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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe (side) remains out of the team's lineup on Friday as they face the visiting Kansas City Royals. The Rays had the day off on Thursday, but Lowe will not be able to return after having to leave Wednesday's game early due to a right-side strain. The results of the MRI exam that he had on Thursday are unknown, so fantasy managers should consider the 26-year-old left-handed slugger to be day-to-day for now. Jose Siri is starting in center field and batting ninth, while Jonny DeLuca is in right field and hitting third for the Rays on Friday versus Royals right-hander Seth Lugo. Lowe has been injury-prone, but his power/speed upside makes him stash-worthy if he needs another trip to the injured list. DeLuca, who has hit .260 with two homers, 13 RBI and four steals in 50 at-bats this year, would be the biggest beneficiary in terms of playing time if Lowe misses more time.

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Detroit Tigers right-hander Reese Olson (hip) is scheduled to make his next start on Saturday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Olson was forced to leave his last start on Monday early against the Kansas City Royals when he was hit by a comebacker in his hip, but he only suffered a bruise and is ready to take his next turn in the rotation this weekend. In the plus matchup against a Blue Jays offense that has been out of sorts for most of the early part of the year, Olson should be returned to starting fantasy lineups in most leagues. The 24-year-old former 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 has yet to win a game and has five losses, but it's not because he hasn't pitched well. He's currently sporting a great 2.16 ERA and 1.06 WHIP and has walked 16 and struck out 43 in 50 innings over his nine starts.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. Riley will be missing his 11th straight start and will probably land on the injured list this weekend if he's unable to return by Sunday due to a left-intercostal strain. However, the 27-year-old was able to swing a bat earlier this week. Even if Riley goes on the IL, he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his power upside in one of the best lineups in baseball. Zack Short will make another start at the hot corner for Atlanta on Friday and will hit ninth against Pirates left-hander Bailey Falter, but Joey Wendle could also become an option for the Braves there if Riley misses more time after the team signed Wendle on Friday. Short has only seven hits in 45 at-bats with three different teams already in 2024.

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Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal (groin) is back behind the plate and is batting eighth for the Pirates on Friday in their series opener against the visiting Atlanta Braves and left-hander Ray Kerr, who will be making his first career spot start. The switch-hitting Grandal has a hit in his only career at-bat against Kerr. The 35-year-old backstop missed two games this week with left-groin soreness but is ready for the weekend series in Pittsburgh. As long as former first-rounder Henry Davis remains in the minors to work on his swing, Grandal will continue to split the catching duties with Joey Bart. Grandal is a pretty low-upside DFS play at the catcher position on Friday, though, and he's batting just .214 (9-for-42) with two homers and eight RBI after getting a late start to the 2024 season due to injury.

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The Detroit Tigers announced on Friday that they have reinstated right-hander Kenta Maeda (illness) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Matt Manning to Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move after Thursday night's game. Maeda is recovered from his illness and will toe the rubber against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Even against a Toronto lineup that has mostly struggled to put up runs this year, the 36-year-old Japanese starter isn't a recommended fantasy streamer in his first start off the IL and probably isn't very likely to go deep in this ballgame. In his first seven starts in 2024, Maeda has been pretty hittable and has posted a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 2/3 innings. There just isn't any fantasy upside left with Maeda, especially while pitching for Detroit.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez tallied three hits on Thursday, including a home run, which extended his current hitting streak to four games. Since May 14, Rodriguez has posted a stellar .379/.550/.828 line with three long balls and an 11:6 BB:K ratio. This is a great sign as the 21-year-old is beginning to look quite comfortable in his first extended look at Double-A pitching. The number three prospect in the Minnesota system is not projected to reach the majors until next season, but that could change due to his recent surge in the batter's box. Dynasty managers should pay close attention to him as he could be earning a Triple-A promotion in the coming months, which could set him up for an opportunity to join the Twins in the stretch run.

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With an off day coming on Thursday, the Washington Nationals are taking advantage of it to give left-hander Mitchell Parker some extra rest. Left-hander Patrick Corbin will now toe the rubber for the series finale this weekend against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Parker has gone 3-2 with a solid 3.32 ERA (3.45 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with eight walks and 32 strikeouts in 38 innings over his first seven major-league starts, but the Nationals aren't trying to burn him out too quickly. Corbin's next start, meanwhile, will come after he surrendered eight runs to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. The 34-year-old southpaw has been up-and-down and unreliable for fantasy streaming purposes so far in 2024, going 1-5 with a 6.29 ERA and 1.77 WHIP with 32 K's in 54 1/3 innings over 10 starts.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has tallied at least one hit in all but three games in May with a .290/.380/.406 line. He has posted a stellar 10:10 BB:K ratio and swiped five bags in this stretch as well. Clark got a small taste of Single-A ball last summer but struggled over his first 11 games. However, that seems to be far behind him now, as he has a .277 AVG through 36 games this season. The former number three overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft is considered the number two prospect in the Detroit system on MLB Pipeline and is expected to reach the majors in 2026. However, dynasty managers should continue to monitor him as he should be promoted to High-A fairly soon and could even push for a short debut with Double-A at the end of the summer.

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Things could have gone better for Oakland Athletics right-hander Joe Boyle (back) in his minor-league rehab start on Thursday for Triple-A Las Vegas. Boyle was unable to record a single out in the outing, allowing three hits and four earned runs while walking two and striking out none to take the loss against Triple-A Tacoma. The 24-year-old threw only 26 pitches, with only half going for strikes. Boyle didn't encounter any setbacks with his back, but he's going to need to show more efficiency in another rehab start before he's an option to return to the big-league roster. He wasn't very good in seven starts (27 2/3 innings) with the A's this year before landing on the injured list, either, going 2-5 with a 7.16 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with 23 walks and 29 strikeouts. Control has been a real issue, as his four wild pitches lead the league.

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Pittsburgh Pirates backstop Henry Davis has been on an impressive run at Triple-A over the past week. Since May 16, the former number-one overall pick has tallied at least one hit in every game and posted an incredible .464/559/.1.250 line with six long balls and one stolen base. Davis struggled in the majors the past two seasons with an overall .201/.297/.317 slash line and just seven home runs across 85 games. However, he was once considered a top prospect and should be given another opportunity in the Steel City later this summer. He should remain rostered in dynasty and keeper leagues as he is still seen as the backstop of the future in Pittsburgh.

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Baltimore Orioles outfielder/designated hitter Anthony Santander went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in the team's 8-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night on the road. The home run was his eighth of the season, and his first long ball since May 11, but the switch-hitting Venezuelan outfielder is still batting just .206 (35-for-170) on the year with 27 RBI and 23 runs scored for the O's in 45 games played. The homer was a good sign for the 29-year-old, though, as he's recently been dealing with a bruised knee. In the month of May, he's struggled to the tune of a .194/.265/.419 slash line with four homers, nine RBI and 13 strikeouts in 17 games. Santander will continue to play regularly in a strong Baltimore lineup when he's healthy, but he's also squaring the ball up on just 18.2% of his swings in 2024, which ranks 200th in baseball.

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Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong tallied two hits, including a home run, on Thursday evening. Since his return to Triple-A Iowa on May 20, the top prospect on the Northside has tallied two hits in each of his three games and launched two home runs. The 22-year-old swiped five bases and hit for a .236 AVG through 23 games in the majors this season. Crow-Armstrong has swiped eight bags in 22 games in Triple-A this season which shows the elite speed the young outfielder has. The former first-round selection should be expected to re-join the major league roster later this summer and should be considered a must-roster simply due to his high stolen base output alone. He should already be rostered in all keeper and dynasty formats and is worth stashing in deer redraft leagues.

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Texas Rangers rookie outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) is expected to start a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend, perhaps as soon as Friday, which could make him an option to come off the injured list for the start of a series in Texas on Monday against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Langford has been out for almost three weeks due to a strained hamstring, but as long as he doesn't encounter any setbacks this weekend, he should rejoin the Rangers early next week and return to being an everyday player. The Rangers could certainly use the offensive help after just getting swept in Philadelphia by the Phillies. Last year's No. 4 overall pick out of Florida has started his MLB career with just 26 hits in 116 at-bats (.224 average) and one homer, but his power upside from the right side of the plate is undeniable and he should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.

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The Kansas City Royals reinstated right-hander Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Friday and designated right-hander Tyler Duffey for assignment in a corresponding move. Hernandez will be making his 2024 debut when he gets into a game after suffering a pinched nerve in his right shoulder at the beginning of spring training. The 27-year-old went on an eight-game minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha and will now rejoin KC's bullpen this weekend. The Venezuelan hurler had his first four career saves and 17 holds in 2023 in his fourth year with the team but also had a 5.27 ERA (4.28 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP with 31 walks and a career-high 77 strikeouts in 67 outings (four starts) covering 70 innings.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Alexander Canario launched his fifth and sixth long ball of the season on Thursday evening. Through 24 games with Triple-A Iowa, the 24-year-old has posted a strong .286/.375/.571 line. Canario spent 13 games in the major leagues this spring and performed quite well in his limited opportunities with a .273 AVG. Since returning to Triple-A on May 9, Canario has been swinging an awfully hot bat with a .304/.373/.674 line with four home runs and one swiped bag. The young outfielder should get another shot with the majors later this summer but may have to wait for an injury to occur as the Cubs have four capable starting outfielders on their roster in Cody Bellinger, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Mike Tauchman. Canario could be worth an add in NL-only formats when he joins Chicago.

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The Atlanta Braves recalled left-hander Ray Kerr from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, and he will make the start in the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. It will be the first start of Kerr's major-league career, although he's appeared in 33 games the last three seasons in a relief role for Atlanta and the San Diego Padres, sporting a 4.57 ERA (4.42 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 13 walks and 48 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He's made four appearances in relief for the Braves in 2024, allowing three earned runs on nine hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out 10 in 9 1/3 frames. In his last outing on Monday against his former team, the Padres, Kerr went 3 1/3 innings and allowed two runs. Although it's a solid matchup, Kerr isn't going to go very deep into Friday's contest and should be avoided as a fantasy streamer.

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The Atlanta Braves signed free-agent infielder Joey Wendle to a major-league contract on Friday and optioned infielder Luke Williams to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. Wendle has landed with another team quickly after he was released by the Mets earlier this week after going 8-for-36 (.222) with no home runs, one RBI and three runs scored in limited playing time as a utility infielder. The former sixth-round pick in 2012 out of West Chester by the Cleveland Guardians has not been able to replicate his All-Star campaign in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Rays, when he hit .265/.319/.422 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI and eight stolen bases in 136 games played. Since then, he's hit .237/.273/.331 with five homers, 53 RBI and 20 steals in 231 games and will find playing time even more difficult to come by, although he could immediately see action at third base if Austin Riley (intercostal) lands on the injured list.

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Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle was a hitting machine in the team's 8-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on the road on Thursday evening. Mountcastle finished the contest by going 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. The 27-year-old is now hitting a strong .272/.309/.462 with six home runs, 18 RBI and 25 runs scored in 169 at-bats this year. He hasn't been quite as good in the month of May with a .243 average (17-for-70) with no walks and 17 strikeouts, though, and he hasn't driven in a run for the Orioles since May 8. Fantasy managers shouldn't be extremely worried after a four-hit game, especially since Mountcastle has been able to stay healthy so far. The RBI should return in such a strong Baltimore lineup. Mountcastle is currently squaring the ball up on 19.9% of his swings, which ranks 187th in MLB.

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The Atlanta Braves placed rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (oblique) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a strained left oblique muscle and recalled left-hander Ray Kerr from Triple-A Durham in order to start on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith-Shawver must have injured his oblique in his start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in which he threw 4 1/4 scoreless innings. It was the 21-year-old's first start of the 2024 season in the big leagues. Oblique injuries are usually tricky to come back from, so fantasy managers that picked Smith-Shawver up shouldn't be surprised if he's not ready to return in 15 days. And when he is ready to come back, the Braves may choose to send him back to Gwinnett. It's a tough break for the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

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Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette may finally be showing signs of breaking out of his early season funk at the plate for the Blue Jays. In the team's 9-1 victory over the Tigers in Detroit on Thursday, he went 3-for-5 with three singles, an RBI and a run scored to raise his season average to .243 (43-for-177) with three home runs, 20 RBI, four stolen bases and 16 runs scored in 46 games played. He's now hitting .290 (20-for-69) with two homers, nine RBI and a stolen base in 18 games in the month of May. Since May 13, he's gone 14-for-34 (.412) with a homer, four doubles, seven RBI and a steal in 37 plate appearances. The 26-year-old two-time All-Star was dropped from the top of the batting order amid his struggles, but that could change if he continues to swing the bat well. His fantasy managers will be hoping he can keep it up to conclude the weekend series in Motown.

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