Boston Red Sox starting pitcher James Paxton hurled five innings on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds. He fanned eight hitters and permitted just one run for a no-decision as the BoSox lost 5-4. Since returning from a two-year hiatus due to Tommy John surgery, the 34-year-old appears rather spry in 2023. Paxton has allowed two runs or fewer in three of his four starts to start his season. The former ace's average fastball velocity is encouragingly up to 96 miles per hour after being down to 92 mph in 2020. That certainly bodes well for Paxton's rest-of-season fantasy prospects. The southpaw should be an appetizing streamer against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, New York Mets pitcher David Robertson took the mound and hurled a flawless ninth inning, preserving a two-run lead against the Phillies and earning his 10th save of the season. Robertson, in the frame, struck out Edmundo Sosa and Bryson Stott. Despite allowing three earned runs and eight hits in his last seven outings, Robertson's ERA stands at an outstanding 1.48, a testament to his overall effectiveness on the mound.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber threw a season-low four innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. The just-turned 28-year-old also yielded a season-worst seven earned runs. Bieber was fortunate to come away with a no-decision after Cleveland's offense took advantage of an O's bullpen game, beating them 12-8. The former Triple Crown pitcher has an unappealing 6.17 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with just 14 punchouts over his last 23 1/3 innings. Bieber's velocity continues to diminish each year and we wouldn't suggest turning to his Statcast page for much solace otherwise. The right-hander's next turn in the rotation comes Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox. In 36 career innings against the BoSox, Bieber owns a dicey 5.50 ERA, his weakest versus any AL club.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Lance Lynn threw four innings on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels, surrendering eight runs on eight hits and two walks. The 36-year-old struck out four in the contest, but took his sixth loss of the year as the ChiSox fell 12-5. Prior to this setback, Lynn had given up just four runs over his last 19 innings to get his ERA under the 6.00 threshold for the first time since March 31. The two-time All-Star is becoming a precarious hold in season-long leagues with three starts sacrificing seven runs or greater in 2023. Lynn has an uneven 6.55 ERA and 1.51 WHIP across 67 1/3 innings on the campaign. The big righty lines up for a dangerous spot versus the New York Yankees in the Bronx next Wednesday.

New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (back) said he's scheduled to throw his next bullpen session on Friday in Los Angeles before the team starts their series against the Dodgers. Rodon has tossed two bullpens since he resumed throwing on May 14, and Friday's session will be his third as he attempts to move past a balky back issue. The 30-year-old southpaw began the 2023 season on the injured list with a left-forearm injury, but that's the least of his concerns right now. The Yankees are going to take things slowly with their prized free-agent acquisition, so fantasy managers shouldn't just assume Rodon will be back in June, especially since he has yet to face live hitters. Once he does join New York's rotation, though, he could return to being a fantasy ace.

Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor put on a show at the plate after tallying four hits and six RBI in Wednesday's 12-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Naylor failed to reach base just once on Wednesday and improved his average to .251. He recorded two doubles and a homer and laced an RBI single in the seventh inning to complete his six-RBI barrage. Naylor is scorching hot over the past 15 games, in which he is slashing .385/.439/.750 with five homers and 21 RBI. After a sluggish start to the season, the 25-year-old is starting to pick up the pace at the plate. He displays a .747 OPS with an 84 wRC+ and a .246 BAPIP. The Guardians are hoping that Naylor continues to swing the bat well as they attempt to make a move in the American League Central.

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe hit his ninth homer of the season in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. Lowe tallied just one hit on Wednesday through four plate appearances and struck out two times. The second baseman has been slumping all at the plate after missing the bulk of the 2022 season due to a plethora of injuries. Lowe has already suffered two injuries to begin the season, and the Rays are hoping that he can stay healthy for the bulk of the season. Lowe is slashing .204/.298/.407 with a .705 OPS and 29 RBI. He has a 30.5% strikeout rate with a 97 wRC+ and a .305 wOBA.

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) and third baseman Josh Donaldson (hamstring) will both fly to Los Angeles to join the team on Friday for the start of their three-game series against the Dodgers. Both players, as well as reliever Tommy Kahnle (biceps) are expected to be activated from the injured list. Stanton has been out almost seven weeks but will return as the DH after playing in just one minor-league rehab games, so fantasy managers may want to expect some rust. Eventually, the 33-year-old slugger will be mixed back into the outfield. When healthy, Stanton remains an elite source of power. The 37-year-old Donaldson has been out since early April and was looking washed up at the plate when he hit the IL, but he's expected to see regular playing time at the hot corner.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (neck) remains out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Seattle Mariners. The veteran slugger will miss his third straight game due to lingering neck stiffness. The good news is, Rizzo was able to take batting practice and field grounders ahead of Wednesday's game. The assumption is that Rizzo is going to avoid a trip to the injured list. Hopefully, Rizzo will be able to get in the lineup for Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles Angels pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani came ready to play during Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The two-way superstar blasted a pair of home runs off righty Lance Lynn in what ended up being a 12-5 victory. He might've hit a third home run, but the Angels decided to pinch-hit for Ohtani in the ninth inning. Ohtani is up to 15 home runs, including eight in his last 20 games. Best of luck to any pitchers who are trying to slow down the 28-year-old superstar.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Aaron Hicks was making his team debut on Wednesday, but sadly it didn't last long. The switch-hitting outfielder was forced to leave the game early due to muscle cramps. The organization didn't give many more details about the issue, so it's assume to be a minor problem. He was off to a nice start, Hicks was 2-for-2 with a walk before he was forced to leave in the seventh inning. Fantasy managers should expect an update on his status later in the day.

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Jalen Beeks was asked to try and shut the door versus the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. The Rays decided to use Jason Adam in the eighth inning, so he wasn't available for the final frame. The team decided to put Kevin Kelly out there to begin the ninth, but he ended up loading the bases with one out. Beeks stepped in and was able to hold the one-run lead to record his first save of the season. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Beeks to get many more save chances. He could get an occasional save, but it wouldn't be enough to warrant rostering him.

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias was asked to take the mound with a two-run lead versus the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. The right-hander struggled with his command on Tuesday, but was able to bounce back nicely here. Iglesias fired a perfect ninth inning to help the Braves get a 4-2 victory. He needed only six pitches to notch his sixth save of the season. Iglesias hasn't allowed a run in seven straight appearances, so it appears he is settling down nicely.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (back) is back in center field and is hitting ninth in the batting order on Wednesday against right-hander Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers. Kiermaier is back in action for the Jays after missing the last two games with back soreness. The 33-year-old veteran outfielder is batting an impressive .319 (45-for-141) through 43 games in his first year in Toronto, adding nine doubles, three triples, four home runs, 15 RBI, five stolen bases and 23 runs scored. He's been even better in May, going 25-for-68 (.368) with six doubles, three homers and seven RBI, so fantasy managers will want him back in their lineups on Wednesday against Teheran. Kiermaier is a career .251 hitter, so don't expect a high average all year, but continue to ride him while he's hot.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins. After starting the team's last six games, the veteran 33-year-old will get a breather. Altuve has only played in nine contests because of a fractured thumb he suffered while playing in the World Baseball Classic, but he's knocked off the rust rather well by hitting .324 (11-for-34) with three doubles, two home runs, six RBI and seven runs scored in 40 plate appearances. Be prepared to put him back into your starting lineups on Thursday for the start of a series against the Los Angeles Angels. With Altuve out, Mauricio Dubon is at the keystone and is hitting leadoff for the 'Stros against Twins right-hander Louie Varland.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that shortstop Wander Franco's left shoulder "is a little dinged up" after his slide into home plate on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, which is why he wasn't in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against a left-handed pitcher. Cash said he thinks Franco will be available off the bench on Wednesday, if needed. With an off day on Thursday, fantasy managers should fully expect the 22-year-old to be back in action for the series opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday. The left-shoulder injury is something to watch, but Franco needs to be in all starting lineups when he's on the field. He's currently hitting .298 on the year with seven homers, 29 RBI, 20 thefts and 35 runs scored in 218 at-bats.

New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres had another great game as his team won its fourth straight game on Tuesday night. Torres has played quite well in the series against the Seattle Mariners and is likely to continue this form. In the series against Seattle, the 26-year-old second baseman is 4-for-11 and has scored three runs. Fantasy managers should continue to ride the hot hand of Torres for the last game against the Mariners on Wednesday. In the month of May, he has batted .287 with a .333 on-base percentage, which indicates that he has been in form lately. With George Kirby on the mound for the Mariners on Wednesday, Torres could have another multi-hit game, as he has been better against right-handed pitchers this season.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Teoscar Hernandez went 1-for-4 on Tuesday, as his team lost their second straight game against the New York Yankees. Hernandez signed with the Mariners this past offseason but has struggled to find his form a bit in the early going.In 55 games, the 30-year-old outfielder has hit .234 and has an on-base percentage of .272. He has tallied 50 hits, nine home runs, and 28 RBI. His numbers have fallen from last year, but the good news is he's been better in May (.260 average, four doubles, two homers, 12 RBI) and has hit safely in six of his last seven games. Fantasy managers will be hoping he can carry this momentum into June.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Aaron Hicks is making his debut with the club Wednesday afternoon against Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber. Hicks was signed to a one-year, major-league deal after center fielder Cedric Mullins was placed on the injured list on Tuesday. The 33-year-old struggled in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons before limping to a .188 average without a home run across 76 plate appearances in 2023, prompting the Yankees to cut him loose. However, Hicks figures to get a solid look in center field for the O's as long as Mullins is sidelined. He'll hit sixth and indeed man center field Wednesday afternoon in Baltimore.

Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy is not in the club's starting lineup Wednesday afternoon against A's right-hander James Kaprielian. It's of little surprise to see the backstop getting a breather in an afternoon game following an evening contest Tuesday night. The Braves are wise to keep their prized catcher rested as he's been a monster at the plate, hitting .286 with 11 home runs and a .951 OPS across 46 appearances on the campaign. He's shown no signs of slowing down with a .930 OPS in the month of May while he continues to provide elite defense behind the plate. Travis d'Arnaud will take over behind the plate and hit cleanup in Oakland.