Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (oblique) isn't quite ready to return to the lineup on Friday versus the Colorado Rockies. Lowe left Wednesday's game early against the Texas Rangers due to left-side tightness, but tests didn't show any structural damage, and he's mainly being held out on Friday with left-hander Austin Gomber on the mound for Colorado. The Rays are expecting Lowe to be back in there on Saturday, so fantasy managers should check back for confirmation then as to whether he's back in action. With Lowe out on Friday, Curtis Mead is starting at the keystone and is batting sixth against Gomber. Mead is hitting .333 in three career at-bats versus Gomber and is off to a 5-for-14 (.357) start in 2024 in his first five games.

New York Mets left-hander Jose Quintana will be looking for a better outing on Friday when he takes on the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed just two runs in his first start of the season in 4 1/3 innings of work but also six hits, including a homer, with two walks against four strikeouts. It was a decent start to the season after Quintana worked to a 3.57 ERA across 13 starts last season while a rib injury cost him significant time. With the solid, yet injury-shortened season, Quintana placed himself back under the radar but he also struck out just 18.8% of the hitters he faced, a career-low for the veteran. He makes for a decent back-end starter for fantasy managers if he can prevent runs at a similar clip in the 2024 campaign.

Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert will look to keep up the good work as part of an excellent pitching matchup on Friday as he takes on the Milwaukee Brewers opposite Brewers righty Freddy Peralta. After a tough spring, Gilbert started his regular season on a much better note, tossing seven innings of one-run ball with one walk against eight strikeouts in a no-decision against the Red Sox on March 30. Getting straightened out after a tough spring is no surprise as Gilbert has been a model of consistency over the last two seasons, combining for a 3.47 ERA across 64 starts in that time, the latter of which tied him for seventh in baseball. With an 18.6% K-BB% for his career, Gilbert makes for a rock-solid fantasy asset, even if the strikeout upside is limited.

Kanas City Royals right-hander Brady Singer will look for his second straight excellent outing on Friday when he and the Royals play host to the Chicago White Sox. The 27-year-old dominated the Minnesota Twins in his first outing of the season, tossing seven scoreless innings with just three hits and one walk allowed while he stuck out 10 Twins on the day. It was certainly an encouraging start to the season for Singer who struggled to a 5.52 ERA in 29 starts last season, although his 4.29 FIP, 4.46 SIERA, and 7% BB% all suggest he wasn't as poor as his surface ERA indicates. A drop to an 18.9% K% was concerning, however, as Singer's mediocre 22.1% K% for his career puts a cap on his fantasy value.

Chicago White Sox outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (groin) has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to an adductor strain. In a corresponding move, outfielder Robbie Grossman was recalled from the minors. The move is retroactive to April 2. The oft-injured Jimenez injured himself running to first base on a ground ball on March 31 against the Detroit Tigers. The 27-year-old has struggled mightily to stay on the field in his big-league career, appearing in 84 games or less in two of his four full MLB seasons, with a career-high of 122 games played in his rookie 2019 campaign. He endured a career-worst season at the plate in 2023, hitting .272 with 18 homers, 64 RBI, and a .758 OPS across 120 games and 489 trips to the plate.