


The Chicago Cubs placed pitchers Kyle Hendricks (back) and Drew Smyly (hip) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and recalled infielder Matt Mervis, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and left-hander Luke Little from Triple-A Iowa in corresponding moves. The 34-year-old Hendricks has been downright bad so far in 2024, posting a 12.00 ERA in his first five starts, but hopefully his back injury was mostly to blame. If left-hander Justin Steele (hamstring) is able to return from his IL stint before Hendricks does, which is likely, Hendricks could find himself out of a rotation spot when he's ready to return. With Hendricks out, Wesneski is a candidate to fill his rotation spot until Steele is able to return. Little will give the Cubs another left-handed arm out of the bullpen to replace Smyly.


Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is giving third baseman Rafael Devers (knee) one more day to rest his knee on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians and said Devers will serve as the designated hitter on Wednesday. Devers was originally set to return to Tuesday's lineup, but the Red Sox are being cautious since he hasn't played since suffering a bone bruise on his left knee on April 17. Pablo Reyes is getting the start at third for Boston on Tuesday and is hitting ninth against Guardians right-hander Ben Lively. Reyes, 30, should be avoided in DFS, especially in the nine-hole for the Red Sox. The Dominican infielder has eight hits in 46 at-bats (.174 average) with no homers and four RBI this year. Reyes has hit eight home runs, drove in 53 and stolen 12 bases in his six years in the majors.


Updating a previous report, Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (rib) has been diagnosed with a left-rib fracture and will be out "a while." Casas hurt himself swinging last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and was put on the 10-day injured list on Sunday. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is obviously going to miss well beyond 10 days while on the IL, but there's no exact firm timetable for when he might be able to rejoin the Red Sox as their everyday first baseman. Until he's able to return, Bobby Dalbec figures to see most of the playing time at the cold corner in Boston, but Pablo Reyes and Rob Refsnyder could also factor in if Dalbec continues to struggle at the plate. He currently has just one hit in his first 30 at-bats in 2024 with three walks and 18 strikeouts in 14 games.


New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) got out to 120 feet on flat ground in his throwing program on Tuesday, which is typically as far out as pitchers will go before getting on the mound as they rehab. With that said, Cole isn't sure when he will advance to throwing off a mound. He will take the day off on Wednesday and go from there as he ramps up his throwing progression. If the 33-year-old reigning American League Cy Young winner feels good later this week, manager Aaron Boone said he could star throwing off a mound next week. Fantasy managers in all formats need to keep Cole stashed in an injured-list spot as he attempts to come back from nerve irritation in his right elbow, but he still has a ways to go.


Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson is getting his first day off of the season on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Torkelson made it 23 games before getting his first day of rest in 2024, and he's currently hitting .231/.311/.319 with a league-leading eight doubles, no home runs, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored in 104 plate appearances. Mark Canha is getting the start at first base and will hit third for the Tigers, while Riley Greene is the designated hitter and batting leadoff against Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot. It's pretty concerning that Torkelson, the former first overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State, has yet to clear the bases so far this year. Neither Canha nor Greene have faced Pepiot in their careers.
