San Francisco Giants shortstop Nick Ahmed (wrist) will start taking batting practice in the next few days, according to the team. Ahmed is beginning baseball activities after being out since early May due to a left-wrist sprain. Before the 34-year-old veteran is able to return from the injured list, he'll need to go out on a minor-league rehab start, so he might not be back with the Giants before the end of May this weekend. Until Ahmed is able to return, infield prospect Marco Luciano will continue to play regularly at the 6 in the Bay Area. Ahmed's biggest contributions for the Giants come with his glove, so he's mostly a middle-infield option in NL-only leagues. Before his injury, he hit just .236/.274/.291 with no home runs and 11 RBI in 110 at-bats.

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that outfielder TJ Friedl (thumb) could return from the injured list as soon as later this week or early next week. Friedl has had pretty awful injury luck this year after also missing time with a fractured right wrist. But the 28-year-old has recovered very quickly from his thumb injury and should be back with the big-league club in short order. If he's going to return to Cincinnati this weekend, it will mean that he'll forego a minor-league rehab assignment. When healthy and on the major-league roster, Friedl should see regular playing time against right-handed pitchers, which is bad news for both Jake Fraley and Will Benson. Friedl has gone just 4-for-22 (.182) in six games this year but has plenty of fantasy value after hitting 18 homers, driving in 66 and stealing 27 bases in 2023.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Chad Green (shoulder) could be activated from the injured list as early as Tuesday, according to manager John Schneider. Green has been out since the middle of April with a right-shoulder strain but is ready to return to the big-league bullpen after throwing three scoreless innings for Triple-A Buffalo on his minor-league rehab start. Green opened the season as Toronto's primary ninth-inning guy, but that was with Jordan Romano on the injured list. The 33-year-old reliever could still be valuable in fantasy leagues that count holds, but as long as Romano is healthy, Green will serve in a late-inning setup role for the Jays. Before going on the IL, Green went 1-0 with two saves, a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and seven strikeouts in 7 2/3 frames.

New York Mets relief pitcher Drew Smith (shoulder) has restarted his minor-league rehab assignment and threw a scoreless innings for High-A Brooklyn on Sunday. Smith is penciled in for a couple more rehab appearances and is due back in the big leagues in around a week. The 30-year-old reliever is nearing a return after suffering a setback with his right shoulder in early May. The former third-round selection by the Detroit Tigers in the 2015 MLB draft out of Dallas Baptist will return to a prominent late-inning bullpen role for the Mets when he's officially reinstated. Before his injury, he had a 2.70 ERA (3.03 FIP), one save, a 1.70 WHIP, seven walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief innings. Smith will have some fantasy value in holds leagues.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis (forearm) will pitch in another minor-league rehab game on Tuesday for Triple-A Buffalo in what feels like the last rehab outing that he'll need before being reinstated from the injured list. The 28-year-old reliever gave up three runs (two earned) while striking out six and walking one in 6 2/3 innings in his first three rehab appearances. In what will most likely be a middle-relief/long-relief role in Toronto when he returns, Francis will have very little fantasy value. Before going on the injured list this year, he had gone 2-2 with an 8.59 ERA (5.99 FIP) and 1.70 WHIP with seven walks and 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings over five outings (two starts). Francis will always be an option for a spot start, too, if Toronto needs it.