Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that right-hander Spencer Strider (hamstring) will come off the 15-day injured list and start during next week's series against the division-rival Washington Nationals that starts next Monday. There was some concern that Strider's velocity was down in the low-90s during his simulated game on Wednesday, but the 26-year-old said he was more focused on throwing strikes and working on his secondary pitches, so it's really nothing to be concerned about. Strider will have a solid matchup for just his second start of the season against the Nats in D.C., but the Braves could choose to ease him back into the starting rotation since he didn't go on a minor-league rehab start. He threw 65 total pitches during his sim game on Wednesday. An All-Star in 2023, Strider should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop prospect Carson Williams continues to struggle mightily at Triple-A. The former first-round draft pick had a two-homer game on May 7, but since then, he's gone 2-for-18 (.111) with 10 strikeouts. Forthe season, the Rays' top prospect (MLB No. 24) is hitting .175 with an ugly 39.9 percent strikeout rate, and if not for a solid 14.2 percent walk rate, his .297 OBP would look even worse. On the bright side, the 21-year-old has five home runs and seven stolen bases, but for a player who was potentially going to get a call-up to the majors later this season, that probably won't cut it. Hopefully the youngster can heat up with the weather, but for now, it looks like he'll remain at Triple-A, so there's no reason for redraft managers to stash him.

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Cincinnati Reds corner infielder Jeimer Candelario (back) played catch on the field on Thursday at Great American Ball Park before the series finale against the visiting Chicago White Sox as he begins to ramp up his throwing progression, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. Candelario is recovering from a lumbar spine strain after landing on the injured list in late April, and the 31-year-old veteran isn't exactly close to a return. It's good news that he's beginning to throw again, but he'll eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment and might not be ready to return to the big-league roster until late May or early June. With Candelario, Christian Encarnacion-Strand (back) and Noelvi Marte (oblique) all on the shelf, Santiago Espinal has been afforded everyday playing time for the Reds.

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The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale reports that Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews is expected to be recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to start on Sunday versus the Milwaukee Brewers on the road for his first outing in 2025. It comes after the Twins announced on Thursday that they sent right-hander Simeon Woods-Richardson to St. Paul. The 24-year-old Matthews has looked good for the Saints this year in the minors, posting a 1.93 ERA with 38 strikeouts and nine walks in 32 2/3 innings over his seven starts, and the red-hot Twins are hoping he can keep that up in his second go-around in the big leagues. Matthews struggled in his MLB debut in 2024, going 1-4 with a 6.69 ERA and 1.65 WHIP with 43 K's and 11 walks in 37 2/3 frames over nine starts. The Brewers have been a solid matchup for starters this year, and Matthews is certainly worth a look in deep-mixed leagues.

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Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (head) is in the league's concussion protocol after a scary third-inning collision with teammate Byron Buxton in Thursday's series finale against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Correa backpedaled into shallow center field before Buxton slammed into the back of him and jarred his head and neck drastically. The 30-year-old veteran appeared to absorb the worst of the impact, although Buxton was also removed from the game. Correa went 0-for-1 in the game before Brooks Lee shifted from second base to shortstop to replace him. It's a pretty good bet that Correa will be out for Friday's series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, and he could be headed for the seven-day concussion list. Lee, a former first-round pick, figures to see most of the starts at the 6 for however long Correa is out.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (head) was forced to leave Thursday's series finale against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards after a scary collision in the third inning with teammate Carlos Correa in shallow center field, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale. The good news for Buxton's fantasy managers is that he went 1-for-2 with a solo home run before departing and being placed in MLB's concussion protocol. It's a good bet that the 31-year-old won't play in Friday's series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, and if he does have a concussion, he'll be placed on the seven-day concussion injured list. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. moved from left field to center field after Buxton's injury. With Harrison Bader (groin) injured on Wednesday, Keirsey could be in line for regular playing time moving forward.

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Tampa Bay Rays infielder/outfielder Jose Caballero is starting in right field and batting sixth in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman. Caballero has been playing regularly for the Rays all over the diamond, as he's started four games in right field, one at third base, one at second and one at shortstop in the last eight games. However, the 28-year-old's playing time could start to dry up somewhat now that Josh Lowe (oblique) is back from the injured list. It's not like he's been outstanding on offense so far in 2025, as the Panamanian utility man enters Thursday's game with a .239/.327/.352 slash line with a homer, 12 RBI, eight runs scored and nine stolen bases. Caballero is primarily valuable in deeper fantasy leagues for his positional versatility and his speed.

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The Tampa Bay Rays placed outfielder Travis Jankowski (groin) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a left-groin strain and reinstated outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move. Jankowski was forced from Wednesday's game early against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning with his groin injury and will now be forced to miss at least the next 10 days. The 33-year-old veteran will be eligible to return to Tampa's big-league roster on May 25. However, now that Lowe is back after straining his oblique on Opening Day, Jankowski won't have a clear path to playing time for the Rays when he's able to return. He wasn't all that attractive in AL-only leagues to begin with aside for his speed. Jankowski is hitting .244 (11-for-45) on the season in 21 games with the Rays and White Sox, adding no homers, two RBI and two steals.

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Texas Rangers infield prospect Sebastian Walcott went 2-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run, and three runs scored on Wednesday for Double-A Frisco. It was the second straight game with a home run for the Rangers' top prospect (MLB No. 9), now with four home runs on the season, and after a 10-game skid with zero extra-base hits, the right-handed hitter has four extra-base hits in his last six games. The 6-foot-4 slugger is hitting .252 thus far, but with a 13.3 percent walk rate, he's logged a solid .360 OBP, which has also helped the Bahamian to eight steals. Look for a promotion to Triple-A later this year, and despite his young age, the 19-year-old has an ETA of 2026 per MLB.com's top prospect list, with the makings of a big-time fantasy producer in the power department.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark went 2-for-5 with a solo home run on Wednesday for High-A West Michigan. The former third-overall draft pick played 34 games at High-A last year and registered a .264/.344/.421 slash line, but this year through 30 games, he's fully settled in at the plate, slashing .310/.441/.440 with three home runs, four steals, and 27 walks compared to just 19 strikeouts. It certainly looks like the Tigers' top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 7) is well on his way to a promotion to Double-A, and if all goes well, he could be knocking on the door to the big leagues by the end of next season.

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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin went 3-for-4 on Wednesday with an RBI, two runs scored, and two steals for Single-A Bradenton. The ninth-overall pick in last year's draft has been hitting well all year, but especially so as of late, going 13-for-26 (.500) over his last six games with a double, two home runs, four RBI, nine runs scored, and four stolen bases. For the season, the 19-year-old is slashing .296/.350/.528 with seven home runs and 15 steals, providing plenty of support for a promotion to High-A later this year. The Pirates' second-ranked prospect (MLB No. 37) looks like a potential multi-category producer and could fly through the organization. MLB.com gives him an ETA of 2028, but with his tools, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him arrive sooner, and the 6-foot-4 sluggershould be all over dynasty managers' radar.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) was activated from the 10-day injured list on Thursday and is starting in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman. Lowe is serving as the designated hitter and will bat leadoff for the Rays in his first game back since he strained his oblique on Opening Day. In a corresponding move, Tampa placed outfielder Travis Jankowski (groin) on the IL. The 27-year-old Lowe had two home runs in his six minor-league rehab games, so fantasy managers are hoping he can continue swinging the bat well in his return to the majors. If he can stay healthy, which has been an issue in his career, Lowe will play regularly for the Rays in right field and offers fantasy managers an intriguing mix of power and speed. In 2023 and 2024, Lowe had a combined 30 home runs, 117 RBI and 57 stolen bases in 241 games played.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer will start the team's bullpen game in Thursday's series finale against the visiting Athletics, according to manager Dave Roberts. Sauer, a former second-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2017 will be making his first career "start" in the big leagues after debuting with the Kansas City Royals in 2024. The 26-year-old has allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits while walking one and striking out eight in 11 2/3 innings over four relief appearances for the Blue so far this year. He made three starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier this year, though, and worked as many as five innings in relief against the Miami Marlins back on April 29. Sauer has the ability to go deeper than most typical openers, but he still won't be a recommended fantasy streamer against an A's team that isn't all that bad.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho will retreat to the bench for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre. Myles Straw will start in center field and bat eighth versus Rays right-hander Zack Littell. In 11 games since returning from offseason shoulder surgery on April 29, Varsho has gone 9-for-40 (.225) with five home runs, a double, 11 RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base for the Blue Jays. He's had four built-in off days along the way to help ease him back into the fold. The 28-year-old isn't going to provide much in terms of average -- he has a career .225 average in 588 big-league games -- but it's been nice to see him go deep five times in his first 11 games. Straw is hitting a strong .290 (20-for-69) early on, but he'll be a low-upside DFS option with limited power down at the bottom of the order. He's never faced Littell.

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Chicago Cubs rookie right-hander Cade Horton is scheduled to make the start for Friday's series opener at Wrigley Field against the crosstown-rival Chicago White Sox. It will be Horton's first major-league start after he made his big-league debut on May 10 in a relief role against the New York Mets, yielding three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out five in four innings for his first career win. While the 23-year-old pitching prospect's first MLB outing wasn't ideal, he did strike out five batters in a bulk-relief role and should remain in Chicago's starting rotation until left-hander Shota Imanaga (hamstring) returns from the injured list. In a matchup against a White Sox team that is dead-last in OPS (.620) on the season, fantasy managers should have Horton in their starting lineups on Friday.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) was just available to pinch run or go in for defense on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, and that will likely be the case again for Thursday's series finale. Friedl is going to grab a bat again to see how he feels, but Francona said the team is hoping he'll be ready to return for Friday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. The 29-year-old is dealing with a bone bruise in his right wrist that he suffered on a collision with teammate Elly De La Cruz on Tuesday. Will Benson is starting in center field again on Thursday and will hit sixth against White So right-hander Bryse Wilson. In his third start of 2025 on Wednesday, Benson went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in the 4-2 loss. The left-handed hitter has faced Wilson eight times in his career and is hitting .125 with a homer and two RBI.

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Minnesota Twins first baseman Ty France (foot) will start on the bench for Thursday's series finale in Baltimore against the Orioles. It's not a big surprise after France was forced to leave Wednesday's game early in the fifth inning with a left-foot contusion in the first game of a doubleheader. The 30-year-old was also held out of Game 2. It's not considered a serious injury, but France will miss his second straight game. Fantasy managers will want to check back to see if he's able to return for Friday's series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. France hasn't homered since April 29 and has hit .227 (10-for-44) with three RBI, a steal and 10 strikeouts in 11 games so far in May. Kody Clemens is starting at first base on Thursday and is hitting eighth against Orioles right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, who he has never faced in his career. Clemens will be a low-upside DFS sleeper.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Harrison Bader (groin) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. is starting in left field and will bat ninth against Orioles right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. Bader exited in the middle of the third inning in Game 2 of the team's doubleheader on Wednesday against the O's with left-groin tightness, so it's not a big surprise he's out for the matinee game on Thursday. The 30-year-old veteran is being considered day-to-day for now, so check back on Friday to see if he's ready to return for the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. Bader was signed by the Twins in the offseason mainly for his glove, but he's contributed nicely at the plate so far, too, slashing .300/.384/.464 with an .848 OPS, four homers, 18 RBI, 16 runs and four steals. Keirsey has never faced Sugano in his career.

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Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews is out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. This will be Crew's first game off in over a month, but it comes at a time when the second-year outfielder is really struggling at the dish. The 23-year-old former second overall pick in 2023 out of LSU has gone 6-for-52 (.115) with a homer, double, five RBI, five steals, five walks and 18 strikeouts in his last 15 games since April 29 to drop his season slash line to .189/.245/.318 in 148 at-bats. The good news is Crews does have 11 steals for his fantasy managers. Hopefully the mental day off will get him going moving forward. Alex Call is starting in right field for the Nats on Thursday and is hitting seventh against Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver. Call has hit a strong .296 (24-for-81) but is still searching for his first homer in 2025.

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Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, two RBI, and a walk in the Rangers' 8-3 win over the hapless Rockies on Wednesday night. Garcia now has six homers on the season and boosted his batting average to .229 with a .297 wOBA. Five of his six home runs have come at home, where he has a .327 wOBA compared to a .264 road wOBA. He'll stay at Globe Life Field for this weekend's series against the Rangers' in-state division rivals from Houston. Garcia's power potential can make him usable as a streaming or DFS option when playing at home, but he hasn't been consistent enough to be an option in standard-sized leagues to this point in the season.

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