Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie submitted his best showing of the 2024 regular season in Wednesday's 3-2 extra-inning victory over the Houston Astros, fanning six hitters while surrendering two runs on five hits (one home run) and one walk over a season-high seven innings. It hasn't been a great start to the year for McKenzie, who missed most of last season due to injury, but he cruised through Houston's dangerous lineup in the first five innings. Kyle Tucker tagged him for a homer in the seventh, leaving McKenzie with a no-decision. The 26-year-old right-hander improved his ERA to 4.34 with a 1.48 WHIP and a troubling 24:18 K:BB over 29 innings (six starts) to begin the campaign. Monday's home start against the division-rival Detroit Tigers offers him a great chance to build on Wednesday's display. In seven career starts (43 IP) against Detroit, McKenzie has a 1.05 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 50:11 K:BB.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil quieted the division-rival Baltimore Orioles in Wednesday's 2-0 road victory, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings on two hits and one walk with five strikeouts en route to a win. Singles by Heston Kjerstad and Jordan Westburg were the only marks left on Gil's ledger besides a Ryan O'Hearn walk, and it was a strong rebound performance after the hurler allowed five runs in five innings during his previous start on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers. The 25-year-old right-hander has helped eat innings for the Yankees while they wait for Gerrit Cole (elbow) to return, recording a workmanlike 3.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 40:20 K:BB over 31 frames (six starts) so far this season. Gil gets a stiff draw against the Houston Astros and right-hander Justin Verlander in Tuesday's scheduled start at Yankee Stadium. Houston is third in baseball with a .263 average as a team through 30 games.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (foot) reported to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday and told the club's training staff that he was "feeling great," according to manager Aaron Boone. LeMahieu appears to be close to resuming baseball activities, and a minor-league rehab assignment doesn't appear far off. The 35-year-old veteran contact hitter suffered a setback while recovering from a non-displaced fracture in his right foot with Double-A Somerset after one inning on April 23, but he should still be able to return sometime in mid-to-late May if he can avoid any additional hitches in the road during his progression. The switch-hitting Oswaldo Cabrera is serving as New York's everyday third baseman for now, but he's losing steam with a .236/.259/.327 triple-slash line in his most recent 55 at-bats (15 games) and LeMahieu's return approaching.

New York Mets relief pitcher Adam Ottavino tossed a scoreless eighth inning during Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs, continuing to throw as well as any reliever in recent weeks. Believe it or not, Ottavino has not allowed a hit to the last 34 batters he's faced, walking only two and striking out 17 over this superb stretch that dates back to April 5. The 38-year-old veteran high-leverage arm has tallied nine consecutive hitless appearances out of New York's bullpen, and he now carries a shiny 1.54 ERA, 0.51 WHIP, and 20:2 K:BB over 11 2/3 innings overall for the Mets during the 2024 regular season. With Drew Smith (shoulder) and Brooks Raley (elbow) on the shelf, it looks pretty clear that Ottavino would be next in line for save opportunities in Queens in the event that Edwin Diaz ever needs to miss time for whatever reason.

Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong continued his hot start to the season in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two doubles. Wong most notably doubled in a run on a sharp line drive that brought around Wilyer Abreu for an insurance score in the seventh inning. The 27-year-old backstop is tearing the cover off the ball to begin the campaign, batting .366 (26-for-71) with five home runs, three doubles, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored in 21 games as Boston's primary catcher. Wong is worth a look for fantasy managers in two-catcher leagues while he's rolling ahead of a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins starting on Friday, but the wheels will likely come off a bit at some point. In six games versus the Twins last season, Wong hit .250 (5-for-20) with three RBI, and three runs scored.

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval tallied 10 strikeouts in Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, tossing five innings of two-run ball on four hits and two walks en route to a loss. It was Sandoval's first game with double-digit punchouts since 2022, but Kyle Schwarber's two-run single in the second inning proved to be enough to saddle the hurler with a loss on a day the Phillies struck out 18 times. The 27-year-old southpaw will take an underwhelming 5.91 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and 38:16 K:BB over 32 frames (seven starts) for the Halos into in his next scheduled appearance on Tuesday on the road against the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates, who are scoring just 2.4 runs per game over their last 21 contests.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (hand) is set to make his next start on six days of rest this Saturday against the visiting Atlanta Braves. Glasnow dealt with cramping in his hand in his last start last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays but is good to go for a showdown against the Braves this weekend. In his first season with the Dodgers, the 30-year-old has been as advertised, going 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (2.75 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with 12 walks and a league-high 53 strikeouts in 43 innings over his seven starts. Despite dealing with cramping issues in his hand in Toronto last weekend, Glasnow picked up the win against the Jays by giving up just one earned run, walking three and striking out nine in six innings for his fifth win of the year. He's a must-start in fantasy this weekend despite facing the tough Braves lineup.

The Arizona Diamondbacks scratched catcher Gabriel Moreno from Wednesday's lineup against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. There's no word yet from the D-backs as to whether or not Moreno is dealing with an injury, but Tucker Barnhart is now catching left-hander Jordan Montgomery and batting ninth on Wednesday. Until more is known, consider Moreno day-to-day with a day off on Thursday ahead of Friday's series opener at home versus the visiting San Diego Padres. The 24-year-old former top prospect is slashing a weak .238/.344/.325 with six extra-base hits, 13 RBI, and nine runs scored as Arizona's primary backstop during the 2024 regular season.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday that starting pitcher Cristian Javier (neck) is an option to start Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. A lot will depend on how the next few days go for Javier, who threw off the mound ahead of Tuesday's game versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians as he recuperates from discomfort in his neck. If Javier comes away with no setbacks in his throwing progression, it looks like he won't need a brief minor-league rehab assignment before the Stros activate him from the injured list. The 27-year-old star right-hander owns a 1.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 18:11 K:BB over 23 1/3 innings (four starts) out of Houston's injury-riddled rotation, and his return would almost certainly send struggling rookie righty Spencer Arrighetti back to the minor leagues.

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (illness) was removed from Wednesday's game versus the visiting Chicago Cubs due to flu-like symptoms. Lindor went 0-for-1 before veteran infielder Joey Wendle replaced him at shortstop during the third inning. It exacerbates a poor start to the season for Lindor, who's slashing .195/.278/.356 with five home runs, 11 RBI, 16 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 118 at-bats (30 games) for the Mets. The 30-year-old All-Star switch-hitter should be considered day-to-day ahead of Thursday's series finale against the Cubs, but he should be able to get back into New York's lineup if he's feeling better by then. Check back ahead of Thursday's action to see whether or not Lindor will need his first day off of the season.

The Houston Astros placed outfielder Chas McCormick (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 28) on Wednesday with right-hamstring discomfort and recalled infielder Jacob Amaya from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. It's not considered a very serious injury for McCormick, so he'll have a good shot to return from the IL when he's first eligible on May 8. The 29-year-old outfielder is off to a rather slow start, much like the Astros team as a whole, as he's hitting .236/.325/.278 with no home runs, eight RBI and two stolen bases in his first 21 games after setting career-highs in homers (22), RBI (70) and stolen bases (19) in 2023. Mauricio Dubon will see additional playing time in the outfield with McCormick out, while prospect Joey Loperfido has also been added to the mix on a Houston team desperately looking for a spark.

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Frankie Montas (forearm) threw a side bullpen session on Monday and reported no issues, according to manager David Bell. He's scheduled to throw another bullpen session before being activated from the 15-day injured list. Bell expected Montas to return to the starting rotation as soon as he's first eligible on May 7 or the day after. The veteran was hit by a comebacker on his right forearm and was forced to leave his start on April 21 after only 16 pitches against the Los Angeles Angels. It sounds like the 31-year-old is going to return to Cincy's rotation without going on a minor-league rehab start, which will make him extra risky for fantasy purposes if he starts early next week in the series against the Diamondbacks. In his first five starts with the Reds, Montas has gone 2-2 with a 4.19 ERA and 1.45 WHIP while fanning 14 in 19 1/3 innings.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (knee) will undergo imaging on his injured right knee, and the Twins will take the off day on Thursday to assess his injury. Buxton declined to speak to the media after the team's 10th straight victory on Wednesday over the Chicago White Sox. The oft-injured 30-year-old tweaked his knee while trying to steal a base in the second inning and gingerly left the field. It's an ominous sign for a player that has had a tough time staying on the field due to injuries, not to mention it's to the same knee he's had surgery on twice. We should know more on Thursday or Friday, but fantasy managers should be bracing for the worst. If Buxton requires an injured-list stint, Manuel Margot could see additional playing time in Minnesota's outfield.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar designated hitter Shohei Ohtani isn't in the team's lineup on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time this year against left-hander Jordan Montgomery. Catcher Will Smith will serve as the Dodgers' DH and hit third, while Austin Barnes will do the catching and bat in the nine-hole against Montgomery. Ohtani has gone just 5-for-26 in the last six games, so he's deserving of a day off and will get another day to rest on Thursday before the team begins a big series on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. Despite his recent skid, the 29-year-old Japanese left-handed slugger is slashing an impressive .336/.399/.618 with a 1.017 OPS, seven home runs, 19 RBI, five stolen bases and 25 runs scored in his first 32 games with the Blue. Smith has a solo homer among his two hits in four career at-bats against Montgomery.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale has been surprisingly reliable on the mound this season. The left-hander has rejuvenated his career since joining the Braves. On Wednesday, Sale recorded a season-high nine strikeouts while allowing one run over five innings of work in the win over the Seattle Mariners. Sale has allowed three or fewer runs in five of his six starts to open the season. He'll take his 3.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 42/7 K/BB ratio into his next start versus the Boston Red Sox.

Milwaukee Brewers infielder Willy Adames has been crushing the ball over the last few days. On Wednesday, Adames went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBI in the win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Adames now has three homers and eight RBI over the last two games. There was some thought that Adames would hit lower in the batting order this season. However, he has been batting cleanup or higher over the last few weeks. Adames now has 21 RBI over 30 games this season.

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) had a "heavy day" of throwing on Tuesday, and manager Aaron Boone said he doesn't know when Cole is scheduled to throw from a mound. When asked if the All-Star break was a realistic time for Cole to return, Boone said he wouldn't speculate. MLB's Bryan Hoch thinks Cole is close to throwing off a mound, but he still needs to go through a whole spring training progression to build up his arm, so it wouldn't be a surprise of the reigning American League Cy Young winner isn't able to return to the Yanks until the second half of the season. The 33-year-old continues to throw multiple times per week on flat ground, but he still has a ways to go before making his 2024 debut. He is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on May 25, but that's not going to happen. Fantasy managers must stay patient.

The Los Angeles Angels placed corner infielder Miguel Sano (knee) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 28) on Wednesday and selected the contract of outfielder Willie Calhoun from the minors in a corresponding move. Right-hander Zac Kristofak was also designated for assignment. Sano hasn't played since last Friday due to left-knee inflammation and will now miss more time. The 30-year-old former Twin has gotten off to a decent start with a .262 average (16-for-61) in his first year with the Halos, but his signature power has yet to show up. Sano has gone deep just once and has driven in only five runs before injuring his knee. Until Sano returns, Luis Rengifo should play daily for the Angels at either third base or second base.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that third baseman Isaac Paredes was out of the starting lineup in Wednesday's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers because his body and arm are "barking a little bit." The Rays have a scheduled off day on Thursday before beginning a weekend series on Friday at home against the visiting New York Mets, so we'd expect Paredes to be back in action then. If the 25-year-old Mexican infielder is back in there on Friday, fantasy baseball managers will want to get him back into their lineups in all formats. Paredes is currently slashing a strong .291/.358/.509 with an .867 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI and 14 runs scored in 110 at-bats. He had a career-high 31 long balls in 2023 and also drove in a career-high 98 runs.

The Boston Red Sox acquired infielder Zack Short from the New York Mets on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations. Short finds a new home in the American League after the Mets designated him for assignment recently. Because the 28-year-old utility infielder is out of minor-league options, he'll join Boston's big-league roster for the time being as infield depth. The former 17th-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2016 out of Sacred Heart University has the ability to play shortstop, second base and third base. Before being DFA'd, Short appeared in 10 games for the Mets this year and went 1-for-9 at the plate with two walks and four strikeouts. He's a career .172/.266/.304 hitter in four big-league seasons and is off the fantasy radar.