Minnesota Twins first baseman Carlos Santana is out of the lineup on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles. Santana is off to a slow start this season as he's slashing . 135/.224/.154 in 14 games with zero home runs and just two RBIs. In replace of Santana, Minnesota will be starting Alex Kirilloff at first base, who is batting third against Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray posted another strong outing on Monday versus his former team, the Oakland Athletics. Gray went six scoreless innings and allowed four hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Gray missed the beginning of the season with a hamstring injury, but he has not missed a beat in his two starts this season with 11 scoreless innings, no walks and 11 strikeouts. Gray will eventually walk a batter this season, but managers could not have asked for a better start to the season then what Gray has given them. Moving forward, Gray is lined up to face the division rival Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos turned in another disappointing game at the plate in Monday's 2-1 extra-innings win over the Rockies. Castellanos went 0-for-4 with a strikeout batting sixth. The 32-year-old has gotten off to a very slow start offensively, slashing just .177/.250/.177 with no home runs and five RBI in 68 plate appearances. However, fantasy managers should give him a bit of a leash given his career track record and strong 2023 season.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout continued his power run in Monday's 7-3 win over the Rays. Trout went 2-for-5 with a single and a two-run home run. The 32-year-old has been every bit as good as fantasy managers were hoping for, slashing .290/.362/.710 with seven HR, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases in 69 plate appearances. It isn't surprising to see such great production from Trout, but it is encouraging nonetheless.

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said that the team will still keep things open in the closer role, but with the way right-hander Kirby Yates is throwing the ball right now, "we kind of like where it's at." In the 1-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday, Yates tossed a perfect inning with no hits allowed, no walks and no strikeouts to pick up his first save of the season. The 37-year-old veteran hasn't allowed a run yet in 2024 in six relief appearances while walking one and striking out five in six innings of work. Meanwhile, Jose Leclerc has surrendered eight earned runs on seven hits (one homer) while walking seven and fanning six in six innings. Nothing is official yet, but fantasy managers that are chasing saves should run to the waiver wire to pick up Yates right away.

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back) could now be ready in early May despite initial evaluations placing his likely return around June or July, and his first minor-league rehab start could potentially come as early as next week. Scherzer threw 25 pitches of live batting practice at Comerica Park on Monday and said the next step is throwing 40 pitches on Friday. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer had surgery to fix a herniated disc in his back on Dec. 15. General manager Chris Young said Scherzer attempted several "conservative treatments in pain management," including an epidural, but the pain never went away, which is why he had offseason surgery. Scherzer probably isn't going to be a fantasy ace any more, but he's still plenty capable of delivering a dominant outing every now and then if he can remain healthy after he returns from his back injury.

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday, and if all goes well, he will return to the team's starting rotation this weekend to face the Washington Nationals in his 2024 debut, according to manager Joe Espada. Verlander said he feels ready despite giving up five earned runs on seven hits while walking a batter in four innings (77 pitches) in a minor-league rehab start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday. The Astros could really use the 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner back in their banged-up rotation, and a start this weekend against the Nats would be a plus matchup for fantasy managers in Verlander's first start of the year. Don't expect ace-like numbers from Verlander at his age, but he still has the potential to be a strong No. 3 if he can stay healthy.

An MRI exam on Monday morning revealed that Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (groin) has a Grade 1 groin strain. Perez said he's pain-free and just has a little tightness/pinch after getting hurt on Sunday against the New York Mets. The veteran backstop was held out of the lineup on Monday versus the Chicago White Sox but is hoping to return to action on Tuesday. He went straight to manager Matt Quatraro's office on Monday and lobbied to play, but Freddy Fermin is doing the catching and is batting eighth against White Sox rookie righty Nick Nastrini. The 33-year-old Perez shouldn't need a trip to the injured list, and fantasy managers should check back on Tuesday to see if he's back in the starting lineup. Perez is off to a great start in 2024, batting .339 (21-for-62) with four home runs, two doubles and 15 RBI in just 16 games.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (groin, hip) is not in the starting lineup on Monday against the Chicago White Sox on the road. It shouldn't come as a huge surprise that Perez isn't in there after he was pulled early from Sunday's game New York Mets with left groin and hip injuries. Catcher Logan Porter is currently on the team's taxi squad to begin the week just in case the 33-year-old Perez's injury ends up costing him more than just a few days. Freddy Fermin would be the team's primary backstop if Perez is forced to the injured list. Fermin is behind the plate and is batting eighth on Monday against White Sox rookie right-hander Nick Nastrini, who is making his big-league debut. Fermin has just five hits in his first 26 at-bats in 2024 for a .192 batting average and one RBI.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Graywill be limited to 75 pitches in Monday's start against the Oakland A's. Gray spent a large portion of spring training dealing with a hamstring issue that limited him to just two starts, so it makes sense why the Cardinals are gradually increasing the veteran's pitch count. In his first start of the year against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 9, he threw 64 pitches across five shutout innings. Now, St. Louis has set his limit at around 75 pitches in his second start. The pitch limit shouldn't worry fantasy managers, though. If you roster the 34-year-old in fantasy, you should be starting him in a plus matchup against Oakland.

New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (back) is scheduled to resume swinging the bat on Monday and is still a few days away, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, of getting back into a minor-league game. Martinez hasn't played since last Saturday for Low-A St. Lucie after which he started to feel back tightness. The veteran right-handed slugger received a shot in his back last Tuesday. The Mets signed the 36-year-old late in spring training, but he didn't join the club for Opening Day as he tried to get his timing down at the plate before hurting his back. He probably won't resume his minor-league rehab assignment until later this week, but if he continues to feel good this weekend, there's a possibility that Martinez could join the Mets for his team debut sometime next week.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez suffered a left groin and hip injury on Sunday when he collided with New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte at home plate. The veteran backstop left the game and was seen limping off of the field following the collision. He will be evaluated on Monday and an update is expected before the club kicks off a series against the rival White Sox. It's been a big start to the 2024 season for the long-time Royals catcher as Perez has hit .339 with four home runs and 15 RBI across 16 games and 65 trips to the plate, posting a healthy .934 OPS in the process. The heavily-used backstop continues to deliver quality power numbers into his mid-30s and should continue to drive in plenty of runs on an improved Royals offense in 2024.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve continued his torrid start to the season on Sunday, smacking a pair of homers in an 8-5 win over the Texas Rangers. Altuve went 3-for-5 on the day, adding two runs and two RBI as well as a stolen base. He is now up to a .382 AVG to go with five homers and a stolen base. The 33-year-old isn't showing any signs of aging and should continue to be an excellent five-category contributor as long as he can stay healthy.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez left Sunday's game early after a collision at home plate with Starling Marte. Freddy Fermin entered the game for Perez, who walked off the field with a noticeable limp. It is too early to determine the severity of Perez's injury but hopefully it is nothing long term. Fermin would be the likely replacement if the 33-year-old is forced to miss time. Fermin had modest success at the plate in 2022, but he would only have true value in two-catcher leagues or AL Only formats.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (shoulder) is quickly approaching his season debut. Verlander was unable to throw at all during Spring Training but has made minor league rehab appearances over the past week and is just about complete with his recovery process. Manager Joe Espada expressed that the three-time Cy Young Award winner could make his season debut on Friday as the Astros will take on the Washington Nationals. The Astros are in need of a spark due to their early season struggles. The future Hall-Of-Famer will slot right into the rotation when cleared.

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez will be out of the lineup for the first time this season as the Snakes play the rubber match of a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals. The 32-year-old has an excellent start with his new team, with a .259/.313./414 line with two home runs and 12 RBI. Veteran Jace Peterson will man the hot corner and bat in the six-hole this afternoon and comes into this game on a bit of a cold streak, as he has just one hit over the past two weeks. He could be a sneaky play in DFS as he will face Miles Mikolas, who has a 1-1 record and a high 4.76 ERA.

San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts is out of the lineup on Saturday. There's no current indication that this is anything more than a rest day for the 31-year-old. A day off may not be a bad thing for Bogaerts, who's started out sluggish this season with just a .219 batting average and only one HR. Tyler Wade will get the start at second base in Bogaerts' place, sliding over from third base where he has been playing in most of his starts this season. Eguy Rosario will start at third base for the Padres with Manny Machado at DH. Expect Bogaerts to return back to the lineup in Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (elbow) threw a bullpen session in Arizona on Friday. Ray has been pleased with his progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he's still not likely to be a factor for the Giants until the second half of the 2024 season. After being acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Mitch Haniger and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (forearm) this past offseason, the 32-year-old former American League Cy Young Award winner has enough strikeout upside alongside a pitcher-friendly ballpark to deserve being stashed for fantasy managers who can afford the roster spot. Former reliever Jordan Hicks has allowed just two earned runs and three walks over 18 innings as a starter in San Fran's rotation to this point, and he's worth rostering in all mixed leagues right now.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (shoulder) is scheduled to make his next minor league rehab start on Saturday at Double-A Corpus Christi. The 41-year-old appears to be progressing well and could return after this outing. Obviously, the Astros don't want to rush back Verlander, but they need help in the rotation. Fantasy managers will have to check back after Saturday to see how Verlander is feeling. He'll be a must-have fantasy option once he's back on the mound.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman will make his third start of the season against the Colorado Rockies at the Rogers Centre this evening. The ace pitcher was dealing with shoulder fatigue earlier in the offseason, which prevented him from seeing time in Spring Training and delayed his season debut. He threw four one-run innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in his first start but struggled mightily in his second against the New York Yankees, where he allowed five earned runs. Gausman's velocity dipped in that start but did not express much concern. The 33-year-old should have an excellent opportunity to deliver a quality start against a Rockies team that has the sixth most total strikeouts, making him a fantastic option in DFS.