St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (ribs) will not come off the injured list on Monday and will return to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday to get in more at-bats in the minors. Nootbaar took batting practice on Monday at Busch Stadium and is trying to regain his timing at the plate after being out since early March with rib fractures. The 26-year-old left-handed swinger has gone 3-for-17 in five minor-league contests as he ramps up and would like some more at-bats before he makes his big-league debut for the Cardinals. Once he's activated from the injured list, rookie Victor Scott II could be sent back to the farm after going 3-for-36 (.083) with a stolen base, two walks and 11 strikeouts in his first 39 major-league plate appearances.

The St. Louis Cardinals scratched catcher Willson Contreras (hand) from the starting lineup yet again on Monday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Ivan Herrera is making yet another start behind the dish for the Cardinals and is hitting fifth in the order against Phillies right-hander Spencer Turnbull. Second baseman Nolan Gorman is in the three-hole. Manager Oliver Marmol feels that Contreras will be ready to catch by Tuesday. The 31-year-old backstop will sit out a fourth straight game due to a sore left hand that was injured last Wednesday when he was hit by a pitch. In the four games since Contreras has been hurt, Herrera has stepped in nicely and gone 6-for-17 (.353) with a home run and three RBI. He'll be attractive again in DFS lineups in the five-hole against Turnbull.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Taylor Trammell is starting in left field and is batting ninth for the Dodgers on Monday against the Minnesota Twins and right-handed Bailey Ober for the series opener. The former top prospect with the Seattle Mariners will make his first start for the Blue after being claimed off waivers from Seattle and called up to the majors when Jason Heyward (back) landed on the injured list last week. The 26-year-old probably isn't going to see many more starts this year and isn't a recommended DFS play for Monday's slate. The left-handed hitter is a career .167/.269/.367 hitter in 118 big-league games with 15 home runs, 39 RBI and four stolen bases in 352 plate appearances. Trammell didn't record a hit in his only career at-bat against Ober.

Minnesota Twins second baseman Edouard Julien, first baseman Alex Kirilloff and outfielder Max Kepler are all sitting on Monday against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander James Paxton. Kyle Farmer is starting at second base and batting sixth, Ryan Jeffers is the designated hitter and batting third, and Manuel Margot is in right field and hitting leadoff against Paxton. Farmer, Jeffers and Margot have a combined four career at-bats against Paxton. Both Margot and Jeffers will be DFS sleeper options against Paxton on this one. The 26-year-old Kirilloff has been on the bench in both of the games that the Twins have faced a left-handed hurler this year.

Updating a previous report, Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (elbow) was scratched from his scheduled start on Monday against the division-rival Texas Rangers after feeling soreness in the top of his left elbow after playing catch. He is in Houston to visit with team doctors, according to manager Joe Espada. It doesn't sound like the 30-year-old southpaw is going to make a start anytime soon, and fantasy baseball managers will just be hoping that he's not the latest big-name starter that's forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2024. The Astros have called up right-hander Blair Henley from Triple-A Sugar Land to make his major-league debut in a start against the Rangers on Monday, but it remains to be seen if he'll be the rotation replacement for Valdez if he needs a stint on the injured list.