
New York Mets outfielder DJ Stewart will start on the bench on Tuesday as the team faces the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. This will be the third straight game that Stewart has started on the bench, although the previous two games were against left-handed pitching. Stewart does have two home runs in his first 25 at-bats of the 2024 campaign, but he's also gone only 5-for-25 (.200) with seven RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored. Catcher Francisco Alvarez is serving as the designated hitter and batting sixth, while Omar Narvaez is doing the catching and hitting ninth on Tuesday against Pirates rookie right-hander Jared Jones. The 30-year-old Stewart might find himself on the bench more often than not moving forward unless he picks things up offensively.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz is getting the day off on Tuesday against the New York Mets. In his absence, Alika Williams will get the nod at shortstop and will hit in the nine-hole against Mets veteran left-hander Jose Quintana. Cruz will get a little breather against the left-handed hurler after going hitless in his last nine at-bats with seven strikeouts in the last two contests. The 25-year-old Dominican is now hitting .232 (16-for-69) on the year with three home runs, six RBI, one steal and eight runs scored in his first 17 games of 2024. Williams, 25, lacks power and will be a low-upside deep sleeper pick for DFS lineups on Tuesday night. He's hit just .212 (25-for-118) with no homers and eight RBI in 51 MLB games to date going back to last season.

The Toronto Blue Jays officially activated right-handed relievers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned right-hander Nate Pearson to Triple-A Buffalo and designated right-hander Mitch White for assignment. Romano and Swanson came out of their short minor-league rehab assignments healthy and are ready to make their 2024 debuts with Toronto at the back end of their bullpen. While the 30-year-old Romano could be eased into his regular closer role, fantasy managers should be ready to throw him right into their starting lineups in season-long leagues after he recorded 36 saves in each of the last two seasons for the Blue Jays. Swanson has fantasy appeal as well in holds leagues and as a handcuff to Romano for his late-inning setup role.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (head) is not in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting Cleveland Guardians after colliding with third baseman Rafael Devers in the outfield on Monday and being pulled from the game. The 28-year-old walked off the field under his own power and had a cut on his head, and he is now in the league's concussion protocol after needing eight stitches. It remains to be seen if O'Neill is actually dealing with a concussion, but he'll miss at least one game this week after the collision. The Red Sox and fantasy managers would hate to see O'Neill, who is hitting .313 (15-for-48) and already has seven home runs on the year, land on the seven-day concussion injured list. Jarren Duran is in left field for Boston on Tuesday and is hitting leadoff, while Wilyer Abreu is in right field and hitting fifth against Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee.UPDATE: Manager Alex Cora said O'Neill cleared the concussion protocol and is doing better. He'll sit out Tuesday and Wednesday, but the hope is he'll be back in the lineup on Thursday.


Los Angeles Angels infielder Brandon Drury (hamstring) and first baseman Nolan Schanuel are both out of the lineup on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Drury should be considered day-to-day for now after leaving Monday night's win with a hamstring injury. If the 31-year-old, who has gone just 11-for-54 (.204) in the early going with one homer, ends up going on the injured list, Luis Rengifo would benefit from everyday playing time at the keystone. Rengifo is at second and batting seventh on Tuesday, while Miguel Sano is at first base and hitting cleanup against Rays right-hander Aaron Civale. Schanuel returned from a testicular contusion on Monday but is getting another day off on Tuesday. Schanuel is struggling in his first full big-league season with just four hits (one homer) in his first 42 at-bats in 2024.UPDATE: Drury said he'll be available off the bench on Tuesday.
