Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (back), who closed out the Los Angeles Angels in an 8-6 victory on Friday night for his third save of the year, is dealing with a sore back but had enough to close out the game. The 36-year-old active MLB leader in saves struck one batter in his clean frame on Friday and has now tossed four scoreless and hitless innings with three saves, five walks and six strikeouts in his first four appearances of 2024. He has been perfect so far, but it looks like his back issues from spring training are still around, and his command has been worrisome despite the three saves. Keep an eye on whether Jansen will be available to pitch on Saturday against the Halos. If he's not, either Chris Martin or Josh Winckowski could be in line for a save opportunity.

New York Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton went hitless for the third straight game in Friday's 3-0 loss to the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, striking out twice in four at-bats. As the Yankees were shut out in their home opener for the first time since 1967, Stanton's batting average dropped to a paltry .125 with 13 K's over his first 25 plate appearances of the year. It's way too early to give up on the 34-year-old five-time All-Star in fantasy, but he's now batting just .130 (3-for-23) with two RBI in six games against Toronto dating back to last season to boot. His playing time is safe for now, but all bets might be off when Jasson Dominguez (elbow) is ready to go later in 2024. Things won't get any easier for Stanton versus Jays ace Kevin Gausman on Saturday, but the veteran slugger is 6-for-17 with a homer and three RBI in 18 PAs against the right-hander in his career and will sport some contrarian DFS appeal in a tough matchup on paper.

Baltimore Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel helped spoil the Pittsburgh Pirates' home opener in Friday's 5-2 win, preserving the victory and notching his first save of the year with two strikeouts in a clean ninth inning. It was a bit of a rocking-chair save for the 35-year-old nine-time All-Star, who sat down the sixth, seventh, and eighth hitters of Pittsburgh's lineup with relative ease. Kimbrel really struggled in spring ball, floundering to a 7.50 ERA and serving up two homers in six spring training innings, also blowing his first save chance of the year but escaping with the win in Monday's walk-off triumph over the visiting Kansas City Royals. With that said, Friday was a strong bounce-back performance. 2023 All-Star Yennier Cano has fired 4 1/3 scoreless frames and could eventually come knocking on the door for save chances of his own, but Kimbrel is a good bet to tally at least 20 saves in 2024.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his "hope" is that outfielder Jason Heyward (back) will return from the injured list when he's eligible next week, but the skipper isn't sure of Heyward's exact timeline yet. Heyward also didn't sound too concerned about his back injury and said it stiffened up on days he was coming off the bench, so the Dodgers decided him going on the IL would be best to make sure it doesn't linger. The 34-year-old is eligible to come back next Saturday, April 13. Until Heyward is able to return, Teoscar Hernandez is likely going to continue playing right field, with utility man Chris Taylor filling in on the other side in left field. In the first four games in 2024, Heyward has gone just 3-for-14 (.214) with two RBI and three runs scored for the Blue.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen is taking the day off on Thursday against the Washington Nationals. With McCutchen getting a breather, outfielder Connor Joe will serve as the team's DH on Thursday and bat fifth, with Jack Suwinski getting the start in left field and hitting cleanup against Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray. Suwinski is hitting .333 in his career in just six at-bats against Gray with a solo home runs, so he could be a sneaky low-cost DFS play as he draws into Pittsburgh's lineup. Joe is hitless in his six career at-bats versus Gray. The 37-year-old McCutchen is off to a slow start this year after a nice bounce-back performance in 2023 in his return to the Bucs. He's currently 3-for-16 (.188) with two RBI and nine strikeouts in 21 plate appearances over his first four games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers placed outfielder Jason Heyward (back) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with lower-back tightness and recalled outfielder Taylor Trammell from the minors in a corresponding move. Heyward had missed the last two games with the injury and will now miss at least another 10 days. It's believed to be a minor back injury, though, so the 34-year-old veteran outfielder could return to the Dodgers when he's eligible. In addition to his injury, Heyward has gotten off to a slow start in 2024, going 3-for-14 (.214) with two RBI and three runs scored in his first four games. Trammell was just claimed off waivers from the Mariners on Tuesday but will likely just be outfield bench depth in the short term with Heyward injured. Teoscar Hernandez is back in right field again on Wednesday, with Chris Taylor starting in left field for the Dodgers.

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) is scheduled to start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, according to manager Joe Espada. Verlander will throw a bullpen session on Thursday at Minute Maid Park before going on his minor-league rehab assignment. The Astros are optimistic that Verlander will only need two starts at Sugar Land before rejoining Houston's starting rotation. The future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner didn't pitch at all during spring training due to right-shoulder issues, but he hasn't had any setbacks while building his arm up and could make his 2024 debut for Houston in late April. Verlander shouldn't be viewed as a fantasy ace anymore, but it doesn't mean he still can't be productive as a No. 3 or 4 starter if he stays healthy.

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton will start on the bench on Wednesday for the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. With Stanton getting a breather, Aaron Judge will serve as the DH and bat third, while Trent Grisham will get the start in center field and hit in the nine-hole against Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly. Stanton has gotten off to a slow start at the plate for the Yankees in the first five games of the 2024 season, going just 3-for-20 (.150) with a solo home run, a double, two runs scored and 11 strikeouts in his first 21 plate appearances. Judge will be looking for his first career hit against Kelly (he's had just two at-bats against him), while Grisham is currently hitting .182 in 22 career at-bats against Kelly.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward (back) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the San Francisco Giants. As expected, Heyward will sit out after undergoing additional testing earlier in the week due to his back stiffness. The organization is hopeful that this is only a day-to-day issue and Heyward can avoid a trip to the injured list. Enrique Hernandez will cover left field and bat ninth versus right-hander Logan Webb on Tuesday. Fantasy managers should be able to find a better streaming option for Tuesday's slate.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session in Houston on Thursday and will then pitch in a minor-league rehab game a few days after that. Verlander threw a three-inning, 52-pitch simulated game on Monday and came away without any setbacks to his right shoulder. The 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner didn't pitch at all in spring training and will now build up his arm in minor-league games before potentially making his 2024 debut for the Astros before the end of April. But because he didn't pitch in any Grapefruit League games this spring, don't be surprised if Verlander needs two or three rehab games before being activated from the injured list.

Baltimore Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel blew his first save of the season but earned a win in Monday's 6-4 game against the Royals. Kimbrel came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one. He got the first out on a strikeout, allowed a single, allowed the runner to advance to third on two consecutive steals, gave up the tying run on a sacrifice fly, and got the final out on another strikeout. The O's would walk it off in the bottom half of the inning, making Kimbrel the winning pitcher of record. It wasn't a bad outing for the 36-year-old, who racked up 23 saves last season and is clearly the team's closer to start the season. This means he should have a pretty long leash, but, hopefully, he can pick up his first save with his new team in his next opportunity.

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman earned his first save of the season in Monday's 8-4 win over the Nationals. The 36-year-old entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning up by four with two outs and runners on first and second and ended things with a fly-out. This was not a typical save situation, which may explain why Chapman was called upon instead of David Bednar. Chapman has looked solid this season, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He may get some save opportunities throughout the season but is likely only going to be a source of strong ratios for now.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora says closer Kenley Jansen (back) is available on Monday for the start of a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics. "He had a great day yesterday," Cora said. Jansen was unavailable out of Boston's bullpen for Saturday's extra-inning defeat to the Seattle Mariners due to back tightness, but he's ready to roll on Monday if a save opportunity presents itself. After collecting an Opening Day save to protect last Thursday's win over Seattle, the 36-year-old All-Star should remain a solid fantasy closer this season as long as he's in Beantown. Jansen collected a 3.63 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 52:17 K:BB over 44 2/3 innings for the BoSox last year, but he has an expiring contract that could make him a trade candidate later this summer.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward (back) is out of the starting lineup on Monday night against the division-rival San Francisco Giants with a tight back. Teoscar Hernandez will move over to right field and hit sixth, while Chris Taylor draws the start in left field and will bat eighth against Giants right-hander Keaton Winn. It will be the second straight game on the bench for the left-handed-hitting Heyward, who didn't start on Sunday in the series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals with a left-handed pitcher on the mound. For now, fantasy managers should consider the 34-year-old veteran as day-to-day. Not only is Heyward not 100 percent healthy, but he went just 3-for-14 (.214) with two RBI, three runs scored and a strikeout in his first four games of the season.

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) threw a three-inning, 52-pitch live batting practice session on Monday. He said that ramping up to full velocity after an inning break was his focus again. Asked if he expects to go on a minor-league rehab assignment next, Verlander said, "I think so." Verlander was forced to start the year on the injured list due to shoulder issues he experienced in the offseason, but he's ramping up now and getting closer to making his 2024 season debut. Still, the 41-year-old is probably going to need at least several minor-league rehab starts, which means we won't see him back in Houston's starting rotation until late April or early May. The future Hall of Famer is no longer a fantasy ace, but he can still contribute in mixed leagues when he's healthy.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Daniel Hudson tossed a scoreless ninth inning to record his first save of the season on Sunday in a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Hudson didn't allow a baserunner and struck out a pair. The 37-year-old hasn't been able to stay healthy for a couple of years, as he tore his ACL in 2022 and then sprained his MCL after just three appearances in 2023. If he does manage to stay healthy, he is the second man up for saves in Los Angeles and should be their main eighth-inning guy. This makes him a great option in saves-plus-holds leagues.

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen was unavailable to pitch in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Mariners due to back tightness. Instead, the team turned to Joely Rodriguez and Justin Slaten in the bottom of the tenth in an attempt to preserve the win after the Sox scored two in the top of the inning, but the two pitchers combined to allow three hits, three runs, and a walk-off win for Seattle. Jansen dealt with the same injury in the spring but was able to pitch on Thursday when the Red Sox beat the Mariners 6-4, however, he woke up Friday and his back was tight. While the blown game is not ideal for the Red Sox, hopefully Jansen just needs some rest and he'll be back out there soon, however, fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on this. Veteran RHP Chris Martin would be next in line in the event of a prolonged absence.

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Houston Astros. Aaron Judge will be used as the team's primary designated hitter, while Trent Grisham will start in center field tonight against Houston. Look for manager Aaron Boone to mix and match his outfielders and to give Judge a day off from the grass to be the designated hitter. Grisham was acquired by the Yankees this offseason in the Juan Soto deal, and he signed a contract with the team for a one-year, $5.5 million to avoid arbitration. The 27-year-old will enter the Yankees' lineup for the first time this season. Fantasy managers can avoid using Grisham as a streamer or in DFS in a tough matchup against Houston's right-hander Hunter Brown.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (shoulder), who started the season on the 15-day injured list, inched closer to going out on a minor-league rehab assignment when he threw a bullpen session before Friday's game versus the New York Yankees. On March 5, the Astros decided to have Verlander begin the season on the IL because there wasn't enough time to get him fully ready before Opening Day. Although he showed up to camp a couple of weeks behind schedule due to right shoulder inflammation, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer's absence isn't likely to extend very deep into the regular season. If all goes well in his recovery, Verlander should be able to return to Houston's rotation by the end of April. Until the veteran right-hander is ready to make his 2024 debut, Ronel Blanco will occupy a rotation spot and carry short-term fantasy streaming appeal in favorable matchups.