recently. Tests haven't revealed any structural damage in his arm, thankfully, and the 32-year-old veteran southpaw will now resume throwing next week after having a cortisone injection on Monday. If things go well next week, Snell could be cleared to throw off a mound soon after. But given the long layoff, he should be expected to need a minor-league rehab assignment eventually, which could push his return into June. Snell allowed two unearned runs while walking eight and striking out four in his first two starts with L.A. before the injury. Keep him stashed in all fantasy leagues.

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Arizona Diamondbacks infield prospect Tim Tawa will remain on the major league roster despite Ketel Marte returning from the 10-day injured list. Instead, the Diamondbacks are sending outfielder Jorge Barrosa to Triple-A Reno. Tawa was initially promoted to the majors when Marte hit the IL with a hamstring injury. However, his strong performance earned him a spot on the roster. Throughout his first 19 games at the MLB level, Tawa has posted a .190/.304/.483 slash line with five long balls and two stolen bases. Under the hood, he has generated a strong .377 xwOBA and has drawn walks at a 13.0 percent rate, which are both well above the average marks. However, given Marte's return, Tawa may not see steady playing time going forward. As a result, he should only be rostered in deeper 15+ team/NL-only formats.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (hamstring) has been playing catch but hasn't been cleared to throw off a mound, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. It has been two weeks since Strider threw off the mound, and fantasy managers need to expect the Braves to continue to be cautious with him. The 26-year-old got a late start to the 2025 season after having an internal-brace procedure on his right elbow last April. When he did finally return on April 16 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Strider allowed two earned runs while walking one and striking out five in five innings before being sidelined again with a Grade 1 right-hamstring strain. He is going to need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment eventually, so in a best-case scenario, Strider won't rejoin Atlanta's rotation until later in May. Keep him stashed in all fantasy formats.

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The Colorado Rockies have recalled right-handed pitching prospect Bradley Blalock from Triple-A Albuquerque. In a corresponding move, the Rockies are placing right-handed pitcher Ryan Feltner on the 15-day injured list with back spasms. Blalock spent time in the majors earlier this season and held a 10.29 ERA with a 2.00 WHIP across seven innings of work. In 2024, the right-hander made his MLB debut and posted a 5.87 ERA with a 1.79 WHIP across 30 2/3 innings of work. During this stint, he struck out just 20 batters. Fantasy managers should expect the Grayson HS product to likely operate as a swingman, spending time in both the rotation and bullpen. However, given his lack of success in the majors, he should not be targeted in any format.

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Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said that the team is "hopeful" they'll see right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) back with the team by the end of May. Dipoto said the plan for Kirby is to make "at least two, maybe three" minor-league rehab starts. Kirby could start his rehab assignment as early as this weekend if he's feeling good, so his 2025 season debut is on the horizon. The 27-year-old was forced to start the regular season on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder that initially cropped up in spring training in March. Although fantasy managers would like to see more with Kirby's strikeout rate, his impeccable control alone makes his rosterable in all leagues when he's healthy. He was a first-time All-Star in 2023 in his second MLB season and went 14-11 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 179:23 K:BB in 191 innings (33 starts) a year ago.

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The Milwaukee Brewers are listing left-hander Tyler Alexander as their starter for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Chicago Cubs at American Family Field. Right-hander Quinn Priester was originally scheduled to start this game, but he'll now serve as the bulk reliever after Alexander opens the game. The 30-year-old Alexander has started three of his nine appearances for the Brewers this year, with all three of his starts coming earlier in April. In those three starts, the veteran southpaw allowed 10 runs (six earned) on 12 hits (one homer) while walking eight and striking out 11. He has a 4.56 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with a save, 20 strikeouts and 11 walks in 23 2/3 total innings pitched so far in his first year with Milwaukee. Fantasy managers should be looking to avoid Alexander as a streamer against a strong Cubs offense.

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The Texas Rangers are promoting infielder Jonathan Ornelas to the major leagues. In a corresponding move, the Rangers are designating infielder Nick Ahmed for assignment. Over the past three seasons, Ornelas has only appeared in 29 games at the MLB level. Across this stint, Ornelas has held a .188/.250/.229 slash line with two doubles and a 20:3 K:BB. Fantasy managers should expect Ornelas to operate in a depth role in the infield with Corey Seager (hamstring) on the injured list. Earlier this season, Ornelas was having trouble finding his footing at Triple-A Round Rock as he posted a .145/.269/.145 slash line with no extra-base hits across 18 contests. As a result, fantasy managers should not consider targeting Ornelas in any formats.

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The Colorado Rockies announced on Friday that they placed right-hander Ryan Feltner (back) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 29) with back spasms and recalled right-handed pitching prospect Bradley Blalock from Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move. Feltner will now miss the next two weeks after having his last start pushed back from Sunday to Monday. The 28-year-old wasn't sharp in the loss to the Atlanta Braves, allowing five runs on a season-high 10 hits allowed while walking one and striking out four in 4 2/3 innings. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to return from the IL when he's eligible on May 14. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't view Feltner as a must-stash arm while he's out. He's gone 0-2 on the year with a 4.75 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and 12 walks in his six starts covering 30 1/3 frames.

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New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (oblique) is dealing with a high-grade right-oblique strain, according to manager Aaron Boone. "I think it's gonna be a while," Boone said. With Chisholm on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 30), Boone said that infield prospect Jorbit Vivas is going to get an opportunity to play. Vivas is starting at second base and batting ninth in Friday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Ryan Pepiot. The 27-year-old Chisholm is expected to be out for four to six weeks, so fantasy managers are going to need to be patient as they await his return. It's a tough break for Chisholm, who has hit just .181 (19-for-105), although he has provided seven home runs, 17 RBI, 17 runs scored and six stolen bases. Vivas is certainly worth a look in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues with Chisholm out for an extended period of time.

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The Texas Rangers are promoting infielder Blaine Crim to the major leagues. In a corresponding move, the Rangers are sending infielder Jake Burger to Triple-A Round Rock. Crim has yet to appear in an MLB game in his career. Throughout the early part of the Triple-A campaign, Crim has been swinging a hot bat and is being rewarded with a promotion. Through the first 28 games of the Triple-A regular season, Crim has posted an impressive .313/.365/.565 slash line with six doubles and seven long balls. He has tallied 25 RBI and scored 17 runs. He enjoyed similar success at Triple-A Round Rock in 2024 as well as he posted a .277/.370/.469 line with 33 doubles and 20 round-trippers. Fantasy managers in AL-only formats should monitor his status as he could carve out a role in Texas.

From RotoBaller