Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) threw 21 pitches of live batting practice before Friday's game at Target Field against the Detroit Tigers and didn't feel any discomfort. Duran is close to embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment. "He was supposed to throw 20 and he wanted an extra one, so that tells you he's feeling good," manager Rocco Baldelli said. Once the 26-year-old goes on a rehab assignment, it might not be long before Duran is able to make his 2024 debut. He should be rostered in all fantasy formats despite getting a late start to the season. While Duran can be a high-end fantasy closer when he's healthy, don't be surprised if the Twins ease him into late-inning situations when he initially returns to the big-league bullpen.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. This appears to be a rare rest day for the 23-year-old outfielder. Greene has started the first 19 games of the season, so he has earned a day off on Friday. Wenceel Perez will bat second and cover right field versus right-hander Joe Ryan on Friday. Fantasy managers and DFS players should be able to find a better option than Perez for Friday's slate.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (hamstring) was pulled in the seventh inning of Friday's win over the visiting Miami Marlins due to right-hamstring tightness, according to manager Craig Counsell. Happ's status for the rest of the weekend is now to be determined. Given the fact that Happ also missed time in spring training with a left-hamstring strain, fantasy managers should not be surprised at all if this ends up being an injured-list situation for the switch-hitting outfielder. For now, the 29-year-old should be considered day-to-day. There's a good chance he won't play on Saturday, but check back anyway to see if he's active. With Seiya Suzuki (oblique) already on the IL, the Cubbies would be down to Cody Bellinger, Mike Tauchman and rookie Alexander Canario in their outfield, although Garrett Cooper and Patrick Wisdom could also be used out there.

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (elbow) played catch on Friday, and manager Joe Espada said the hope is that Valdez could throw off a mound on Saturday or Sunday. Valdez is currently on the injured list while dealing with left-elbow inflammation, but there's no structural damage and he's already throwing again after being sidelined on April 9. The 30-year-old southpaw won't come off the IL when he's eligible next week, but a minor-league rehab assignment may not be far off. In the meantime, his fantasy managers will be hoping he'll return sometime in May. Keep Valdez stashed in all fantasy formats until then. The Dominican starter had picked up where he left off in 2023 through his first two starts before his elbow injury, giving up just three earned runs while striking out 10 in 12 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that right-hander Taijuan Walker (shoulder) will make a third minor-league rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. If Walker comes out of that outing without any setbacks, he's expected to rejoin the Phillies' starting rotation after that to make his 2024 debut. The Phillies aren't going to rush the 31-year-old veteran back into the fold, especially with Spencer Turnbull pitching well right now as he fills in for Walker. Fantasy baseball managers looking for extra rotation depth in deeper mixed leagues may want to consider picking Walker up now and stashing him. Walker's 4.83 xFIP last year shows he was pretty lucky to come away with a 4.38 ERA in his 31 starts in 2023. He'll be a matchup-based streamer once he returns to the majors.