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.

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Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (hamstring) had a couple of live batting practice sessions during the team's current homestand this week, including one on Friday, according to MLB.com's Kennedi Landry. If he bounces back well, Seager could be activated from the 10-day injured list and return to the starting lineup on Saturday against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and right-hander Luis Castillo. With Seager out, Josh Smith has been serving as the Rangers' starting shortstop. Fantasy managers will want to get Seager back into their starting lineups immediately upon his return, as he was batting .286 (22-for-77) with four home runs, six RBI and eight runs scored before injuring his hamstring in 21 games played. Smith will be the odd-man out when Seager returns despite hitting .299 (23-for-77) with two homers as a super-utility man.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitching prospect Andrew Painter is set to join Triple-A Lehigh Valley next Thursday. This is a big step for one of the top pitching prospects in the sport. Painter had dealt with numerous injuries throughout his young career, but appears to be nearing his MLB debut. The Phillies are closely monitoring Painter's workload as they hope he could have a role in the major leagues during the second half of the season. Throughout the early part of the campaign, the No. 7-ranked prospect in the sport on MLB Pipeline has logged 11 1/3 innings of work at Low-A. Across this stint, Painter has posted a 3.97 ERA with a stellar 0.97 WHIP. He has struck out 12 batters and served up just one walk. He is a name to keep a close eye on as he should carry high fantasy value when he gets the call to Philadelphia.

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The Boston Red Sox placed right-hander Walker Buehler (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with right-shoulder inflammation and recalled pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Dobbins will make his major-league debut and start on Saturday against the visiting Minnesota Twins. Manager Alex Cora feels that Buehler's IL stint will be minimal. If the 30-year-old only requires 15 days on the IL, he would be able to make his next start during a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves that starts on May 17. Buehler was dealing with a right-shoulder issue in his last start against the Cleveland Guardians last Saturday but still managed to have a quality start, allowing three earned runs while walking one and striking out three through six innings for his fourth win of the season. Keep Buehler stashed everywhere.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting New York Mets at Busch Stadium. This marks the third time that Walker has started on the bench in the team's last seven games. Lars Nootbaar is in right field and is batting leadoff, while Brendan Donovan is starting in left field and hitting third against Mets right-hander Clay Holmes. The 22-year-old Walker might need to pick it up offensively to avoid losing even more playing time going forward. He's batting just .206 (21-for-102) on the year with two homers, nine RBI, nine runs and two steals while striking out 33 times and walking eight times. Walker has gone just 4-for-31 with two RBI and 10 K's in his last nine games. Both Nootbaar and Donovan have swung the bat well through the first month of 2025 and will be solid DFS plays on Friday.

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Los Angeles Dodgers infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman (ankle) remains absent from the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the hosting Atlanta Braves. Edman sat out of Wednesday's series finale against the Miami Marlins and won't be back on Friday despite having a scheduled off day on Thursday. The 29-year-old's injury isn't considered very serious, though, and manager Dave Roberts said he expected Edman to return in one of the first two games of this weekend's series. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if he's active. Veteran Miguel Rojas will start at second base again and will hit ninth on Friday against Braves right-hander Grant Holmes. DFS gamers should look elsewhere, as Rojas has very little fantasy upside at the bottom of the lineup. He's gone 12-for-44 (.273) this year with no homers, two RBI and two runs scored as a backup infielder.

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Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hip) is absent from the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener on the road against the Baltimore Orioles. Freddy Fermin is doing the catching for right-hander Michael Wacha and will hit eighth, while Mark Canha will serve as the designated hitter and bat sixth against Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer. Perez, who should be considered day-to-day, will take the day off after being pulled early from Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays with left-hip soreness. Check back to see if the 34-year-old veteran is back in action on Saturday. The nine-time All-Star has gotten off to a disappointing start in 2025, going 28-for-118 (.237) with only two homers, 16 RBI and eight runs. Neither Fermin nor Canha have faced Kremer in their careers. Canha has hit an impressive .345, but he has yet to leave the yard in his 29 at-bats for KC.

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Tampa Bay Rays left-handed-hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe will head to the bench on Friday against a left-handed pitcher in the series opener in the Bronx against the division-rival New York Yankees. Curtis Mead will start at the keystone and hit eighth against Yankees southpaw Max Fried. Lowe has just two hits and six strikeouts in 22 plate appearances against lefties on the year, which is why he's on the bench against one of the better lefties in the game. The 30-year-old veteran hasn't been much better against righties, either, going 21-for-90 (.233) with four home runs and 15 RBI in 95 trips to the plate. Since April 23, Lowe has gone 5-for-33 with a homer, two RBI and 11 K's in 36 plate appearances over eight games. Mead is hitless in just two career at-bats against Fried and has gone 6-for-37 (.162) on the year with no homers and two RBI.

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Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is retreating to the bench for a rest day in Friday's series opener in Miami against the hosting Marlins. Seth Brown will get the start in right field for the A's and will hit sixth against right-hander Valente Bellozo. It's a good time for Butler to get a little breather, as he's gone 9-for-52 (.173) with three homers, a double, six RBI, one steal and 23 strikeouts in 12 games over the last two weeks. The 24-year-old especially looks lost against left-handers of late and will sit the bench after going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in Thursday's win over the Texas Rangers. Overall, he's hitting .244/.316/.415 with five homers, 11 RBI, 18 runs and five steals in 123 at-bats for the A's. With Butler on the bench on Friday, shortstop Jacob Wilson will move up to the leadoff spot. Brown will be avoided by most DFS gamers with a .172/.314/.310 slash line with a solo homer in his 29 at-bats this year.

From RotoBaller