New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) is expected to rejoin the starting rotation either April 15 or 16. Schmidt has been sidelined through the start of the campaign with rotator cuff tendinitis. However, the right-hander has performed well in his rehab outings and is expected to make his season debut next week. Across seven 1/3 innings of rehab work, Schmidt has not allowed a run and held a stellar 1:11 BB:K. He has also allowed just four hits. Last summer, Schmidt battled injuries as well, but was effective when on the bump. The South Carolina product posted a strong 2.85 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP across 85 1/3 innings of work. He tallied 93 punchouts. When Schmidt returns to the Yankees, he will replace either Carlos Carrasco, Marcus Stroman, or Will Warren in the rotation.

Baltimore Orioles right-handed pitcher Albert Suarez (shoulder) has been shut down from throwing. According to Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun, he will not resume throwing until an MRI shows healing in his right shoulder. He will not begin throwing for at least three weeks. The 35-year-old was recently moved to the 60-day injured list. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress, but should not expect him to return to the mound anytime soon. Last summer, Suarez operated as a swingman in Baltimore and appeared in 32 games (24 starts) and held a 3.70 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP across 133 2/3 innings of work. With Suarez sidelined, fantasy managers should expect southpaw Cade Povich to continue to see opportunities in the rotation.

The Cincinnati Reds have officially activated left-handed pitcher Andrew Abbott (shoulder) off the 15-day injured list ahead of his season debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday evening. Abbott opened the campaign on the injured list due to a rotator-cuff strain in his left shoulder. The southpaw has made two rehab outings and logged 10 innings of work to the tune of a 3.60 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP. He held a 5:8 BB:K and allowed three home runs. Last summer, the Virginia product logged a career-high 138 innings with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He tallied strikeouts at a modest 19.5 percent rate but was able to limit hard contact, as he generated a strong 33.5 percent hard-hit rate. Abbott is worth a look in DFS this afternoon while facing a struggling Pittsburgh lineup.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Chicago Cubs have been in contract discussions. The Cubs offered Crow-Armstrong a deal worth "roughly $75 million," but the two sides could not close the deal. The Cubs initially acquired Crow-Armstrong from the New York Mets during the 2021 MLB trade deadline in a move that sent shortstop Javier Baez to the Mets. Crow-Armstrong made his MLB debut during the 2023 season but did not become a full-time player until last summer. In 2024, Crow-Armstrong faced some growing pains but held a strong .262/.310/.465 slash line with 10 stolen bases during the second half. However, Crow-Armstrong has had a rough start to the 2025 season and has posted a .200/.273/.250 line. Fantasy managers should expect Crow-Armstrong to continue to be the everyday center fielder in Chicago, and it appears the Cubs hope to keep him on the Northside for the foreseeable future.

The New York Yankees placed right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman (knee) on the 15-day injured list due to right knee inflammation. In a corresponding move, the Yankees promoted right-handed pitcher Allan Winans to the MLB roster. Stroman struggled in his start on Friday evening against the Giants and noted that his knee was bothering him during this outing. He was only able to tally two outs and allowed four hits and five earned runs. He allowed a home run to outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and served up three free passes. During his first two starts of the season, Stroman logged eight 2/3 innings and allowed seven earned runs and posted a 4:6 BB:K. With Stroman hitting the injured list, fantasy managers should expect Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) to take his spot in the rotation when he is cleared to return next week.