Boston Red Sox right-hander reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday, according to manager Alex Cora. This will be Hendriks' first bullpen session since being placed on the 15-day injured list to start the 2025 season. Hendrik's battled control problems and an elbow injury in spring training, which caused him to lose out on potentially opening the year as Boston's preferred closer. The 36-year-old veteran is unlikely to be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible on Tuesday, April 8, but it might not be much longer after that in which he's able to make his season debut in Beantown. The Australian native and three-time All-Star didn't pitch at all in the big leagues in 2024 and made just five appearances in 2023 in his final season with the White Sox due to injury, so he's far from a sure thing to stay healthy at this point of his career as a high-leverage reliever.

Houston Astros outfield prospect Jacob Melton (back) was placed on the Triple-A injured list due to a back injury. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported that Melton battled numerous back injuries during camp and aggravated this injury during one of his final Grapefruit League contests. Melton did not appear in a Triple-A contest before hitting the injured list. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his status as he will contend for an early 2025 MLB debut once he is cleared for action. Last season, the former second-round selection began his campaign at Double-A and held a .248/.306/.442 line with 10 home runs across 58 games. He then moved up to Triple-A, where he posted a solid .260/.314/.405 line across his first 47 games. The Oregon State product may not need much time before earning the call to Houston once cleared for action.

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (leg) pulled up lame at second base in the first inning on Friday against the Washington Nationals after what would have been an easy triple against right-hander Jake Irvin. Marte walked off the field and exited the game with a limp due to an undisclosed leg injury. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on this one, as the 31-year-old All-Star is one of the best overall second baseman in the game. The injury comes after he just signed a six-year, $116 million contract extension this week. Marte was clearly in pain and could be headed for the injured list, but we'll have to wait for more word on the specific nature of his injury. Garrett Hampson replaced Marte at the keystone and would be in line for regular work at second base if Marte requires an extended absence.

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (hamstring) has been scratched from the lineup on Friday against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field with a tight left hamstring, which happened a few days ago, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. McLain was out on the field to start pre-game warmups but then met with trainers before heading to the clubhouse. With McLain now out of the lineup, Santiago Espinal will start at second base and will hit eighth against Brewers left-hander Tyler Alexander. Spencer Steer, who was originally scheduled for a day off, will now serve as the designated hitter and bat second. Jeimer Candelario is at third and hitting fifth. For now, fantasy managers should remove McLain from their starting lineups and consider him day-to-day. The 25-year-old former first-rounder has six hits in his first 27 at-bats this year, but with three homers, five RBI and one steal.

The Los Angeles Angels are promoting pitching prospect Caden Dana to the major leagues. In a corresponding move, the team is placing right-handed pitcher Ryan Johnson on the paternity list. Dana received a brief taste of the major leagues last season but struggled as he allowed 11 earned runs across 10 1/3 innings of work. However, Dana has enjoyed success in the minor leagues and could be poised to bounce back in his second stint in the big leagues. Last summer, Dana spent all of his time at Double-A before reaching the majors and held a strong 2.52 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP across 135 2/3 innings of work. He tallied 147 punchouts. This season, he made one start at Triple-A, his debut at that level, and logged four innings of one-run ball. Fantasy managers in deeper AL-only formats should consider adding Dana as an upside option, as he has performed very well in the upper levels of the minor leagues. However, Dana may only see a limited taste of the big leagues before Johnson returns.