Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (triceps) has begun "throwing-like" activities but has yet to begin playing catch. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash noted that his recovery process has been "slow and steady." While this is not a significant improvement in his progress, it is a good sign to see the southpaw slowly progressing and not facing any setbacks. The left-hander was expected to be Tampa Bay's Opening Day starter but suffered a triceps injury during spring training. He has been on the injured list since the start of the campaign. In addition, McClanahan was recently shifted to the 60-day injured list, which means he will not return till at least the end of the month. Despite his potential extended recovery timetable, McClanahan remains a strong stash option in standard formats given his strikeout potential. While he remains sidelined, Zack Littell should continue to see opportunities in the rotation.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (hamstring) is expected to have his timeline determined in the coming weeks. The right-hander was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain last week and could be facing his second extended absence of the season. Strider opened the campaign on the injured list as he was recovering from an internal brace procedure. During his lone start this season, Strider tossed five innings of two-run ball against the Toronto Blue Jays. In this outing, the hard-throwing righty struck out five batters and served up one walk. Last season, Strider was only able to log nine innings before being shut down after undergoing the internal brace procedure. Despite his recent health concerns, when on the bump, Strider is an elite option in all fantasy formats and remains a must-stash option. While he is sidelined, AJ Smith-Shawver should see opportunities in the big leagues.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (shoulder) felt great after completing his bullpen session on Monday and is expected to throw again on Sunday. After the session, Kirby noted that he "felt great" and described his session as "nasty." Fantasy managers should monitor his status over the week, as Kirby could be cleared to embark on a rehab assignment this weekend. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since the start of the campaign due to right shoulder inflammation. While the right-hander will need to increase his workload significantly before being in contention to return to the majors, this was a great step in the right direction. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Kirby in all standard formats as he will carry solid SP2 value in all formats when he returns. Last summer, Kirby held a 3.53 ERA with a stellar 1.07 WHIP across 191 innings of work.

San Francisco Giants infielder/outfielder Tyler Fitzgerald (chest) is returning to the starting nine on Tuesday when they face the San Diego Padres. The 27-year-old has been held out of the starting lineup for the past two games due to this minor injury. However, Fitzgerald will be making a quick return to the lineup. This evening, he will cover the keystone and bat in the nine-hole. Before his injury, Fitzgerald had not tallied a hit in each of his past two games. However, before this minor skid, the 27-year-old held an impressive .391/.429/.630 slash line with three doubles, two home runs, and seven RBI over his last 14 contests. Even though he has enjoyed a productive start to the campaign, he has generated a low .257 xwOBA, which is well below the average marks. He is best to fade this evening in DFS facing San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) completed a 27-pitch bullpen session on Friday. Toronto manager John Schneider noted that it was a "step in the right direction" for the veteran right-hander. Scherzer has been sidelined with this injury after making his season debut on March 29. In this outing, Scherzer lasted just three innings before exiting the contest. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears Scherzer will need to complete several more bullpen sessions before being cleared to embark on a rehab assignment. Last season, the 40-year-old was limited to numerous injuries and logged just 43 1/3 innings on the bump. Even though he has battled injuries over the past few seasons, when on the mound, he has been effective. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to stash Scherzer while he slowly increases his workload.