Heading into Friday night's series opener against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts was hitting just .217/.284/.287 with two home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 141 plate appearances over 32 games. The Friars made a big trade to acquire second baseman Luis Arraez from the Marlins on Friday night, but Bogaerts, who is a superior defender, should remain as the starter at second moving forward. But the 31-year-old four-time All-Star will likely drop further down the batting order with the addition of Arraez. Bogaerts managed to hit 19 homers and steal 19 bases in his first year in SD in 2023, but a lot more was expected from him after he signed an 11-year, $280 million deal last offseason. He's going to need to start making more consistent hard contact at the plate to turn around his slow start now that the calendar has flipped to May.

The Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres have agreed to a trade that sends second baseman Luis Arraez to San Diego in exchange for second baseman Xander Bogaerts, relief pitcher Woo Suk Go and three prospects. The prospects San Diego is sending to Miami are outfielder Dillon Head, outfielder Jakob Marsee and first baseman Nathan Martorella. Head is the Padres sixth ranked prospect, Marsee is their number nine prospect and Martorella ranks 13th. Suk Go had signed with the Padres over the offseason after playing in the KBO for the last seven years. Arraez and his .299 batting average will rank second-highest on the Padres behind Jurickson Profar. Bogaerts had been severely underperforming, hitting for just a .219 BA and a .571 OPS. The move signifies the beginning of a rebuild in Miami while the Padres continue to make moves to try and make noise in the NL West.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (knee) underwent successful surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee on Friday. The Angels have not given a timetable on the return of Trout, but this injury isn't expected to be season-ending. Regardless, it's a crushing blow to both the Angels roster and fantasy managers. For now, fantasy managers will have to sit tight and hold Trout on an IL spot. Mickey Moniak figures to gain the most playing time in the absence of Trout. He hasn't hit well this season, but possibly more playing time will help him get his bat going again.

Chicago Cubs left-handers Jordan Wicks (forearm) and Drew Smyly (hip) have been cleared to resume playing catch. Wicks just landed on the 15-day injured list this past Sunday with a left-forearm strain, while Smyly has been out for two weeks due to a right-hip impingement. Wicks' injury is obviously a bit less serious, but it's good news for the Cubs pitching staff that both southpaws are ramping back up. It's unclear when either hurler will be able to return to the big-league roster, but when Wicks is ready, he should return to the rotation. The 24-year-old went 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 28 K's in 23 innings in his first five starts. Smyly has plenty of starting experience, but he figures to return to the Cubs' bullpen when he's activated.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve turned in a productive game in an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Altuve went 3-for-5 with a run, an RBI, and two stolen bases in the win over Cleveland. The veteran infielder has been hot at the plate of late as he's hit safely in eight of his past 10 games and has four multi-hit games to his name over that span. Overall, Altuve is batting .352 with seven homers, 23 runs, 11 RBI, and six steals over 31 games this season.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher David Robertson tallied his 10th hold of the season and is now tied for the most in baseball with Nationals pitcher Hunter Harvey and Cardinals pitchers JoJo Romero and Andrew Kittredge. Robertson entered in the seventh inning with two outs to face Ildemaro Vargas with a runner on first and was able to retire him. Then, the 39-year-old remained in the game to pitch the eighth inning. He surrendered a leadoff walk to Jacob Young but then retired the next three batters via two strikeouts and a groundout. The veteran reliever carries a stellar 1.08 ERA and 0.84 WHIP across 16 2/3 innings with 20 punchouts. Robertson remains an elite option for holds and should be considered next in line to receive ninth-inning duties in Texas.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve registered three hits in Thursday's victory over the Cleveland Guardians. The 33-year-old has now tallied at least three hits in five games this season and continues to improve on his .341/.409/.585 line. In addition, Altuve tallied 11th RBI of the season in the seventh inning by scoring Jake Meyers. He also swiped his fifth and sixth bags on Thursday. Altuve continues to be a high-end five-category fantasy contributor with his stellar bat-to-ball skills and his excellent 13.9% K rate. The 2017 American League MVP should be a weekly lineup lock and remain matchup-proof 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.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back, thumb) is likely to make his next minor-league rehab start next week. He started a rehab game at Triple-A Round Rock last Wednesday and dealt with some lingering thumb soreness that pushed his next appearance back a few days. Apparently, that outing will come sometime in the next seven days as Scherzer said his thumb is improving. The 39-year-old is a risky fantasy asset due to potential injury reoccurrence, but he is still worthy of a roster spot if he has a place to be stashed. Scherzer still probably needs a couple of starts to build his arm up before joining the Rangers. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers can anticipate his return sometime in mid-May.

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.

San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday for the series finale against the visiting Cincinnati Reds. It will be just the second time this year that Bogaerts will open the game on the bench for the Friars after starting each of the team's last 16 games. Tyler Wade will get the start at the keystone and will hit in the nine-hole against Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft. Wade will be one to avoid in DFS contests on Wednesday's slate of action. The 31-year-old Bogaerts isn't in danger of losing playing time as the Padres' regular second baseman, but he has done very little for fantasy managers in 2024, hitting .217 (28-for-129) with only two home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 32 games this year.

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.

Returning from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish did not miss a beat. Darvish tossed five innings and allowed three hits with no runs or walks and three strikeouts against the Cincinnati Reds. It was Darvish's first start since April 14 as he dealt with neck stiffness. Darvish had a bit of a down season in 2023, but he has bounced back so far in 2023 with a 3.45 ERA over his first 28 2/3 innings. His strikeouts are down at the moment versus his career numbers, but there is still plenty of time for that to improve. Darvish is worth rostering in all formats and will face the Chicago Cubs early next week.

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.

The Texas Rangers are pushing right-hander Max Scherzer's (back, thumb) next minor-league rehab start with Double-A Frisco back a few days after he experienced some soreness in his thumb after his last outing at Triple-A Round Rock, according to general manager Chris Young. Scherzer will hopefully make his next rehab start by the end of the week. The 39-year-old's surgically repaired back has apparently held up well, though, which is the main takeaway here for fantasy managers that have been stashing the three-time Cy Young winner. In his lone rehab start with Round Rock, Scherzer allowed three earned runs while walking none and striking out four in 2 1/3 innings, so he still has a ways to go to build up his arm before making his 2024 MLB debut. Barring setbacks, Scherzer should be back in Texas' rotation at some point next month.

Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (knee) has a torn meniscus in his left knee that will require surgery, according to general manager Perry Minasian. The procedure, which is believed to be scheduled for Friday, isn't considered season-ending. It's a silver lining for the 11-time All-Star, who has missed significant time the last several seasons due to injuries. A source familiar with Trout's injury said a four- to six-week timetable is a best-case scenario, but a true timetable won't be established until he goes under the knife later this week. The 32-year-old three-time MVP is currently tied for the major-league lead in home runs with 10, but he's also hitting just .220 (24-for-109) with 14 RBI and six stolen bases. Fantasy managers must keep him stashed in an injured-list spot for the time being. Former first overall pick Mickey Moniak is expected to start regularly in center field for the Angels with Trout sidelined.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (knee) is expected to undergo surgery on his knee in the near future. This comes as a shock, considering there was no word of Trout dealing with a serious knee issue. The timetable for his return is unknown right now, but the injury isn't expected to be season-ending, so fantasy managers will need to stash him for now. There should be more details on this situation in the coming days. Fantasy managers should prepare to be without Trout for the foreseeable future. With Trout out, former first-rounder Mickey Moniak should serve as the Angels' everyday center fielder.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (back) is playing first base and is batting cleanup for the Royals on Tuesday against right-hander Jose Berrios and the Toronto Blue Jays. Freddy Fermin is doing the catching and will bat sixth. Perez was scratched from Monday's lineup with back tightness, but he singled in a pinch-hit appearance late in the game and is back in the lineup a day later. Fantasy managers will want to get the 33-year-old All-Star back into their starting lineups immediately. Perez has been going off offensively with a .346/.404/.596 slash line with seven home runs in his first 29 games this year. He has a lot of experience against Berrios in his career, too, but he's hit just .214 with a home run and five RBI in 42 at-bats.

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.