Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (back) is getting much closer to being activated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut in the majors. Kelly looked great in his minor-league rehab start on Friday with Triple-A Reno, tossing five scoreless innings while giving up two hits, walking two, and striking out two batters. The 37-year-old veteran threw 40 of his 72 pitches for strikes in his first rehab outing after landing on the IL to begin the regular season due to a back injury that he picked up during spring training. It's unclear if the D-backs will want him to make another start in the minors, but if he does, it will likely be his last before rejoining the team's starting rotation. Kelly is no spring chicken anymore, but when healthy, he can eat innings for the Snakes and fantasy managers. However, the upside is limited in fantasy with a below-average career strikeout rate of 22%.

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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin didn't do anything dramatic in his major-league debut on Friday in the 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, but he still helped fantasy managers who started him in his first game. Griffin went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double, RBI, run scored, strikeout, and a walk while hitting seventh in Pittsburgh's batting order. His double and RBI came in his first big-league plate appearance. The 19-year-old phenom didn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, but the Pirates didn't wait long to bring the talented youngster up to the big leagues. Griffin is mature beyond his years, both physically and skills-wise, making him a potential once-in-a-generation-type player for the Bucs and for fantasy managers. He should play regularly from here on out and should be rostered in all fantasy leagues as a potential game-changer in all categories. Griffin should move up the Pirates' batting order eventually.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect Trey Yesavage (shoulder) made a minor-league rehab start on Friday with Single-A Dunedin and allowed an earned run on a solo home run while walking one and striking out three in 2 2/3 innings of work. This was Yesavage's first start in a game this spring after he was held back in spring training and then placed on the 15-day injured list before the start of the 2026 season due to a right-shoulder impingement. The 22-year-old's injury isn't considered serious, but it gives the Blue Jays another reason to handle him with utmost caution early on in his first full big-league season. Yesavage made it up to the big leagues in a hurry last year after he was taken 20th overall out of East Carolina in 2024. Yesavage showed good velocity on Friday while throwing 44 pitches, and he should make his season debut well before both Jose Berrios (elbow) and Shane Bieber (elbow). Despite the high-end upside Yesavage brings for fantasy managers, he may not reach his true ceiling until later this year as the team tries to manage his innings early in his MLB career.

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The Toronto Blue Jays placed catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a left-thumb fracture and recalled catcher Brandon Valenzuela from the Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move, according to Hazel Mae of Sportsnet. Kirk suffered the injury in the 10th inning of Friday's game when he took a foul tip off his thumb while behind the plate on defense. It's unclear exactly how long the 27-year-old backstop will be out, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised at all if it's an extended absence well beyond 10 days. In the meantime, the Blue Jays will use Tyler Heineman as their primary backstop, with Valenzuela and Reese McGuire providing insurance at the position. Kirk is not only hurt early in 2026, but he was struggling at the plate in a small sample size of five games, going 3-for-20 (.150) with a homer, two RBI, two walks, and two strikeouts in his 22 plate appearances to begin his seventh year in the majors.

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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Jose Butto (right arm fatigue) was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right arm after exiting Wednesday's game with discomfort, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. He has been placed on the 15-day injured list, and he underwent a procedure to remove the blood clot on Friday. The 28-year-old right-hander has allowed five earned runs over two innings (three appearances) this season. He has surrendered two homers and four walks while striking out five batters. It's been an uncharacteristically poor start to the year for Butto, who was projected to be a setup candidate in the Giants' bullpen after posting a 3.70 FIP last season. He'll be eligible to return from the injured list as early as April 17.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter went 3-for-4 with a pair of singles and a two-run homer during Friday's win over the Chicago Cubs. He finished the game with three RBI, bringing his season total to eight. DeLauter has appeared in seven games this season, slashing .346/.370/.923 with a whopping five home runs and 266 wRC+. If there's been any hole in his game, it's plate discipline, as he owns a 3.7% walk rate and 25.9% strikeout rate so far. Still, those numbers are somewhat forgivable when you have a player like DeLauter, who is averaging a home run every 5.2 at-bats and is tied for the league lead in dingers. At this point, the 24-year-old rookie has cemented himself in must-start territory for fantasy baseball. As long as he continues to mash the baseball, he should find his way into your fantasy lineups.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Gavin Stone (right shoulder inflammation) began his throwing program on Friday, according to the team's injury tracker on MLB.com. Now that Stone has resumed throwing, he essentially has a full spring training ramp-up ahead of him. The 27-year-old is working his way back from right shoulder surgery, which sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. He last pitched in 2024, when he made 25 starts with a 3.97 xERA, 7.44 K/9, and 2.37 BB/9. Stone can be a fantasy option when healthy, but for now, he needs to ramp up and prove that he deserves a spot in the Dodgers' extremely crowded rotation. Given that Stone is on the 60-day injured list, he won't be eligible to return until May 21, at the earliest.

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Seattle Mariners third baseman Brendan Donovan (leg) exited after landing awkwardly while trying to beat out a throw at first base in the seventh inning of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Manager Dan Wilson told Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times that Donovan had discomfort "somewhere in his leg" and will be re-evaluated on Saturday. It's too early to tell whether the third baseman will be in the starting lineup for Saturday evening's contest against the Halos, but it sounds like there's at least a chance he needs some time off. That would be unfortunate news for the Mariners and Donovan, who is slashing .370/.485/.667 with two home runs, four RBI, a 12.1% walk rate, and 18.2% strikeout rate, and 237 wRC+ through eight games. If he's forced to miss any time, Leo Rivas could get into the lineup on a more consistent basis.

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (calf) is scheduled to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the calf injury he suffered on Friday against the San Francisco Giants, according to John Harper of SNY. Manager Carlos Mendoza admitted that he was "concerned" about the 27-year-old's injury but would wait for the MRI results before divulging further. Soto has appeared in seven games this season, slashing .355/.412/.516 with one home run, five RBI, an 8.8% walk rate, a 17.6% strikeout rate, and 162 wRC+. He has been hitting out of the No. 2 spot, but if the injury is as serious as Mendoza feared, he could be sidelined for at least Saturday's contest against the Giants. If so, we could see more playing time for Carson Benge and Tyrone Taylor.

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Twins' 2B Tristan Gray had five RBIs going 1-for-2 with a home run in a 10-4 win over the Rays on Friday, Apr. 3.

New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (calf) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Soto reached on base with a single in the first inning. However, the superstar slugger appeared to have tweaked his right calf while running the bases later that inning. The severity of the issue is unknown right now, but Soto will likely undergo further testing. For the moment, fantasy managers should consider Soto as day-to-day. Tyrone Taylor took over in left field on Friday and could be in line for a few starts, assuming Soto misses time.

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Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan was tasked with shutting down the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning of Friday's game. It has been a rocky start for Pagan, but he was able to bounce back nicely on Friday. The right-hander tossed a perfect final frame and recorded one strikeout on his way to earning his second save of the season. This was a strong bounce-back outing after Pagan allowed four earned runs during Wednesday's game. Fantasy managers should stick with him despite a slow start to the season.

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Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto was called upon to close the door against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. Soto was tasked with holding a two-run lead versus the tough Orioles offense. The southpaw gave up a home run to Gunnar Henderson, but was able to limit the damage. The solo homer was his only hit allowed as Soto was able to record three strikeouts and earn his first save of the season. It's a small sample size, but it looks like Soto could be the favorite for saves in Pittsburgh. He has recorded 11 strikeouts across 5.2 innings of work this season. Dennis Santana was used during the eighth inning on Friday and figures to be in the mix for saves as well. This might end up being a headache for fantasy managers, but Soto appears to be a possible source for saves right now.

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San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt (back) has been scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the New York Mets. Schmitt has been pulled from the lineup due to back tightness. This doesn't seem like something that will sideline him long, so fantasy managers should consider Schmitt as day-to-day. Jerar Encarnacion will take over at first base and bat ninth in place of Schmitt on Friday. Fantasy managers should check back on Saturday for another update, but Schmitt isn't someone who needs to be rostered in most fantasy formats at the moment.

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New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (Achilles) reportedly suffered a setback in his recovery from his left Achilles tendinitis. With that being said, Polanco is being held out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants. The veteran slugger has been serving as the designated hitter while battling through this issue. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Mets place Polanco on the Injured List, so he can get fully healthy. Mark Vientos has been logging in extra at-bats with Polanco missing time due to this injury. It hasn't helped too much, considering Vientos only has three hits coming into Friday's game. Vientos remains a mixed league option even with an expanded role.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) continues to make progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. The veteran right-hander was able to make two starts during Spring Training. Since then, Cole has thrown a live batting practice session on April 1. The plan is for Cole to continue ramping up his activities before eventually beginning a minor league rehab assignment. The Yankees are hopeful that Cole will be ready to pitch for the big league team by the end of May. The six-time All-Star hasn't pitched since the 2024 campaign, but is one of the best in the game when he's healthy.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Buxton was pulled out of the game after taking a fastball to the right forearm in the seventh inning. Luckily, the X-rays were negative, so Buxton is considered day-to-day with a forearm contusion. Before exiting the game, Buxton went 0-for-3 at the plate. James Outman replaced him on Friday and is considered the favorite to replace Buxton if he misses more time.

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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (hip) left Friday's game early against the Detroit Tigers due to left-hip tightness, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News. Winn said that he injured his hip initially while taking batting practice on Tuesday, and he was eventually lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning on Friday. The 24-year-old is day-to-day for now and isn't expected to play in Saturday's game, although he could be back for the series finale against the Tigers on Sunday. Before departing on Friday, Winn went 1-for-3 out of the leadoff spot for St. Louis in the eventual 4-0 loss. The Cardinals may slide infield prospect JJ Wetherholt over to the 6 on Saturday while Winn recovers from his hip injury. Now injured, Winn has been quiet in the early going so far in 2026, going 4-for-25 (.160) with two doubles, an RBI, two runs scored, two walks, and five strikeouts in six games played. Hopefully, his hip injury isn't all that serious, and he just misses one game this weekend.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) was forced from Friday's game early against the Tampa Bay Rays after he was hit by a pitch on the forearm in the seventh inning, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Buxton immediately walked off the field. Hayes speculates that the injury was to Buxton's forearm or elbow, but it also could have been to his ribs. We'll have more information on the specific injury and the severity when the details emerge, but for now, fantasy managers should expect Buxton to be day-to-day. The 32-year-old oft-injured veteran will likely undergo X-rays to rule out any fractures or breaks after he took a 91.6 mph fastball off his body. If Buxton is forced to miss any time, James Outman would likely be the beneficiary of more playing time in center field in Minnesota. Buxton entered Friday's game with only four hits in his 23 at-bats (.174) with an RBI and two runs scored in his first six games. The two-time All-Star was hitless with a strikeout in his three at-bats on Friday before getting hurt.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton (forearm) will go on the 15-day injured list, but he said he's optimistic that it's not a serious injury, according to Taylor McGregor of Watch Marquee Sports. Horton was forced from his start on Friday early against the Cleveland Guardians due to right-forearm discomfort. That's usually a bad sign for pitchers, but Horton may only need a minimum stint on the IL. Before exiting, the 24-year-old's velocity was down about two MPH from his typical readings over one-plus scoreless innings. Horton picked up his first win of the season in his 2026 debut last week against the Washington Nationals, when he allowed two earned runs with a walk and four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work. The former seventh overall pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma should be stashed in all fantasy leagues, especially since Horton might only end up missing a couple of starts.

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