
Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu will remain in West Palm Beach and play Florida Complex League games on Wednesday and Thursday before reporting to Triple-A Sugar Land this weekend, according to manager Joe Espada. It was reported earlier this week that Abreu could rejoin the big-league roster by Friday for the series opener against the Oakland Athletics, but it looks like that won't be the case. The 37-year-old veteran Cuban slugger agreed to head to the minors after starting the 2024 season with a lowly .099 average (7-for-71) with no homers, three RBI and 18 strikeouts in his first 22 games. He's played in four games in the FCL so far, going 6-for-18 (.333) with two doubles and two RBI. When Abreu does return to the Astros, it could just be in a platoon role at first base with the left-handed-hitting Jon Singleton.

Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz is out of the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. In his place, Victor Caratini will do the catching for right-hander Hunter Brown and will bat in the nine-hole for the Astros against Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson. With a scheduled day off coming on Thursday for Houston, fantasy managers should expect Diaz to be back in there on Friday for a series opener in Oakland against the Athletics. Diaz is currently slashing .264/.297/.385 with three home runs, 22 RBI and 18 runs scored in 174 at-bats as the Astros' primary catcher in 2024. The switch-hitting Caratini has gone 16-for-64 (.250) this year as the backup with two homers and 11 RBI. He's hitless in three career at-bats against Anderson and should be avoided in DFS lineups.

Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick will get the day off in Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. McCormick came off the injured list on Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the team's extra-inning win over the Halos, and he'll take a seat in just his second game back in the matinee affair. After a career year in 2023 in which he hit .273/.353/.489 with an .842 OPS, 22 home runs, 70 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 115 games, McCormick has started off slow in 2024 and is currently hitting just .227 (17-for-75) with no homers, eight RBI and two steals in 86 plate appearances over 22 games played. He'll be replaced in left field on Wednesday by Mauricio Dubon, who is hitting eighth against Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson. Dubon has two hits and an RBI in four career at-bats against Anderson but will be a low-upside sleeper in DFS lineups in the eight-hole.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Kenta Maeda (illness) threw a bullpen session at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday and is lined up to start on Saturday or Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Maeda is attempting to return to the Tigers' starting rotation after landing on the injured list with a viral illness in mid-May. The 36-year-old veteran pitched in a minor-league rehab game last week and appears to be feeling good enough to rejoin the team this weekend. The matchup against Toronto isn't a bad one, but fantasy managers should still be very hesitant to throw Maeda back into the fire as a streamer this weekend. In seven starts before going on the shelf, the Japanese hurler went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with only 23 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings pitched.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Reese Olson (hip) didn't throw his bullpen session on Wednesday and will instead throw his bullpen on Thursday at Comerica Park before he returns to the rotation to start against the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend. Olson was hit on his right hip by a comebacker in his last start on Monday against the Kansas City Royals, but the injury wasn't serious enough to cause him to miss his next turn through the rotation this weekend in a better matchup against Toronto. The 24-year-old former 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 has been outstanding for the Tigers and his fantasy managers so far this year, despite being 0-5. Olson is currently sporting a 2.16 ERA (2.82 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP while walking 16 and striking out 43 in 50 innings over his nine starts in just his second MLB season. Leave him in your starting lineups this weekend.
