Major League Baseball will investigate New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson after an incident involving Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson on Saturday, when Donaldson reportedly called Anderson "Jackie," referencing Jackie Robinson. If the MLB sees fit, Donaldson could be suspended for his actions. If Major League Baseball were to suspend Donaldson, it likely would only be for a few games. The 36-year-old went 0-for-4 in the first game of a doubleheader against Chicago on Sunday and is now hitting .238/.349/.415 with five home runs, 15 RBI and 17 runs scored in 152 plate appearances in his first year in the Bronx. With Donaldson sitting out in Game 2, DJ LeMahieu shifted to third base and Gleyber Torres started at the keystone.

New York Yankees pitcher Zack Britton (elbow) has been throwing from 120 feet and could soon begin pitching from a bullpen mound. He underwent left elbow surgery on September 8th and has been sidelined since. The southpaw started a flat-ground throwing program in February and is throwing from distances of 120 feet. The Yankees are optimistic that Britton could return to the big leagues this August or September. Britton racked up 11 holds while posting a 5.89 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and a 16:14 K: BB across 18 1/3 innings in 2021. The 34-year-old mainly has fantasy values in league formats that reward solds (saves and holds) when he returns to action later this summer.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander was excellent yet again on Saturday night, tossing six-shutout frames as his club defeated the Rangers 2-1. The veteran struck out eight and allowed six hits (all singles) in the dominant 95-pitch showing, giving him his league-leading sixth win of the campaign. Verlander is looking in vintage form by also leading the majors with a 1.22 ERA and 0.72 WHIP with 49 K through 51 2/3 IP. Managers who took a shot on the 39-year-old are getting much more than their money's worth as he looks to keep his comeback season going versus the Mariners next week.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (rib cage) completed a 15-pitch bullpen session on Thursday, according to Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne. Sale has been out all year due to a stress fracture in his right rib cage. He resumed playing catch earlier this past week and the bullpen session on Thursday is another step forward in his recovery. The 33-year-old lefty remains without a timetable for a return, but he is someone who needs to be stashed in all fantasy leagues due to his high upside. He made nine starts in 2021 and went 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer is not included in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against left-hander Carlos Rodon and the San Francisco Giants. Luke Voit will be covering first base and batting fifth in the game. Hosmer has a stellar .324/.382/.468 slash line over 37 games this season. However, he's been struggling at the plate lately. He's gone just 2-for-25 over his last six games and he has just three extra-base hits so far in May.

The New York Mets placed starting pitcher Max Scherzer (oblique) on the 15-day injured list on Saturday. The move comes as no surprise as the hard-throwing veteran is expected to be out for six to eight weeks with an oblique strain. The team recalled right-handed pitcher Jake Reed from Triple-A to take Scherzer's roster spot. Scherzer made eight starts before straining his oblique and went 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP.

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher William Smith was called upon to close out the team's 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday. He was up to the task, as he pitched a perfect ninth inning, recording a pair of strikeouts along the way. The team's primary closer Kenley Jansen had pitched in three of the team's previous four games. Although the team was off on Thursday, manager Brian Snitker likely wanted to give Jansen the day off on Friday. Smith is now 2-for-4 in save opportunities on the year. He's the next man up for saves in the Braves bullpen if Jansen struggles or misses time. Smith was a fantasy gem in 2021, recording a career-high 37 saves.

Houston Astros right-hander Jake Odorizzi (ankle) was able to play catch on Friday ahead of his team's game against the Texas Rangers. Odorizzi appeared to be seriously injured against the Boston Red Sox on Monday when he went down on the field and had to be carted off, but further testing showed just a sprain in his ankle and foot area. The veteran hurler does not have a timetable for a return but he is trending in the right direction after throwing on Friday. Odorizzi has a 3-2 record, 3.13 ERA, and 21 strikeouts over 31 2/3 innings of work in 2022.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 2-for-5 with two singles and a strikeout in the team's 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. Machado has cooled off a bit since his scorching hot start to the year. He's only recorded one extra-base hit (a double) over his last 11 starts and he's slugging .483 in May, down from .614 in April. Still, the slugger has a gaudy .355/.432/.560 slash line on the season with seven home runs, six stolen bases, 23 RBI and 27 runs.

Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Mark Melancon pitched a clean ninth inning on Thursday to close out his club's 3-1 win over the Cubs. He needed just 16 pitches to do so as he struck out one and issued a pair of groundouts to pick up his eighth save of the campaign. The veteran has struggled in recent outings on the mound, giving up seven earned runs across his previous four appearances to give him an uninspiring 7.43 ERA and 1.88 WHIP with five losses over 13 1/3 IP. Although the ratios are poor, he still seems to have a hold on the closing gig in Arizona which keeps him fantasy relevant in all formats that acknowledge saves.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish led the team to a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. He pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and no walks while striking out five. The right-hander earned the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. This was a nice rebound outing for Darvish after he was tagged for five earned runs by the Atlanta Braves last time out. He has now turned in a quality start in five of his last six outings and he has a 3.93 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP on the year. His next start will be against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.

Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks earned his 12th save of the year on Thursday as he closed out the team's 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning, but he did run into some trouble as he allowed a pair of hits. Hendriks is now 12-for-15 on the year in save opportunities. He has a 3.93 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He's been far from the dominant closer he was in 2021, when he locked down 38 saves and pitched to a 2.54 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP. Still, fantasy managers can't complain about the high saves total so far this year and his job security is about as good as any closer out there.

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley and first baseman Yuli Gurriel are both out of the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers. Chas McCormick will be covering left field with Aledmys Diaz at first base. Both Brantley and Gurriel have been heating up lately. Brantley is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak that's included four doubles and a home run. Gurriel, meanwhile, has recorded four multi-hit games over his last six outings, homering three times along that stretch.

Updating a previous report, New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (oblique) has a "moderate to high-grade" oblique strain and will miss six to eight weeks. Oblique injuries often require a lengthy absence, especially for pitchers, so fantasy managers were already preparing for an extended absence with the 37-year-old, three-time Cy Young winner. He was pulled early from his start on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals with what was initially called left side discomfort. Barring setbacks, Scherzer could be back in the Mets rotation in early July. New York's rotation depth will now be tested with Jacob deGrom (shoulder) and Tylor Megill (biceps) also out. Trevor Williams will continue to work in the rotation, while David Peterson should get some starts as well.

New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (oblique, finger) has an oblique injury and has also been pitching through multiple blisters on his pitching hand in his last two starts, according to manager Buck Showalter. Scherzer left his start early on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals with left side discomfort. There's no official word on how long the veteran right-hander will be out, but oblique injuries for pitchers can take more than a month to recover from, so his fantasy managers should expect an extended absence. It's a big blow for the Mets rotation and Scherzer's fantasy managers, as the 37-year-old eight-time All-Star is 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 11 walks and 59 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings over eight starts in his first year in Queens.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout went 1-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two strikeouts in the team's 6-5 loss to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. He has now homered in two straight games and he has 11 home runs over 35 games on the year. After an injury-shortened 2021 season, Trout has been in vintage form through the early going of 2022. He currently has a career-high 1.120 OPS, which is second in the majors behind only his teammate Taylor Ward (1.209). Trout is slashing .320/.432/.689 on the year with 23 RBI and 32 runs. He looks well on his way to another monstrous offensive season as long as he can stay on the field.

Updating a previous report, New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer (side, oblique) exited Wednesday's start due to left side discomfort. According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the 37-year-old's arm is fine, but the injury sounds like an oblique strain, costing players quite a bit of time. Scherzer will undergo further evaluation and undergo imaging on Thursday. The right-hander is considered day-to-day, and the Mets should have a better idea of the severity of his injury on Thursday. Scherzer allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out four over 5 2/3 innings before leaving. The Mets pitching depth has suddenly taken a hit, losing Tylor Megill (biceps) recently and now possibly Scherzer. Stay tuned for further updates.

New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was removed from Wednesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals with an apparent injury. He walked off the mound with the trainers after just 87 pitches. During the sixth inning, the 37-year-old threw a slider in the dirt and immediately gestured to the coaching staff that he was done after that pitch. "I'm done, I'm done," said Scherzer. "Everything about his being says, 'Gut it out.' So when he doesn't gut it out, it's a little scary, said Ron Darling of SNY. It's unclear what type of injury Scherzer sustained, and he's considered day-to-day. The Mets ace allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out four over 5 2/3 innings before leaving. Stay tuned for further updates.

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard has been roughed up lately, but bounced back nicely during Wednesday's contest. The Rockies plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a two-run lead. Bard came into the ninth inning and shut the door against the San Francisco Giants. He only needed 11 pitches to get through the Giants' hitters. Bard had a bit of a rough patch there, but appears to be back to normal again.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher David Robertson has been activated from the COVID-19 list on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander is expected to resume his role as the closer on the North Side. He has posted a 1.50 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 17/2 K/BB ratio across 12 appearances this season. Righty Rowan Wick did a solid job filling in, but is expected to move back into the setup role with Robertson returning.