Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is out of Friday's starting lineup at Minute Maid Park against the Chicago White Sox due to swelling in the back of his right elbow, according to the team. It's unclear if this is an injury that will keep Bregman out for multiple games or even potentially send him to the injured list. Utility man Mauricio Dubon will start at the hot corner on Friday and bat eighth against White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet. It's bad timing for the 30-year-old Bregman to be injured, as he's been hot in August with a .340/.375/.717 slash line with five long balls, five doubles, eight RBI and 12 runs scored in 12 games. Dubon won't have much DFS upside in the eight-hole for Houston, but he does have an RBI and one hit in three career at-bats against Crochet.UPDATE: Bregman said he "slept on (his elbow) wrong" and underwent tests that showed no ligament damage. He said he hopes to miss "a few days."

The Boston Red Sox designated first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith for assignment on Friday and activated first baseman Triston Casas (rib cage) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move, according to sources. Smith gets the boot from the Red Sox's roster with Casas making his return for the first time since tearing cartilage in his rib cage in late April. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter had a solid month of July but overall hit .237/.317/.390 with a .706 OPS, six home runs, 20 doubles, 34 RBI and 29 runs scored in 83 total games for the Red Sox. Now that Casas is healthy, he'll return to being Boston's everyday first baseman. Smith could very well clear waivers and accept an assignment to the minors to stick in the organization.

Free-agent veteran left-hander Rich Hill signed a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox on Friday. Hill will likely report to Triple-A Worcester early next week. This was the expectation all along. The 44-year-old southpaw won't be guaranteed to make it to the big leagues with time running out in the 2024 season, but he'll give the Red Sox some veteran starting pitching depth with James Paxton likely out for the year with a partially torn calf muscle that he suffered earlier this week. Even if Hill makes starts for Boston in September, he'll be a fantasy streamer to avoid. Hill has not pitched at all in 2024 and sported a 5.41 ERA (4.87 FIP), a 1.52 WHIP and a 129:58 K:BB in 146 1/3 innings over 32 appearances (27 starts) last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres. There is very minimal upside here, if any at all.

The Boston Red Sox activated first baseman Triston Casas (rib cage) from the 60-day injured list on Friday and designated first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith for assignment in a corresponding move. Casas is at first base and is batting third in his return from the IL on Friday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Corbin Burnes at Camden Yards. It's a tough first matchup back for the 24-year-old, who has been out since late April after he tore cartilage in his rib cage. The young left-handed slugger needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats, though, as Boston's best power hitter when healthy. The former 26th overall pick in 2018 hit 24 homers and drove in 65 runs in 132 games in his first full big-league season in 2023 and could make an impact with his power down the stretch in all fantasy formats.

New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (illness) is feeling better and is back in left field while hitting third for the Mets in Friday's series opener against the division-rival Miami Marlins and right-hander Roddery Munoz at Citi Field. A stomach bug caused Nimmo to sit out of Thursday's series finale against the Oakland Athletics, but the 31-year-old outfielder is feeling better and will be back in action to start the weekend series against the Fish. He'll be hoping to pick it up offensively, as Nimmo has gone hitless in 13 at-bats in his last four games, although he has drawn four walks. He's also gone hitless in four career at-bats against Munoz. The former first-rounder has hit just .226 (96-for-425) on the year but has managed to get on base at a solid .342 clip with 16 homers, 67 RBI and 11 stolen bases for fantasy managers.