Pittsburgh Pirates catcher/outfielder Henry Davis and outfielder Michael Taylor will start on the bench on Monday for the series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers. Joey Bart will do the catching for the Bucs and will hit ninth, while Jack Suwinski is in center field and batting cleanup against Tigers right-hander Reese Olson. This will be Bart's second start in the last three games, and he could see more time behind the plate with Davis starting off his second MLB season just 4-for-30 at the plate. It helps Bart's cause that both Yasmani Grandal (foot) and Jason Delay (knee) are currently on the injured list. This will be Taylor's third straight game starting on the bench. Suwinski is just 6-for-34 (.176) in the early going but will have elevated DFS sleeper appeal in the cleanup spot on Monday.

Fantasy managers might be worried about right-hander Kevin Gausman after his disastrous first start of the season against the New York Yankees on Saturday in which he allowed six runs (five earned) in just 1 1/3 innings, but Gausman isn't too worried after the velocity on all of his pitches was down three to five mph. The 33-year-old All-Star blamed it more on the cold weather in the Bronx more than anything, and fantasy managers must remember that Gausman got a late start to the 2024 season due to right-shoulder fatigue that he dealt with in spring training. "It's just about locating a little bit better," said manager John Schneider. Gausman's velocity was down early in the year in 2023, too, so this shouldn't be a sign of bad things to come in 2024 for Toronto's ace.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (elbow) said there is no definitive target date for his return to being 100 percent recovered from offseason elbow surgery. It's been 220 days he last played third base in a game and 187 days since the extensor tendon in his right elbow was fixed. Manager Mike Shildt said the end of April was a "loose" goal, but "there's not really a timetable on it," Machado said. The All-Star third baseman said his shoulder isn't 100 percent, and he entered Sunday's finale against the Giants hitting just .190 with a .673 OPS. The 31-year-old has been told by doctors that he might not feel 100 percent until next year. Fantasy managers shouldn't panic yet, but it's fair to wonder if Machado's slow start this year at the plate is related to his elbow injury.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Robbie Grossman will get a chance to serve as the team's leadoff hitter with both Luis Robert Jr. (hip) and Eloy Jimenez (groin) on the injured list. The White Sox brought Grossman up from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, and he's started two of the three games since. The 34-year-old veteran switch-hitter went 0-for-5 in the leadoff spot on Sunday in the loss to the Kansas City Royals, but manager Pedro Grifol said that Grossman will get more opportunities there. Andrew Benintendi will be the biggest loser fantasy-wise after being dropped to the fifth spot in the order on Sunday. Grossman can be a decent source of runs and on-base percentage now that he'll be hitting leadoff and playing often with Robert and Jimenez sidelined, making him worth a pickup at least in AL-only fantasy leagues.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (shoulder) threw 65 pitches for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday in what was his first in-game appearance of the season. Verlander struggled, allowing six runs on seven hits in three-plus innings, but that isn't what is important here as he is still building up after experiencing right shoulder issues during spring training. The Astros were optimistic that Verlander would only need to make two rehab starts, and him getting to 65 pitches in this one is a positive sign. He will likely make another start later this week and could join Houston's rotation shortly after that.

New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (body) will not join the team for their upcoming series against the Atlanta Braves, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The veteran slugger is reportedly dealing with general body soreness and will get the next few days off. Martinez was signed late in the offseason and seems to be getting back into game shape, but the process is taking longer than expected. While there are some injury concerns, the 36-year-old should be able to provide solid power for fantasy teams whenever he makes his debut.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) will make his team debut on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies and will be on a pitch count of roughly 65 pitches. Gray began the 2024 season on the 15-day injured list due to a hamstring strain he suffered in spring training, but he'll be activated and make his first start of the year with his new organization in a tough matchup against the visiting Phillies on Tuesday. While the 34-year-old should be rostered in all fantasy leagues as a strong No. 3 option, it would be wise to keep him on the bench for his first start this year on a lowered pitch count next week. Originally, the Cardinals were planning on having Gray make a minor-league rehab start. He threw 54 pitches in his simulated game on Wednesday, so Gray isn't going to go very deep in his first start of the year as he continues to build up his arm.

Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien had himself a day in Friday's 10-2 blowout win over the division-rival Houston Astros, getting a hit in all three of his at-bats and bashing a three-run home run during the sixth inning. Semien smacked one 395 feet to deep left center to make the score 10-0 and get the rout fully underway. It was the first homer of the campaign for the 33-year-old fantasy stalwart, who is now slashing .333/.471/.481 with eight RBI and six runs scored across 27 ABs thus far in 2024. Hitting atop one of the most dynamic offenses in baseball, Semien has led MLB in plate appearances in three of the past four years and should serve as head-to-head gem in all fantasy formats. Dating back to 2023, Semien is batting .393 with four bombs, nine RBI, and 14 runs scored in his last 14 games against the Astros and gets Houston three more times this series.

Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu has been dropped down in the lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Texas Rangers. The 37-year-old is regressing rapidly as he is having a horrible start to the season. So far, Abreu is slashing .105/.190/.105 with zero RBI and a 6/1 K/BB ratio in 21 plate appearances. On Friday, Abreu will fall to the seventh spot in the batting order against left-hander Cody Bradford. Fantasy managers should expect Abreu to pick it up somewhat, but it's unlikely that he holds steady fantasy value.

San Francisco Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (elbow) threw a 40-pitch bullpen session on Thursday and will throw another bullpen on Monday. Ray is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had last May, so he's unlikely to be an option for the Giants' starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Because of the fact that the 32-year-old also had a flexor-tendon repair in addition to Tommy John surgery, his rehab will likely extend a little longer. Given the depth of San Fran's rotation after they added reigning National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell, the Giants won't be in any rush to bring Ray back in the second half. Ray won an American League Cy Young in 2021 with the Blue Jays and went 12-12 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 62 walks and 212 K's in 32 starts in his last full season in 2022 with the Mariners.

New York Mets left-hander Jose Quintana will be looking for a better outing on Friday when he takes on the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed just two runs in his first start of the season in 4 1/3 innings of work but also six hits, including a homer, with two walks against four strikeouts. It was a decent start to the season after Quintana worked to a 3.57 ERA across 13 starts last season while a rib injury cost him significant time. With the solid, yet injury-shortened season, Quintana placed himself back under the radar but he also struck out just 18.8% of the hitters he faced, a career-low for the veteran. He makes for a decent back-end starter for fantasy managers if he can prevent runs at a similar clip in the 2024 campaign.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (elbow) felt a little elbow soreness while throwing recently. An MRI exam came back clean, but he'll be shut down for a few days. The Giants are being very careful given their rotation depth, and Cobb said he's still ahead of schedule from hip surgery overall. The 36-year-old veteran is officially dealing with flexor-tendon inflammation, but it's not considered serious. He's expected to resume throwing on Monday as he ultimately tries to recover from offseason hip surgery. Cobb should be a member of the back end of San Fran's starting rotation when he's healthy at some point in the first half of the season, but fantasy managers in deep-mixed leagues shouldn't expect a ton from an aging pitcher with a long injury history.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (back) was scratched from Friday's lineup against the New York Yankees with lower-back tightness. With Kiermaier now out, Daulton Varsho is moving to center field and will bat eighth, while Davis Schneider moves to left field and will hit fifth against Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman. Cavan Biggio enters the lineup at second base and will hit sixth. The 33-year-old Kiermaier should be considered day-to-day for now, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if the veteran outfielder misses more than just one day with this injury. On top of now being hurt, he has just one hit in his first 20 plate appearances in 2024 over six games with an RBI, stolen base and six strikeouts for Toronto.

Free-agent second baseman Rougned Odor agreed to a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Friday that includes an opt-out clause after July 1. If Odor isn't on the team's big-league roster by July 1, he can become a free agent again. The 30-year-old veteran signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball in January but never played for the Japanese team. The Venezuelan infielder played with the Yankees in 2021 and hit .202/.286/.379 with 15 home runs and 39 RBI in 102 games played. He played in just 59 games for the San Diego Padres last season and went 28-for-138 (.203) with four long balls and 18 RBI in 157 plate appearances. If Odor does make it back to the Show, he'll strictly be a left-handed bench bat for the Bombers.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) has been pushing to make his next rehab start in the big leagues, but as expected, left-hander Zack Thompson is still scheduled to take that turn for the Cardinals on Tuesday versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Gray tossed a 54-pitch simulated game on Wednesday and thinks he's ready to make his debut with the Red Birds, but St. Louis isn't going to push him just yet. It's probably for the best, even though Gray isn't dealing with an arm injury. If the 34-year-old doesn't suffer a setback in his minor-league rehab start, he could make his 2024 debut next weekend against the reigning National League-champion Arizona Diamondbacks. We'll bring you the results of Gray's rehab start once he toes the rubber next.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Robbie Grossman could join the major-league roster within the next week, according to general manager Chris Getz. The White Sox don't expect Eloy Jimenez (groin) to land on the injured list, but he is missing his fourth straight game on Thursday, while Grossman is 3-for-7 with two home runs and five RBI in his first two games down on the farm at Triple-A Charlotte. The 34-year-old veteran switch-hitter has the ability to play multiple outfield positions, which will give the White Sox more versatility. Grossman doesn't provide much fantasy upside in deeper leagues, though, if he's back in the big leagues. He's hit over 20 homers just once in his 11 big-league seasons and slashed .238/.340/.394 with 10 homer and 49 RBI in 115 games in 2023 for the Texas Rangers.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) threw 54 pitches and started three innings during his simulated game on Wednesday and also had some plays in the field while covering first base. Gray came out of the session feeling good and will make a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Memphis next. If the 34-year-old veteran comes out of his rehab start without any setbacks with his hamstring, he should be cleared to make his Cardinals debut. He traveled back to St. Louis to be a part of the home-opening festivities on Thursday, but then he will depart for Memphis after that. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about Gray to begin the year based solely on the fact that his injury wasn't to his pitching arm.

New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez will head to a minor-league affiliate, and there's a possibility that he joins the team in Atlanta for the start of a series against the division-rival Braves early next week. Martinez wasn't included on the team's Opening Day roster after signing with the club late in spring training. The 36-year-old veteran slugger stayed behind in extended spring training to get his swing right, but it appears he's getting close to making his debut with the team. To start the year, D.J. Stewart has been serving as the Mets' primary designated hitter, but Martinez will eventually take over those duties to give first baseman Pete Alonso more protection in the lineup. If you're looking to add a little more thump to your fantasy team and Martinez is available, pick him up and stash him now.

Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien collected two hits, both singles, and an RBI in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Rays. It was Semien's third multi-hit performance in six games, however, he went hitless in the other three games. The 33-year-old is now 6-for-24 (.250) on the young season, with five RBI, three runs scored, and a 5:3 BB:K. The 2x All-Star is still searching for his first home run of the season, but he does have one extra-base hit (a double) so far. It's still very early, but for what it's worth, Semien has an xBA of .318. Look for him to have fewer hitless performances in the future, and surely that first long ball is not far behind.