Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (oblique) remains out of the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Happ is being considered day-to-day with oblique discomfort, but this will be the third straight game that he has missed. If the 30-year-old's absence extends further into this week and weekend, it could quickly become an injured-list situation. The good news is he was able to take swings in the batting cage on Sunday. Seiya Suzuki is starting in left field and batting third, while catcher Carson Kelly is serving a the designated hitter on Monday and batting fifth against Marlins right-hander Cal Quantrill. Suzuki has two hits and two RBI in four career at-bats against Quantrill, while Kelly also has two hits and an RBI in his four at-bats against Quantrill. Suzuki will be the more popular DFS play on Monday with nine homers, 32 RBI and 21 runs on the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Monday that they activated infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder Liover Peguero to Triple-A Indianapolis after the team's game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. Kiner-Falefa is immediately back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener in New York against the Mets and left-hander David Peterson, playing shortstop and batting sixth. The 30-year-old landed on the IL on May 1 with a strained right hamstring and didn't need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to Pittsburgh. He'll return to a .280/.333/.330 slash line with a below-average .663 OPS, no home runs, seven RBI, six stolen bases and 11 runs scored in his first 30 games in 2025. IKF is mainly valuable in fantasy for his positional versatility and mild speed in deeper leagues. He has never faced Peterson in his career.

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (illness) is back in center field and is batting in the cleanup spot for Monday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi at Petco Park. Merrill was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Colorado Rockies in Denver because he was feeling under the weather, but he's good to go now and should be returned to all starting lineups in redraft leagues despite a lefty-lefty matchup against a pitcher he's never faced. The 22-year-old former 27th overall pick has been outstanding in his 56 at-bats for the Friars this year, going 25-for-56 (.446) with four home runs, 16 RBI, 12 runs and a stolen base. Since returning from an injured-list stint due to a hamstring injury, Merrill has a four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 11-for-19 with a homer, two doubles, six RBI and five runs scored.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand), who is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, hit in the cages before Monday's series opener at Daikin Park against the Kansas City Royals, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is on the IL with a muscle strain in his right hand, and while it's not considered overly serious, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to be back in the lineup for Game 2 of the series against KC. However, the 27-year-old left-handed slugger could be back from the IL for the start of the team's road trip in Texas against the Rangers on Thursday. The three-time Cuban slugger hasn't looked like himself at the plate so far in 2025, perhaps because of his hand injury, slashing a weak .210/.306/.340 with an uncharacteristically low .646 OPS, three home runs, 18 RBI and seven runs in his 100 at-bats. Hopefully, Alvarez will be more productive when he returns.

Houston Astros outfielder Jose Altuve (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at home against the visiting Kansas City Royals and right-hander Michael Wacha, playing second base and batting second. Zach Dezenzo is in left field and hitting eighth. Altuve will return to the field after leaving Saturday's game early against the Cincinnati Reds due to tightness in his hamstring and the sitting out Sunday's series finale. Fantasy managers will want to plug the nine-time Venezuelan All-Star back into their starting lineups despite the fact that he's only hitting a mediocre .259 (38-for-147) with four home runs, 14 RBI, 18 runs and three steals on the year. He's also hitting .200 (6-for-30) with two doubles and three runs in eight games so far in May. In a limited sample size of six career at-bats against Wacha, Altuve is hitting .167 with an RBI.