Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain has been dropped to eighth in the batting order for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Chicago White Sox and left-handed opener Brandon Eisert at Great American Ball Park. McLain is moving to the bottom of Cincy's lineup after hitting either leadoff or second in all 31 of his starts this year. It's because the 25-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2021 out of UCLA is hitting just .165/.299/.298 with five home runs, 15 RBI, 20 runs and 10 stolen bases in his 121 at-bats in 2025. McLain is valuable in most fantasy leagues for his power/speed combination in a strong Reds offense, but managers may want to bench him until he can string together some good games at the plate. He's gone 7-for-39 (.179) with a homer, five RBI, five steals and 15 strikeouts in 11 games played so far in May. Santiago Espinal moves into the two-hole on Tuesday with McLain dropping down.

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) will likely get three plate appearances in his first minor-league rehab game on Tuesday night in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. It will allow him to most likely play four to five innings in right field, with the Braves treating it like it's his first spring training game. Although there is no official timetable for the former MVP to make his 2025 season debut, the Braves have been targeting a return for Acuna at some point in May. At the same time, they aren't going to rush the 27-year-old superstar back, as they want him to be ready to play every day in right field when he's eventually activated from the injured list. The most likely scenario is that we see Acuna make his return in late May, barring a setback on his rehab assignment. Acuna may not run as much in 2025 coming off a torn ACL, but he still has the skills to be a difference-maker in fantasy.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (back, thumb) experienced some back tightness after his last bullpen session and didn't end up throwing on Tuesday in Toronto, according to The Athletic's Mitch Bannon. Scherzer's timeline has changed a bit as a result, but the team is hoping he can throw again this week. The 40-year-old three-time Cy Young winner made just one start with Toronto earlier this year before landing on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his troublesome right thumb. He has had multiple setbacks since and is now dealing with a back ailment that has complicated his recovery. It doesn't sound like a serious issue, but given all the injuries he's dealt with in recent seasons as he ages, fantasy managers have to wonder when exactly he'll make his return. Now on the 60-day IL, Scherzer cannot return until at least May 29, but his absence will probably stretch into June.

The Cleveland Guardians placed right-hander Ben Lively (forearm) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a right flexor-tendon strain and recalled right-hander Zak Kent from Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. Lively was pulled from his start early on Monday night against the Milwaukee Brewers after experiencing forearm inflammation, and now he'll miss at least the next two weeks. Fantasy managers should be prepared for the 33-year-old veteran's absence to extend into June. In the short term, it's expected that Kolby Allard will step into Lively's rotation spot in Cleveland, making him a waiver-wire candidate in AL-only formats. Lively has been solid in his nine starts in 2025 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, but his 16.3% strikeout rate leaves a lot to be desired for fantasy managers.

The Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris writes that Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese rookie right-hander Roki Sasak hasn't hit 99 mph on his fastball since his adrenaline-fueled debut in his MLB debut in Tokyo, Japan, to start the season and has dropped as low as 92-93 mph since then. Sasaki hit 100-plus mph on each of his first four big-league pitches and eclipsed 99 mph eight times in the first inning on March 19 against the Cubs. But in seven games since then, the 23-year-old phenom has averaged just 96 mph with his four-seamer. "It's not an ideal situation," pitching coach Mark Prior said. "Clearly, the fastball is not gonna carry through the zone at 93 very effectively." The problem is Sasaki needs premium velocity to make his fastball competitive because it doesn't have much spin or "vertical break." The Dodgers are working on mechanical fixes for Sasaki, who currently has an underwhelming 4.72 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 15.6% strikeout rate and concerning 14.3% walk rate in eight starts.