Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) is taking live batting practice against a minor-league pitcher at Minute Maid Park before Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals. The only box left to check for Tucker now is to run the bases full speed. He hasn't played since June 3, when he fouled a ball off his leg and suffered a shin contusion. But as long as Tucker can run the bases at full speed soon, he should return to Houston's starting lineup in early September. When healthy, the 27-year-old left-handed-hitting right fielder is one of the best players in baseball. The former fifth overall pick in 2015 has made the All-Star team each of the last three seasons and was hitting .266 (57-for-214) with 19 home runs, 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases already through just 60 games before his unfortunate injury. He could be a difference-maker the final few weeks of the season for fantasy managers.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio (ankle) will not play in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park after he rolled his right ankle in Game 1. Chourio will receive some treatment and more tests as a precaution, but it sounds like the Brewers think he avoided a long-term injury. Milwaukee is going with Sal Frelick, Blake Perkins and Garrett Mitchell from left to right, respectively, in the nightcap. The 20-year-old injured his ankle running to first base in the fifth inning earlier on Friday but remained in the contest and went 2-for-5 with a double and a strikeout out of the leadoff spot in the 10-inning win. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Chourio is out on Saturday, but as of now, the impressive rookie shouldn't be forced to miss extended time.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will sit out of Friday's series opener against the division-rival Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Field. With Seager getting a day off, Ezequiel Duran will make a start at shortstop and will bat eighth against A's left-hander JP Sears. Duran won't have much DFS upside near the bottom of Texas' lineup, but he is hitting .455 with a 1.026 OPS and an RBI in 11 career at-bats against Sears. The 30-year-old Seager will get a day off after starting in each of the team's last 12 games. He reached a pretty big milestone in Thursday's contest against the Chicago White Sox, too, clubbing the 200th home run of his career. The two-time World Series MVP has been great in the month of August, batting .293 (29-for-99) with 11 long balls, five doubles, 24 RBI and 16 runs scored in 24 games played. He's a must-start anytime he's in the lineup.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) is back in action for Friday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize at Comerica Park, serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup. Rookie Nick Sogard will get another start at third and will hit seventh for the BoSox. Devers has been dealing with issues in both of his shoulders for most of the year and took the last three days off to rest up this week. Now that he's back, fantasy managers will want to get him back in their lineups in redraft leagues against Mize, who will be making his first start in two months due to a hamstring strain. Hopefully, the time off this week can break Devers out of his current slump at the plate. The 27-year-old Dominican has gone 10-for-43 (.233) in his last 11 games, although he does have three home runs and eight RBI in that span.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is not in the team's starting lineup on Friday at Minute Maid Park against the Kansas City Royals. Right-elbow soreness has returned for Bregman, pushing him to the bench for the second game of the series against Houston. This is pretty concerning for the Astros and fantasy managers after the 30-year-old missed five games earlier this month with swelling in his right elbow. After starting each of the team's last nine games, the issue has returned, and it's unclear when he'll be able to join the starting lineup. Bregman did admit that his elbow issues would be something he'd need to manage the rest of the year. Since missing five straight games, he's gone 9-for-36 (.250) with two homers, two RBI and eight K's in nine games. Mauricio Dubon is at third and batting ninth on Friday against Royals veteran right-hander Seth Lugo.