Chicago White Sox right-hander Mike Clevinger is starting for Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday night. This will be Clevinger's first minor-league start after previously pitching in extended spring training to try and get stretched out after re-signing with the club on a one-year deal on April 2. The 33-year-old is scheduled to throw four innings or 60 pitches on Thursday and then move to five innings or 75 pitches in his next minor-league start. If Clevinger looks good after those two outings on the farm, he could be called up to the big-league roster and start make his 2024 debut for the White Sox early in May. The former fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2011 went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while striking out 110 and walking 40 in 24 starts for Chicago last year. He'll be a deep-league streaming option, at best, once he returns to the majors.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's afternoon contest against the visiting San Diego Padres. It's not surprising to see the club give the veteran a spell in an afternoon game following an evening game on Wednesday in which Blackmon led off as the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in his club's 5-2 loss. The 37-year-old is off to a sluggish start this season, hitting .228 with one homer, one stolen base, and a .659 OPS across 86 trips to the plate. At this point, Blackmon's power and speed just aren't there and he should be left on the waiver wire in all fantasy formats, including NL-only leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's afternoon tilt against the Washington Nationals and left-hander MacKenzie Gore. Kike Hernandez will take over at the hot corner and hit fifth on Thursday. It's been another excellent season at the plate for the veteran who is hitting .241 with four homers, 15 RBI, a 14.7% BB%, and an .811 OPS across 102 trips to the plate, production that grades out 25% above the league average, as per his 125 wRC+. His season has contained some swing-and-miss with a bloated 32.4% K% on the season but fantasy managers can expect that mark to drop considering his 24.8% career mark.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (shin) is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat second on Thursday against right-hander Luis Castillo and the visiting Seattle Mariners. Seager was removed as a precaution late in Wednesday's contest against the M's after he was hit by a pitch and suffered a left-shin contusion. The 29-year-old's shin swelled up after the game, but apparently he's feeling good enough on Thursday to serve as the DH against a pitcher that he's hit .300 against in 10 career at-bats. With Seager at DH, Josh Smith is starting at the 6 and batting sixth for Texas. Fantasy managers will want to get Seager back into all starting lineups. He's started off the 2024 season hitting .256 (22-for-86) with a homer, six RBI and 11 runs scored.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is getting a day off in a matinee game on Thursday versus the visiting Chicago White Sox. With Buxton starting on the bench, Austin Martin is starting in center field and will bat ninth against White Sox right-hander Michael Soroka. Not only has Buxton remained healthy through the first month of the season, but he's starting to pick it up at the plate of late, hitting .323 with a home run, four doubles and a triple in his last eight games to raise his season line to .247/.280/.403 with a home run, 10 RBI and seven runs scored in his first 77 at-bats. Buxton should be back in action for the start of a series against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in Anaheim. Martin has never faced Soroka in his career and will be a low-upside sleeper in DFS in the nine-hole for the Twins.

The Philadelphia Phillies reinstated first baseman Bryce Harper from the paternity list on Thursday and optioned infielder Kody Clemens to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move after Wednesday's game. Harper is playing first base and batting third in his return in the series finale against the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Nick Martinez on Thursday. Fantasy baseball managers will want to put the two-time MVP back in their starting lineups in all formats. He's hitless in two career at-bats against Martinez. The seven-time All-Star returns to a .241/.330/.443 slash line with four home runs, four doubles, 14 RBI, one stolen base and 10 runs scored in 91 plate appearances over his first 21 games of 2024. Harper will be hoping to extend his current six-game hitting streak in his return on Thursday.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer threw two-and-a-third innings for Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday, allowing three earned runs on five hits (two home runs), no walks, and four strikeouts. The veteran threw 52 pitches, which was the expectation heading into the game. The 39-year-old will likely make at least one more start, working his way up to 60-70 pitches next time out, before rejoining the Rangers at some point in May. Scherzer was solid in 2023's regular season, going 13-6 with a 3.77 ERA (3.77 SIERA), and a 1.12 WHIP, but his K-BB% of 20.8% was his lowest since 2014. He had a rough postseason, going 0-1 with a 6.52 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, and a 4.8% K-BB% over three starts. Hopefully he's able to shake off the rust and get back to form, both for the Rangers and for fantasy managers.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) made his first appearance of 2024 in Wednesday's minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock, surrendering three runs on five hits (two home runs) with four punchouts. The long ball plagued Scherzer a year ago as well, serving up 28 homers over 27 starts, so fantasy managers hope he's getting those issues out of his system before he rejoins the major-league roster. With Scherzer's target being an early-May return to Texas' rotation after offseason back surgery, he appears likely to make at least two more rehab starts before becoming available to fantasy managers. Even so, the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer has a chance to crush the late-round ADP he carried in the spring due to concerns he'd be out until midseason. Last season, Scherzer recorded a rock-solid 3.20 ERA (3.41 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, and 53:15 K:BB over 45 frames (eight starts) after joining the Rangers.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Hector Neris got the call in Wednesday's save situation against the visiting Houston Astros, allowing a run but holding on to safeguard the 3-2 win. After Neris relieved setup man Mark Leiter Jr., Jose Altuve greeted him with a solo home run to immediately get the tying run to the plate with no outs and Houston's big bats coming up. Despite the long ball, Neris settled in to retire stars Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Yordan Alvarez in order. While Yency Almonte scooped up a save in Wednesday's five-run victory over Houston, Neris' usage suggests he's manager Craig Counsell's current preferred ninth-inning man after the skipper removed Adbert Alzolay from the role following Saturday's blown save. Although the 34-year-old veteran right-hander has a shaky 4.50 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, and 8:7 K:BB over eight innings this year, he needs to be rostered in more than 42% of Yahoo leagues.

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor put together his most productive outing of the season in Wednesday's 8-2 win over the San Francisco Giants, racking up four hits in five at-bats with two home runs. Although Lindor has been one of fantasy's biggest busts over the first month of action, he looked the part of an early-round fantasy pick on Wednesday. He homered to deep right center to score leadoff man Brandon Nimmo in the third inning and get New York into the scoring column, later sinking the Giants with another two-run jack in the ninth to make it an 8-1 ballgame. The 30-year-old Silver Slugger is now slashing .206/.291/.361 with four taters, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored, and one stolen base through 110 plate appearances (24 games) ahead of a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals starting on Friday. Last season, Lindor hit .375 (9-for-24) with one homer, two doubles, five RBI, and two thefts in seven games against St. Louis.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout went deep for the second time in as many days in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the visiting Baltimore Orioles, homering to deep left in the sixth inning. Trout's solo shot got the Halos on the board, but their late comeback attempt fell just short. The 32-year-old perennial Silver Slugger is rewarding those who took the gamble on his discounted ADP during fantasy drafts, slashing a powerful .237/.321/.598 with an MLB-leading 10 big flies, 13 RBI, five stolen bases, and 16 runs scored in 97 at-bats (25 outings). If he stays healthy, Trout should have no problem returning early-round value the rest of the way no matter where he's placed in Anaheim's lineup. He'll get a day off before a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins begins on Friday, and Trout is batting .400 (8-for-20) with a homer, three doubles, six RBI, and six runs scored in six games versus the Twins since 2021.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (shin) was hit by a pitch on the left shin in the seventh inning on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners and was removed as a precaution after staying in to run the bases. Before hitting the showers early, Seager was 0-for-2 at the plate with a walk and the hit-by-pitch. He was replaced in the field by Davis Wendzel. The 29-year-old's injury doesn't appear to be very serious, but fantasy managers should be prepared to be without him for the day game on Thursday in the series finale against the M's. Seager came into Wednesday's contest hitting .262 (22-for-84) with only one home run and six RBI in his first 21 games, but he's hit just .192 in his last seven games, so he could probably use the day off on Thursday anyway.UPDATE: Seager was diagnosed with a left-shin contusion.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (foot), who was pulled from a minor-league rehab game early on Tuesday with Double-A Somerset, still has swelling in his injured right foot. He will be shut down from baseball activities for the next seven days and then be re-evaluated. LeMahieu was set to play fewer than five rehab games in the minors before being activated from the injured list for his 2024 debut with the Yankees, but that's not going to happen now. The 35-year-old veteran is struggling to return from a fractured right foot and will now need to rest some more before trying to restart his rehab assignment. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect to see LeMahieu now until around mid-May. Oswaldo Cabrera has benefitted from a regular role at third base in the Bronx as a result and was hitting .278 (20-for-72) with three homers, 14 RBI and 11 runs heading into Wednesday's contest.

San Diego Padres third baseman/designated hitter Manny Machado is expected to return to the lineup on Friday for the start of a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park. Machado is currently on the paternity list while he and his wife expect the delivery of their first child, and manager Mike Shildt has confirmed the star infielder will not rejoin the club ahead of their series finale against the division-rival Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Before taking some time away, the 31-year-old six-time All-Star was slashing a modest .260/.324/.417 with four home runs, three doubles, 12 RBI, and 15 runs scored in 105 plate appearances (24 games). In 16 games versus the Phillies since 2021, Machado is hitting .267 (16-for-60) with six homers, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, and one stolen base.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) ran on the field on Wednesday for the first time since injuring his back. Yelich hasn't swung or played catch yet, however, as he's progressed slower than anticipated from a strained lower back. Considering Yelich battled back issues in the early part of his career with the Miami Marlins, expect the Brew Crew to take a cautious approach with the 32-year-old star left fielder. Yelich was returning first-round fantasy value before hitting the shelf, slashing .333/.422/.744 with five home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases across 39 at-bats (11 games). The switch-hitting Blake Perkins has received everyday ABs in Milwaukee's outfield since Yelich went on the injured list, slashing .309/.387/.473 with two homers, six RBI, 13 runs scored, and two swipes through 55 ABs overall, and he's worth a look for those in NL-only or deep mixed leagues who need a stopgap solution.

Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (oblique) did some light glove work off to the side on the field on Wednesday and said he's swinging and doing baseball activities as he recovers from an oblique injury that sent him to the injured list. It sounds as though there's some possibility that he could come off the IL on the coming road trip without a minor-league rehab assignment if things keep trending well. The Twins start their road trip in Los Angeles against the Angels this Friday. The 29-year-old Puerto Rican is itching to get back as the team's starting shortstop after starting the year 11-for-36 (.306) with a homer and four RBI in 11 games played. Willi Castro has been serving as Minnesota's primary shortstop since Correa was placed on the IL.

The Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (hip) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with left-hip flexor inflammation and recalled utility man Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move. Kiermaier was injured in Tuesday's contest and will now miss at least the next 10 days. Considering the 34-year-old's injury history, it wouldn't be a surprise if he missed more than the required 10 days on the IL. Kiermaier will be eligible to return on May 4. Daulton Varsho is moving to center field and batting cleanup on Wednesday, while Barger will make his major-league debut in left field while hitting eighth against Kansas City Royals right-hander Alec Marsh. Barger, who hits from the left side, is likely to see some playing time against right-handed pitching and is worth a deep-league pickup for his power upside.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. This appears to be a routine rest day for Kepler against a tough left-handed starter. Kepler has been hot since returning from the injured list with four RBI in two games. In his absence, Manuel Margot will cover right field and bat third versus left-hander Garrett Crochet.

Miami Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt (illness) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. The 32-year-old will return to the field after missing the last week or so due to an illness. His return won't mean too much for fantasy managers as Bethancourt has struggled this season. He's hitless through 23 plate appearances, so fantasy managers can look elsewhere for help. Jhonny Pereda has been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville to make room for Bethancourt on the active roster.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that the plan for now is to play Joey Gallo in right field after the team placed outfielder Lane Thomas (knee) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a Grade 2 MLB sprain in his left knee. Rookie infielder Trey Lipscomb, who was called up from Triple-A Rochester, will play multiple positions but probably a decent amount of first base. Gallo is making his first start in the outfield on Wednesday and is hitting fifth against Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed rookie Landon Knack. The 30-year-old left-handed batter has plenty of power offensively, but he swings and misses often and is hitting just .143 (9-for-63) on the year with three home runs, five RBI and 34 strikeouts in 79 plate appearances over 20 games.