Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (groin) threw another bullpen session ahead of Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Although Eovaldi is close to returning to the mound, the club's training staff hasn't decided if he will need a brief minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the major-league action. The hard-throwing 34-year-old is working his way back from a strained right groin, and he appears to have a chance to rejoin Texas' rotation as early as Sunday's series finale against the Twins with the Rangers' pitching staff so shorthanded at the moment. Eovaldi was 2-2 with a sharp 2.61 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 44:19 K:BB over seven starts (41 1/3 innings) before getting hurt, and his return should come before the end of May if all continues to go well in his recovery in the coming days.

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black said before Friday's game versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies that outfielder Nolan Jones (back, knee) is still a few days away from resuming full baseball activities. Jones was running and stretching at Coors Field on Friday, but he's still not ready to take swings. After heading to the injured list on April 30 with a strained lower back, Jones then experienced swelling in his knee during his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque last weekend and remains without a clear timeline for a return at this point. Even though the speedy 26-year-old slugger was slashing a miserable .170/.243/.277 with one home run, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases through 26 games (94 at-bats) as Colorado's everyday left fielder before hitting the shelf, his five-category upside when healthy makes him worth stashing in all fantasy leagues.

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said starting pitcher Gavin Williams (elbow) threw a live batting practice session on Friday and will throw another one in a few days. Barring any setbacks, Williams will begin a minor-league rehab assignment before the end of May. Williams has not yet made his 2024 regular-season debut due to an extended absence with discomfort in his right elbow, but he's finally tracking toward rejoining Cleveland's rotation before the end of June. Due to the long layoff, he figures to need multiple rehab appearances before doing so. The 24-year-old former top prospect registered a promising 3.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 81:37 K:BB across 82 innings (16 starts) for the Guardians during his rookie season in 2023, and Williams' upside to contribute across the board in fantasy means he deserves to be stashed in the majority of leagues.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (shoulder) has been shut down from throwing for five to seven days. Cabrera's rehab from a right shoulder impingement found a hitch in the road when he didn't recover well from last Friday's bullpen session, so the Marlins will err on the side of caution with the former top prospect. At this point, fantasy managers should probably not be expecting Cabrera to be an option until late June at the earliest. The hard-throwing 26-year-old right-hander has all the talent to develop into an upper-echelon fantasy starter with 31 punchouts through 21 1/3 innings this year, but his lack of control has always prevented him from reaching his full potential. With a 7.17 ERA and 1.59 WHIP over three starts, Cabrera isn't looking like the most convincing stash in redraft leagues right now.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) will throw a two-inning live batting practice on Saturday. It's been a longer absence than originally anticipated for Gray, who was placed on the 15-day injured list back on April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. A May return isn't a reasonable expectation at this stage, as Gray will likely need a handful of minor-league rehab appearance before he rejoins Washington's rotation. Considering the 26-year-old former top prospect has yielded 13 runs over 8 1/3 innings (two starts) in 2024, the club is likely in no hurry to push him back into the fray. Rookie southpaw Mitchell Parker has been a nice surprise for the Nats this year, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 32:8 K:BB across seven starts (38 innings), and he's worth streaming in fantasy in favorable conditions.