Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) faced hitters at Dodger Stadium on Saturday afternoon during a live batting practice. This marked the first time during Kershaw's rehab that he has faced hitters. The lefty said he felt great and would likely throw two innings during his next time out in about five or six days. Kershaw is likely still a couple months away from returning but this is a positive step forward for the future hall of famer. His return to the Dodgers will be very welcome as the Dodgers' rotation, though more steady than in 2023, still is a bit of a patchwork rotation right now. Fantasy managers should monitor Kershaw's status going forward and prepare for him to be active at some point after the All Star Break.

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia is likely the club's first closing option with Jordan Romano (elbow) being placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday, according to skipper John Schneider. Schneider also mentioned that right-hander Chad Green could also see some save opportunities but Garcia is certainly the reliever of choice for fantasy managers considering the season he has enjoyed to this point. The 33-year-old has worked to a tidy 1.23 ERA alongside a 32.1% K% in 21 appearances spanning 22 innings of work. Garcia has also earned a pair of saves after beginning the season as the Jays' closer with both Romano and Erik Swanson on the IL. Considering this is Romano's second elbow-related trip to the injured list (and his 6.59 ERA) this season and Swanson being optioned to Triple-A, there's a real chance Garcia could be the team's No. 1 closer even upon Romano's return from the injured list.

Miami Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt was placed on the bereavement list on Saturday and will be out of the lineup for the next three days. In a corresponding move, the Marlins promoted backstop Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A Jacksonville. Bethancourt has struggled through his first 31 games of the season, posting a .162/.208/.250 line with just one home run and three doubles. Nick Fortes is starting at catcher Saturday afternoon, batting in the nine-hole, and should be expected to see the majority of starts will Bethancourt is away. Fortes has posted a modest .173 AVG with two long balls across 41 games this season. Fortes is best to fade in DFS as he has struggled to show consistency this season and is projected to face Michael Lorenzen, who enters Saturday with a 3.35 ERA.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Joc Pederson is not in Saturday's lineup as they are scheduled to face southpaw Sean Manaea. The 32-year-old has yet to make a start against a left-handed pitcher this season, and Saturday will continue this pattern. As a result, Ketal Marte will shift to the designated hitter spot and bat leadoff, which opens up second base for Blaze Alexander, who will bat in the eight-hole. Pederson has looked quite comfortable with his new club through the early part of the season with a .308/.406/.546 line. Pederson should be expected to return to the starting lineup on Sunday as the Mets will send out right-hander Tylor Megill. Ketel Marte is always worth consideration in DFS, and Blaze Alexander could be a nice value option as Sean Manaea enters Saturday with a 3.16 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.

Baltimore Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Kimbrel struck out two and did not allow a baserunner on the way to securing his 13th save in 16 chances in 2024. The 36-year-old veteran now has a 3.00 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 21 innings in his first season with the O's. Kimbrel should continue to see plenty of save chances pitching for the contending Orioles moving forward. That, coupled with his elite strikeout rate, makes him an excellent fantasy closer for fantasy managers this season.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich had a huge night in a 12-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Yelich went 5-for-6 with two doubles, one run, five RBI, and a stolen base in the lopsided victory over the Sox. Most of his run production came via a two-run single in the fourth inning and a two-run double in the seventh. The veteran outfielder is putting together a productive season for the Brewers, hitting .325 with six doubles, six homers, 21 runs, 27 RBI, and eight steals across 117 at-bats thus far. Yelich should continue to be locked into fantasy lineups moving forward.

Washington Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin took a hard-luck loss in a 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. Corbin turned in a quality start, allowing just two runs on six hits over six innings while striking out five and walking three. Despite the solid start, the veteran southpaw saw his record drop to 1-6 on the season, to go along with a 5.83 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts over 66 1/3 innings of work. Corbin's recent track record suggests that he should not be trusted in fantasy leagues moving forward.

Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson smacked a late-inning, three-run homer, adding an RBI single on a 2-for-4 night as the Diamondbacks came up short in a 10-9 slugfest against the New York Mets. The home run was Pederson's seventh on the season to go along with his impressive .308 batting average. Pederson is having a nice season as he tours the National League West with his third team. Due to his career .239 batting average, you can expect some regression in the batting average moving forward, but it's nice to see Pederson performing well in his new home. He's only accumulated six at-bats against left-handed pitching on the season because of his strict strong-side platoon, but that plus hitting in the middle of a solid Diamondbacks lineup is reason enough for him to be rostered in most fantasy formats.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (foot) had a walking boot on his left foot after being hit by a line drive from the first batter of Friday's series opener against the visiting San Diego Padres, and he's heading for scans on Saturday to determine the extent of the damage. The Royals will be able to provide an official diagnosis after the scans are completed, but it's encouraging that the hurler didn't need to exit the contest early. Wacha ended up throwing 5 1/3 innings on Friday, giving up two runs on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts without factoring into the decision. The 32-year-old veteran right-hander should be deemed day-to-day until more information comes to light, but his next scheduled start on Thursday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians looks to be very much up in the air. Wacha has a mediocre 4.24 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 56:20 K:BB over 12 starts (68 innings) during his first season in KC this year.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Conforto (hamstring) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Sacramento, and shortstop Nick Ahmed (wrist) will join him in Sacramento on Saturday. Both Conforto and Ahmed could rejoin the Giants early next week if they get through their rehab assignments this weekend without any setbacks. Conforto was hitting a solid .280 (40-for-143) with seven home runs and 20 RBI before he suffered a right-hamstring strain on May 11 against the Cincinnati Reds. Conforto will be a lineup regular for the Giants when he returns. Ahmed, meanwhile, was the regular shortstop in San Fran before spraining his left wrist against the Braves on May 9. The 34-year-old vet is more of a defensive asset and was hitting a mere .236 with 11 RBI on the year before his injury.

San Francisco Giants shortstop Nick Ahmed (wrist) started taking batting practice on Wednesday and has also started taking ground balls on the field as he ramps up his baseball activities. Ahmed was forced from the game on May 9 in the loss to the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning after he took an awkward swing in his previous plate appearance. The 34-year-old veteran had been experiencing pain in his wrist since taking a 108 mph liner off his wrist during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 27. An MRI exam on May 10 revealed his wrist sprain. It's uncertain if Ahmed will go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the Giants. With Marco Luciano (hamstring) day-to-day, Brett Wisely heads into this weekend's games as San Fran's primary shortstop with Ahmed still on the IL. When healthy, Ahmed is more of a glove guy than a fantasy asset for his offense.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole's (elbow) next outing could come in a minor-league rehab game on Tuesday, assuming he bounces back from Thursday's live batting practice session well. No matter what level Cole begins his rehab assignment at, the fact that he's on the precipice of returning to game action is a major step forward in his throwing program as he builds his arm back up from right elbow discomfort. If he indeed gets an appearance in the minors on Tuesday, it puts the hard-throwing 33-year-old fantasy superstar firmly on track to rejoin New York's rotation before the end of June. The first-place Yankees certainly aren't going to rush their ace back into the fray, but it's fair to wonder if there's more of a sense of urgency to get Cole back now with upstart right-hander Clarke Schmidt (lat) heading to the injured list with an indefinite absence on Thursday.

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) said he felt good on Thursday after throwing 43 pitches and using his entire arsenal during a live batting practice session. Cole said that the next step is for him to recover from this session before possibly going on a minor-league rehab assignment soon. We'll update you when we know of a potential date and location for Cole to begin a rehab assignment. All signs are pointing toward the reigning American League Cy Young winner pitching in games in the minors soon and making his 2024 debut for the Yankees at some point in June, barring setbacks. The 33-year-old ace has been dealing with right-elbow inflammation since spring training and has had a long recovery process, but fantasy managers are beginning to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to toss live batting practice again on Thursday in Tampa Bay, manager Aaron Boone said prior to Wednesday's game against the hosting Los Angeles Angels. It'll be Cole's third session facing hitters, with a two-inning, 30-pitch outing set to follow on Saturday. Cole still has a chance to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list sometime in June as long as he starts a minor-league rehab assignment sometime in the next week or two. The 33-year-old reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is obviously a must-stash fantasy asset, but the Yankees will have a tough decision to make regarding the odd man out when their ace returns from right elbow discomfort. Right-handers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil have done an admirable job in New York's rotation, and they remain close to must-roster players at this point in time.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith put on a power display in Wednesday's blowout win over the hosting New York Mets, going 3-for-5 with two solo home runs. Smith launched his eighth and ninth homers on Wednesday, first belting a solo home run to left field to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning and later smacking a go-ahead home run to left-center field to give the team a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning. The 29-year-old slugging backstop is now slashing .296/.360/.516 with nine home runs, 14 doubles, 36 RBI, and 32 runs scored over 186 at-bats (49 games) as LA's primary option behind the dish. Continue to roll with Smith in all fantasy leagues.

Both Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux and outfielder Jason Heyward are sitting on Wednesday against the New York Mets with left-hander David Peterson on the mound. Mookie Betts will slide over to second base, allowing Miguel Rojas to enter the lineup at shortstop while hitting eighth in the batting order. Teoscar Hernandez shifts to right and Miguel Vargas will start in left field and bat in the nine-hole. It will be the second straight game on the bench for Lux after he sat out the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader. Lux has had a tough year in 2024, hitting just .205/.256/.281 with one homer and 12 RBI in 146 at-bats. Heyward has been even worse after missing a good chunk of time due to a back injury. The 34-year-old veteran is hitting .184 (7-for-38) with a homer and four RBI. It's hard to justify using either Rojas or Vargas in DFS lineups at the bottom of LA's lineup.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez will start on the bench for Game 2 of the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Zach McKinstry will make the start at shortstop in his place and bat eighth against Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes. Baez heads to the bench after going hitless in three at-bats with a walk and a run scored in the 8-0 Game 1 win. While the 31-year-old has been better in the month of May, he's still impossible to recommend in most mixed fantasy leagues as one of the worst regulars in baseball. The Puerto Rican veteran came into Wednesday's games hitting a poor .203/.228/.278 with a homer, 23 RBI, six stolen bases and 13 runs scored in 158 at-bats. McKinstry, who has gone 14-for-73 (.192) this year with no homers, should be ignored against the hard-throwing Skenes.

The Philadelphia Phillies are resting catcher J.T. Realmuto for their matinee game on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. With Realmuto getting a day of rest, Garrett Stubbs will do the catching and bat eighth against Giants left-hander Kyle Harrison. Realmuto is currently riding an impressive 17-game hitting streak, going 26-for-74 (.351) during that span with two home runs, five doubles, a triple, six RBI, four walks and 16 strikeouts in 78 plate appearances to raise his season slash line to .284/.327/.454 with a .780 OPS, seven home runs and 20 RBI in 196 plate appearances. The 33-year-old All-Star remains one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. Stubbs has only six hits in his 43 at-bats this year as Realmuto's backup and should be avoided in DFS lineups.

After seeing team doctors in Oakland on May 14, Athletics left-hander Alex Wood (shoulder) was diagnosed with rotator-cuff tendonitis in his left shoulder and was expected to be shut down from throwing for at least 10 to 14 days from that date. Manager Mark Kotsay said on Tuesday that the plan is for Wood to begin playing catch on Saturday, June 1. His 15-day injured list placement is retroactive to May 13. The time off from throwing looks like it has been good for the 33-year-old veteran southpaw, but Wood still has a ways to go before he's pitching in live games and is on the cusp of a return from the IL. In the meantime, he belongs on the waiver wire in standard-sized mixed fantasy leagues. Before his shoulder injury, Wood had gone 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.78 WHIP with 33 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings over his first nine starts with the A's.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado is getting the day off on Wednesday versus the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. With Arenado on the bench, Brendan Donovan will shift over to third base and hit leadoff against Reds right-hander Frankie Montas. It was nice to see Arenado hit just his fourth home run of the year in the contest against the Reds on Tuesday, but he'll get the day off to rest with a scheduled off day coming on Thursday before St. Louis starts a weekend series on Friday in Philadelphia against the Phillies. The 33-year-old is hitting .257 (52-for-202) on the year with 25 RBI and 21 stolen bases, and his fantasy managers are hoping his power display on Tuesday will lead to more consistent power moving forward. Donovan is one of the better contact hitters in the league but is only batting .235 (47-for-200) on the year.