Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) will start playing catch on Friday. Snell is on the team's current road trip in Miami and will also be in Arizona when they face the division-rival Diamondbacks this weekend. The 32-year-old southpaw made it only two starts in his Dodgers tenure before dealing with left-shoulder issues and being placed on the 15-day injured list. He had a setback with his balky shoulder in late April and had his throwing program shut down, but Snell is going to resume throwing this weekend after recently receiving a cortisone injection in his arm. In a best-case scenario, Snell might be able to return to L.A.'s starting rotation in late May after going on a minor-league rehab assignment. He allowed two unearned runs in his first two starts, but he walked nine and struck out four in nine innings. Snell needs to remain stashed in all fantasy leagues.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander Clayton Kershaw (knee, toe) will make his next minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and it could be his last one. Kershaw is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on May 18, exactly a week after his rehab start on Sunday. In his fourth rehab start in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, the 37-year-old veteran southpaw looked dominant, going six hitless innings while walking one and striking out four. The future Hall of Famer threw five innings on 66 pitches in his previous rehab start with OKC. Although Kershaw is nearing his return to the big leagues, the Dodgers aren't rushing him back after he had offseason surgeries on his left knee and left toe. Still, the Dodgers could use the rotation help with both Blake Snell (shoulder) and Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) currently on the IL.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sounded much more optimistic about outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (groin) on Wednesday. Roberts said he's hopeful that Hernandez will return from the 10-day injured list in two weeks. Hernandez was put on the IL on Tuesday after he was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left-adductor strain of his groin. It's good news that the 32-year-old veteran's injury was deemed mild, but we'll have a better idea of when he might rejoin the Dodgers once he resumes baseball activities. Barring a setback, fantasy managers should have Hernandez back before the end of May. The two-time All-Star has been money for fantasy managers in the potent Dodgers lineup, as he entered Wednesday's action tied with Pete Alonso and Aaron Judge with the most RBI in the league at 34. He's also hitting .315 (41-for-130) with nine home runs, 21 runs and four steals. Keep Hernandez stashed everywhere.

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Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee (legs) will make his next start this Saturday at Progressive Field against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Bibee will not miss a turn through Cleveland's starting rotation after dealing with cramps in both of his legs in his last start on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 26-year-old allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits while walking two and striking out three in five innings for a win on Sunday and is now 3-2 with a 4.26 ERA (6.11 FIP) and 1.32 WHIP while walking 16 and striking out 28 in 38 innings over his first seven starts. Bibee's 6.11 FIP speaks to how fortunate he's been while currently posting a career-low 17.6% strikeout rate and a career-high 10.1% walk rate. He still has plenty of time to turn it around, but he should be considered a shaky fantasy play this weekend against the Phils, who rank 11th in OPS (.735).

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Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (ankle) will make his next start this Sunday on the road in St. Louis against the Cardinals, according to MASN's Mark Zuckerman. Gore was a little sore following his last start against the Cincinnati Reds after tweaking his ankle, but he's been cleared to make his next start to close out the weekend series against the Cardinals. The 26-year-old southpaw made it through five innings last Saturday against Cincy, allowing an earned run on four hits while walking a season-high four and striking out nine. Overall, the former first-rounder by the San Diego Padres in 2017 has been strong for the Nats in 2025 through his first eight starts, posting a 3.33 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 68 punchouts in his 46 innings of work. The Cardinals currently hold the 11th-best OPS (.732) in the league, but Gore should be started in fantasy lineups.

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Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is getting the day off in Wednesday's series finale against the visiting New York Mets. Rookie Tim Tawa will make the start at second base and bat eighth against Mets right-hander Kodai Senga. Marte has struggled since returning from a left-hamstring strain that kept him out for almost a full month, as he's gone just 2-for-15 with a run scored in six games since being activated from the injured list. The recent cold stretch has brought the 31-year-old Dominican's slash line down to .268/.388/.341 on the year. Marte has yet to go deep after clubbing a career-high 36 long balls a season ago. Tawa hasn't been great in his first 21 big-league games, hitting 190 (12-for-63), but he's displayed some pop with five home runs and 11 RBI in 75 plate appearances. He is hitless in just one career at-bat against Senga.

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Colorado Rockies infielder Kyle Farmer is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's contest against the visiting Detroit Tigers at Coors Field. Adael Amador will make the start at the keystone for Colorado and will hit eighth against Tigers rookie right-hander Jackson Jobe. Farmer has been the team's primary second baseman early in the 2025 season. The 34-year-old veteran hasn't been much of a fantasy contributor, though, even in deep leagues, as he enters Wednesday's action with just a .240 average (23-for-96) with no home runs, seven RBI and two runs scored in 29 games in his first year in Colorado. Amador, 22, will be playing in just his 26th MLB game. In 15 games so far this year, he's struggled by going 7-for-39 (.179) with a homer and three RBI. He has never faced Jobe in his career and will be a low-upside DFS sleeper on Wednesday.

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Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers and rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz will both retreat to the bench for Wednesday's contest in Sacramento against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Jhonny Pereda will do the catching and hit ninth, while Tyler Soderstrom plays first base and bats second against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Langeliers isn't going to hit for average (.227), but he has some of the better pop among catchers and currently has gone deep seven times in 119 at-bats this year. Kurtz, who tore up the minors to earn an early-season call-up, has hit a decent 11-for-42 (.262) in his first 13 major-league games, but he has yet to go deep after clubbing seven homers in 20 games for Triple-A Las Vegas. Pereda should be ignored for DFS purposes, while Soderstrom will be a popular play with a .300 average and a solo homer against Woo in 10 career at-bats. Soderstrom is tied for second among first basemen with nine homers this year.

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Cincinnati Reds third baseman Noelvi Marte (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to Wednesday's contest against the Atlanta Braves. In a corresponding move, the Reds recalled outfielder Rece Hinds from Triple-A Louisville. Marte was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to an oblique strain but will now miss at least the next two weeks. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status while he is sidelined, but given his injury, he will likely remain sidelined longer than the 10-day period. After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Marte enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season, holding a .294/.342/.515 slash line with three home runs and four stolen bases. While the 23-year-old is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Santiago Espinal to see most of the opportunities at the hot corner.

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New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Mark Vientos are taking a seat on Wednesday when they play the final game of a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Alvarez has been in the starting nine in each of the past three contests. During this stretch, the backstop has posted a strong .444/.545/.444 slash line with one RBI. Vientos has been swinging a hot bat over his last five games, holding a .316/.381/.316 line and will be given a typical day off. Fantasy managers should expect both Alvarez and Vientos to return to the starting nine on Friday when they begin a series against the Chicago Cubs. This afternoon, Luis Torrens and Brett Baty will be behind the dish and cover the hot corner, respectively. The Mets are worth a look in DFS facing Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is getting the day off on Wednesday when the Dodgers play the final game of a three-game set against the Miami Marlins. The backstop started in each of the first two games of the series and has gone 2-for-9 with a double. As a result, Austin Barnes will get the nod this afternoon behind the dish and will bat in the nine-hole. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to return to the starting nine on Thursday when they begin a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Through his first 29 games of the season, Smith has posted a strong .309/.398/.479 slash line with three home runs and two stolen bases. He has generated an elite .376 xwOBA with an impressive 15.5 percent barrel rate. Barnes could be worth a look as a value play in DFS facing Miami right-hander Valente Bellozo.

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Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch is not in Wednesday's lineup when they play the final game of a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants. With left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray taking the bump for the Giants, Busch will take a seat. Through the opening month, Busch has only made two starts against left-handed pitching. Instead, the Cubs will give veteran Justin Turner the nod at first base, and he will bat in the five-hole. Through the first 35 contests of the campaign, Busch has been productive, holding a .252/.350/.479 slash line with seven doubles, six long balls, and 22 RBI. Busch has generated a strong .356 xwOBA and a .478 xSLG, which suggests he should continue to be a viable fantasy asset. However, fantasy managers should continue to expect him to remain in a platoon role at first base, albeit on the strong side.

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Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (side) remains out of the starting lineup on Wednesday. Moreno was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to left side soreness. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to their contest on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Instead, the Diamondbacks will give Jose Herrera the starting nod behind the dish. He will bat in the nine-hole. Through the opening month of the season, Moreno has posted a modest .233/.320/.267 slash line with just three doubles and five RBI. However, under the hood, Moreno has generated a strong .276 xBA with a 48.5 percent hard-hit rate, which suggests he should see some positive regression when he returns to action. Herrera is best to fade in DFS this afternoon, facing Mets right-hander Kodai Senga.

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St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (back) was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to back spasms. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next contest on Friday against the Washington Nationals. He was replaced on Wednesday by Nolan Gorman, who covered the hot corner and was placed in the six-hole. Through his first 34 games of the campaign, Arenado has posted a .256/.342/.392 slash line with three home runs and one stolen base. Under the hood, the 34-year-old has generated a modest .299 xwOBA and a low .347 xSLG, which suggests he should see some regression throughout the campaign. If Arenado were to miss time over the weekend, Gorman or Jose Barrero will likely cover third base.

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Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang is out of the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Houston Astros. Rookie Caleb Durbin will man the keystone and will hit sixth against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez. The Brewers are facing a tough left-hander, but this is the second time in the three-game series that Turang has started on the bench, and manager Pat Murphy said on Monday that the former first-rounder needed a little more rest after missing a game last week with an illness. He's gone 4-for-12 with a double, RBI and a run scored in his first five games of May and is hitting a strong .318/.383/.409 with three long balls, 16 RBI, 29 runs and eight steals in his first 132 at-bats of the season. Durbin won't be a popular DFS pick against Valdez. In his first 18 MLB games, Durbin has hit just .218 (12-for-55) with a homer and 10 RBI.

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San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) has thrown several bullpen sessions and has ramped up the intensity with each session. Darvish traveled to the team's spring training complex in Arizona recently and could face live hitters in the coming days. The 38-year-old Japanese veteran was put on the 15-day injured list on March 27 (retroactive to March 24) with right-elbow inflammation that cropped up during spring training. He has yet to pitch at all in 2025, but barring a setback as he continues to ramp up, Darvish could return to the Padres' starting rotation in late May. He will certainly have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's fully healthy, making Darvish a stash candidate in fantasy, even though he's past his prime. The five-time All-Star went 7-3 last year with a 3.31 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with a 78:22 K:BB in 81 2/3 innings over just 16 starts.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Mike Burrows logged a season-high five innings during his victory over Triple-A Columbus. In this outing, Burrows struck out a season-best seven batters and allowed just two hits and one run. He did not serve up a walk. The 25-year-old was promoted to the majors earlier in April but did not make an appearance. Through 22 1/3 innings of work at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, Burrows has logged a solid 3.18 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP. He has struck out 25 batters and served up eight walks. Last summer, Burrows made his MLB debut but logged only three 1/3 innings of work. Given his steady production at Triple-A, fantasy managers should expect the Waterford HS product to contend for a return to the majors later this summer.

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X-rays revealed that Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (finger) has a fracture of the middle finger on his catching hand, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. It's an old fracture that has bothered Contreras for some time, but he will continue to play through it. The Brewers are working with the All-Star catcher to make a splint for his finger to absorb some of the impact that he takes on a daily basis. He will continue to catch. It helps explain why the 27-year-old Venezuelan backstop has been rather quiet to start the 2025 season at the plate. Heading into Wednesday's action, Contreras has hit .242/.358/.331 with a career-low .689 OPS, three home runs, two doubles, 19 RBI, 19 runs scored and four stolen bases in 35 games played. Contreras isn't in the starting lineup on Wednesday versus the Houston Astros, with Eric Haas doing the catching and batting eighth against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez.

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San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (rib) started his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday and went 1-for-2 with a home run, two RBI, three runs scored, three walks and a strikeout. Cronenworth might only need two rehab games at El Paso before potentially joining the Friars for their series opener at Coors Field on Friday against the division-rival Colorado Rockies. Before joining El Paso, the 31-year-old veteran went 1-for-3 in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. When Cronenworth returns to the Padres, he'll resume his role as their regular second baseman, sending Jose Iglesias back to a bench role in San Diego. The two-time All-Star went 9-for-35 (.257) with two home runs, two doubles, five RBI and seven runs scored in his first 12 games for the Pads before landing on the injured list with a non-displaced right-rib fracture.

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The results of an MRI exam showed that Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) has a muscle strain on the top of his right had that just needs some rest. Manager Joe Espada said the team hopes it won't be longer than the 10 days that Alvarez will need on the injured list. It's excellent news for both the Astros and Alvarez's fantasy managers, as he could be back in the big leagues by May 13. Since the Astros placed the 27-year-old All-Star on the IL, Jose Altuve has served as the DH once, with Yainer Diaz also getting a nod there. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Alvarez can turn things around at the plate, too, when he gets over his hand injury. The left-handed Cuban slugger has opened the 2025 season with a disappointing .210/.306/.340 slash line with three home runs, 18 RBI, seven runs scored and one stolen base in an even 100 at-bats.

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