New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil is on the bench for Monday's contest against the Detroit Tigers. McNeil went just 1-for-11 over the weekend in the three-game sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers to begin the season, so the Mets are giving McNeil a day off early to regroup. It's not a great sign for the two-time All-Star after he hit .270/.333/.378 a year after winning the National League batting title in 2022. With the 31-year-old on the bench to start the game on Monday, Joey Wendle will take over at second base for the Mets and will hit ninth against Tigers young right-hander Reese Olson. Wendle is more useful for his infield versatility and is a long shot to deliver meaningful offensive numbers in DFS on Monday.

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (neck) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Monday against the Houston Astros on the road. It's the second straight game that Bichette has been unable to play in after he was scratched from Sunday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays with a neck issue. For now, the 26-year-old All-Star should be considered day-to-day. Ernie Clement is making the start at the 6 on Monday and is batting sixth versus Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco. Bichette has gone just 2-for-12 (.167) with a double and two RBI in the first three games of the 2024 season, but he remains a must-start in all fantasy lineups as soon as he's able to return to the starting lineup.

Free-agent right-hander Mike Clevinger and the Chicago White Sox have agreed on an undisclosed contract on Monday, pending a physical, according to a source familiar with the deal. Clevinger will return to Chicago after going 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA (4.28 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 40 walks and 110 strikeouts in 131 1/3 innings over 24 starts for the team last year. The 33-year-old veteran will be a much-needed addition to a White Sox's starting rotation that was thinned out when they traded Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres and moved right-hander Michael Kopech to the bullpen this spring. Clevinger hasn't been the same pitcher after going Tommy John surgery and won't have much of an offense backing him for fantasy purposes, but he can still be a useful matchup-based streamer in the right matchups and in the weak American League Central.

The Oakland Athletics optioned outfielder Esteury Ruiz to Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday to make room for first baseman Tyler Nevin on the active roster. After hitting .254/.309/.345 with a league-leading 67 stolen bases in 132 games in his first year in Oakland in 2023, Ruiz's fantasy value has taken a huge hit early on in 2024 with the demotion. The 25-year-old speedster hit leadoff in two of the team's first four games this past weekend and went 3-for-7 with an RBI and a stolen base, but for now he'll head to the minors. Right now, Ruiz is the A's fifth outfielder behind JJ Bleday, Seth Brown, Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker. Ruiz could be back with the A's quickly if one of the aforementioned outfielders gets hurt, but for now, it's hard to justify holding him in shallow-mixed leagues.

Texas Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras is starting Monday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays on the bench after starting in each of the team's first three games over the weekend against the Chicago Cubs. With Taveras getting a breather, Travis Jankowski will get the start in center field and will hit ninth against Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot. The 25-year-old Taveras has started the year going 2-for-9 with a double, two walks, three strikeouts and a run scored in his first 12 plate appearances. Jankowski has already matched his season total in home runs from last year by homering in his only plate appearance of 2024, but DFS managers should consider him a low-upside option for lineups on Monday versus the Rays while in the nine-hole.