Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos hit his third homer of the season to help Philadelphia to an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday. Since April 20, Castellanos has hit .275/.333/.478 to help boost his batting average to .207, a 54-point jump in batting average since he ended the April 19 loss to the White Sox batting .153. All three of his homers have come in that span as the Phillies, who have won eight of their last 10, are banking that Castellanos can continue to keep his bat perking up. Castellanos is slashing .207/.268/.571 with three home runs, 13 RBI, 16 runs, and a stolen base over 157 plate appearances in 2024.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielders Kevin Kiermaier (illness) and George Springer (illness) are both out of Friday's lineup against the visiting Minnesota Twins because they are sick, according to manager John Schneider. Daulton Varsho is starting in center field and is batting second, while Cavan Biggio is in right field and is hitting seventh against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. Davis Schneider is in left field and is batting leadoff for the Jays. With Springer under the weather and struggling offensively for much of the year so far, it's possible Schneider sees more time in the leadoff spot, even when Springer gets over his illness. Fantasy baseball managers will need to check back on Saturday to see if either Kiermaier or Springer are feeling well enough to get back on the field for the second game of the weekend series.

Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton launched his fourth home run in the past nine games in Thursday's victory over the New York Yankees. The 32-year-old has started at first base in each of these nine games and is looking like the primary option at this position for Houston. In this stretch, Singleton has a .241/.343/.655 line, 10 RBI, and a strong 5:6 BB:K ratio. His metrics support his recent power production as he currently sits with a 9.3% barrel rate, which is above average. His recent production in the batter's box and clear role on the Houston depth chart make Singleton an intriguing add in most formats.

Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (back) made his first appearance since last Friday in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the New York Yankees, giving up a home run and one walk with one strikeout while recording two outs. Making his first appearance in six days after experiencing soreness in his lower back, Pressly wasn't sharp in the eighth inning while throwing just 10 of his 22 pitches for strikes and serving up a monstrous home run to Aaron Judge late on Wednesday. While the 35-year-old veteran reliever has taken a backseat to All-Star closer Josh Hader in the saves department, he's not helping his cause with a poor 5.65 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 22:6 K:BB, and two blown saves over 14 1/3 innings out of Houston's bullpen this year. Even in fantasy leagues that count holds, Pressly is barely worth hanging onto right now.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale produced his first double-digit strikeout effort of the season in Wednesday's 5-0 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox, throwing six scoreless innings on six hits and one walk en route to his fifth win of the year. Staked to an early four-run lead, Sale cruised through his former club with relative ease on Wednesday. After giving up five runs to the last-place Miami Marlins back on April 19, the 35-year-old seven-time All-Star has gone 4-0 with a pristine 1.50 ERA and 32:3 K:BB over his past four starts (23 innings) for the Braves. Up next, Sale sets up for a manageable home start against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. Over their last 12 outings, the Cubs are scoring just 2.8 runs per game.

Houston Astros right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly (back), who hasn't pitched since last Friday, is dealing with soreness in his lower back, according to manager Joe Espada. Pressly played catch on Wednesday, and Espada said he "felt OK" and termed it "nothing worrisome right now." For now, the 35-year-old will remain with the team, but it remains to be seen if he'll be available out of the team's bullpen on Wednesday against the New York Yankees. Pressly's back issues could have contributed to his slow start in 2024, as he's currently sporting a 5.27 ERA and 1.68 WHIP while walking five and striking out 21 in 13 2/3 innings of relief. However, he hasn't allowed a run in his last five innings while walking one and striking out nine and will remain a key late-inning setup man in front of closer Josh Hader if he's healthy enough to pitch.

Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien collected a season-high five RBI in Tuesday's 15-8 win over the division-rival Oakland Athletics, also smacking a solo home run in the victory. It was a massive day at the plate for Semien, who went 4-for-5 with an RBI single plus a two-run double as part of a 10-run blitz in the second frame by the Rangers, and he added another run-scoring single in the fourth for good measure. The 33-year-old All-Star infielder is now slashing a solid .266/.314/.449 with six homers, nine doubles, 27 RBI, and 27 runs scored in 158 at-bats as Texas' everyday leadoff man. Before a tasty three-game weekend set against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field begins on Friday, Semien gets two more cracks at his former Athletics team in Wednesday's doubleheader. In 18 games versus Oakland since 2023, Semien is batting .329 with four long balls, 15 RBI, and three stolen bases.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada told SportsTalk790 that there is no timetable for first baseman Jose Abreu to return to the big-league roster. Abreu was sent down to the Florida Complex League on April 30 to help with his swing. Before being optioned, Abreu struggled at the plate, slashing .099/.156/.113 with zero home runs and three RBI. With Abreu in the minor leagues, Houston has been starting Jon Singleton at first base. Singleton is slashing .258/.329/.435 this season with three home runs and eight RBI. If Abreu does return to the MLB, he will need to prove he can produce offensively to be an everyday player for the Astros once again.

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar earned his third save of the season in Monday's 3-1 win over the Mariners. Thielbar came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two and delivered a 1-2-3 outing with two strikeouts. Closer Jhoan Duran was called upon to face the top of the order in the eighth inning, so Thielbar got the save opportunity. The 37-year-old veteran has gotten off to a rough start this season with a bloated 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 innings pitched. His fantasy value will remain limited if he continues to pitch poorly, as it seems unlikely that he would earn high-leverage situations.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez belted his seventh home run of the 2024 regular season in Monday's 2-1 win over the division-rival Detroit Tigers, helping lift his team to victory. Ramirez's go-ahead blast came in the eighth inning, and it was his second homer in as many days after going yard in Sunday's series finale against the Los Angeles Angels. It's been a much-needed rebound for Ramirez, who was mired in a 3-for-28 dry spell over eight games prior to Sunday. The 31-year-old perennial All-Star is still slashing a disappointing .230/.278/.432 on the season, but he does have seven bombs, 28 RBI, 23 runs scored, and five stolen bases covering 139 at-bats (34 games) for the Guardians. Ramirez will try to solve his woes against the Tigers during the final two contests of this three-game series, as he's batting just .167 (9-for-54) with three round-trippers and six RBI across 14 games versus Detroit since 2023.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton recorded his fourth win of the season against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in a 5-1 victory. Paxton went 6 innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three. He has now recorded back-to-back wins in two starts. The 35-year-old has pitched 32 innings in six starts, holding a 3.06 ERA with a 5.01 K/9 and 6.68 BB/9 rate. His next projected start is against the San Diego Padres, who had already given him troubles earlier this season. Despite surrendering eight walks in last start against the Padres, Paxton has pitched well enough recently to be used as a streamer in most league formats.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman earned his second win of the season in Saturday's 6-4 victory over the Nationals. The veteran went five-and-a-third innings, allowing no runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight. After a bumpy start to the season, this was Gausman's fourth straight start of allowing one earned run or less. The 33-year-old now sports a 3.78 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 16.0% K-BB%. The 2x All-Star's next start currently lines up next weekend at home against the Twins, the hottest team in baseball and winners of 12 straight.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (hip) has been activated from the 10-day injured list and will start in Saturday's lineup as the Blue Jays continue a three-game set against right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin and the Washington Nationals. Kiermaier only stayed on the injured list for a minimum of ten days and should be expected to return to his everyday role in center field. The 34-year-old struggled at the plate to open the season with a .193/.246/.228 line but put up a solid .265/.322/.419 line last season, so fantasy managers should expect a nice turnaround. He swiped 14 bags last season and already stole two before being placed on the injured list and remains on pace to smash his 2023 total. Kiermaier remains an AL-only option but could be deployed in a good matchup in DFS.

Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton went 2-for-3 in Thursday's victory with three RBI to power the Astros to their 11th victory of the season. Singleton tallied a single in his first at-bat of the game in the third inning and crossed home plate via a passed ball. Then in the sixth inning, the 32-year-old launched his second home run of the season, which scored shortstop Jeremy Pena. This was Singleton's second home run of the series and of the season, and he is carrying a .275/.362/.431 slash line into a three-game set against their division rivals, Seattle Mariners, which will begin Friday evening. Singleton has been subject to limited playing time but could be a viable option in DFS in a favorable matchup.

The Los Angeles Angels have released outfielder Aaron Hicks after he was designated for assignment just two days ago. Originally slated for every day playing duties, Hicks struggled mightily in his brief time with the club, hitting just .140 with a homer and a massive 36.5% K% across 63 trips to the plate. The ugly stint with the Angels is an unfortunate drop from what Hicks was able to do to revitalize his career after a move to the Orioles last season. Following a slow start with the Yankees, Hicks hit .275 with seven homers, six steals, and an .806 OPS across 65 games with the Orioles a season ago. He is now free to sign with any team.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale has been surprisingly reliable on the mound this season. The left-hander has rejuvenated his career since joining the Braves. On Wednesday, Sale recorded a season-high nine strikeouts while allowing one run over five innings of work in the win over the Seattle Mariners. Sale has allowed three or fewer runs in five of his six starts to open the season. He'll take his 3.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 42/7 K/BB ratio into his next start versus the Boston Red Sox.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Michael Taylor are not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. With both players out, Bryan Reynolds will serve as the designated hitter and bat second, while Jack Suwinski will cover center field and hit eighth against A's right-hander Ross Stripling. Connor Joe is manning left field and batting third in the order. The veteran McCutchen has gotten off to a slow start in 2024, hitting just .190 (15-for-79) with three home runs, seven RBI and one steal. Taylor has been a bit better with a .253 average (19-for-75), but he has yet to go deep with six RBI and three stolen bases. Reynolds is a daily must-start in season-long fantasy leagues, while Joe is a nice low-cost DFS play with an average just under .300 in his first 89 at-bats in 2024.

The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Kevin Pillar. With Mike Trout (knee) headed for surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, the Halos make a move to supply their outfield with some depth and a veteran presence. Pillar appeared in 17 games for the Chicago White Sox in the 2024 regular season before getting designated for assignment, slashing just .160/.290/.360 with one home run, four RBI, and two stolen bases across 32 plate appearances. The lefty-hitting Mickey Moniak is primed for a near-everyday role in center field on the strong side of a platoon with Trout sidelined, leaving Pillar to battle with fellow veteran Aaron Hicks for at-bats in Anaheim's outfield. The 35-year-old former Toronto Blue Jay isn't likely to make a big impact from a fantasy perspective, however, so Pillar can be left on waiver wires for now.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said that the team and struggling first baseman Jose Abreu have decided that he will be optioned to the Florida Complex League in West Palm Beach, Florida, effective on Wednesday "to get some at-bats and his timing back right." The 37-year-old right-handed slugger also got off to a slow start with the Astros last year, but his struggles this year have fallen to another level. He's currently slashing an embarrassing .099/.156/.113 with no home runs, three RBI, three walks and 18 strikeouts in 77 plate appearances over 22 games. Abreu was a virtual lock for 100 RBI each season during his time with the Chicago White Sox from 2014-22, but he's fallen on hard time in Houston and isn't a must-stash in mixed fantasy leagues. Jon Singleton will see more playing time at first base now that Abreu is headed to the farm.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Aaron Hicks has been designated for assignment by the organization on Monday. The veteran outfielder struggled during his brief time with the organization. Hicks slashed .140/.222/.193 over 18 games with the Halos. He put together a solid stint with the Baltimore Orioles last season. Sadly, Hicks couldn't translate that success over to his new team. Hicks will either decide to take the option to Triple-A or elect free agency. In a corresponding move, infielder Cole Tucker has been recalled from Triple-A to join the active roster.