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Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) said at Fenway Fest last month that he expected to be swinging by late January and throwing by March, but he didn't want to put a timetable on whether he'd be ready for Opening Day, writes The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey. Yoshida had shoulder surgery last October, with the Red Sox revamping his offseason workouts as a result. He still has three years remaining on a five-year deal, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy, and his production has dipped as a result. All but one of the 31-year-old left-handed hitter's games in 2024 came as Boston's DH, slashing .280/.349/.415 with 10 homers, 56 RBI and 45 runs scored in 108 games. You can count on Yoshida to make plenty of contact and hit for average, but question marks around his health, limited positional versatility and lack of pop leave him virtually zero fantasy upside.

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According to Francys Romero, outfielder Avisail Garcia (back) is not expected to play during the 2025 season. Garcia is recovering from back surgery he underwent in the offseason to repair a fracture and disc issues in his lower back. Romero noted that the 33-year-old is targeting a return to action during winter ball in Venezuela. Last season, Garcia appeared in 18 games for the Miami Marlins. The outfielder posted a .240/.255/.380 line with one double and two home runs. He struck out at a hefty 25.5 percent rate. He was then released from the team in June. During the 2023 season, he held a lower .185/.241/.315 line with just three long balls across 37 contests. Fantasy managers should not expect Garcia to carry much fantasy value if he can return to action for the 2026 season.

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According to Francys Romero, right-handed pitcher Yunior Marte signed a contract worth $1.25 million with the Chunichi Dragons of the NPB. This contract contains incentives worth up to $200,000. Marte initially signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners earlier in the offseason but will opt to play overseas instead. The Dragons paid the Seattle Mariners the release fee for Marte. Marte logged 26 innings with the Philadelphia Phillies last season. Across this stint, Marte posted a 6.92 ERA with a 1.88 WHIP. He struck out 23 batters and allowed 15 walks. In 2023, Marte held a 5.03 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP across 39 1/3 innings of work.

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According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, right-handed pitcher Lou Trivino signed a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants. This deal includes an invitation to spring training. Trivino underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. He was given a brief look at the minor leagues late last season but could not return to the majors. Trivino logged six innings of work at the Triple-A level and allowed five earned runs with a 4:6 BB:K ratio. He made his last appearance in the majors during the 2022 season, where he split time with the Athletics and Yankees. Across 53 2/3 innings, Trivino held a 4.53 ERA with a 1.64 WHIP. He struck out 67 batters and tallied 11 saves. He generated a strong 52.3 percent ground-ball rate. Fantasy managers should expect Trivino to compete for a spot in the San Francisco bullpen during spring training.

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According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Houston Astros pitching prospect Colton Gordon could push for an early-season debut. McTaggart noted that with Luis Garcia (elbow), Christian Javier (elbow), and Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) all expected to be sideline past Opening Day, Gordon could find his way on the Opening Day roster. While Gordon may not earn a spot in the rotation, as Hayden Wesneski is expected to earn the No. 5 spot, Gordon could still find a role as a long reliever. The No. 12 ranked prospect in the Houston system on MLB.com held a 3.94 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP across 123 1/3 innings at the Triple-level last season. He struck out 124 batters and served up 39 free passes. This was a nice improvement compared to the 4.63 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP he held during his Triple-A debut in 2023. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor the southpaw's progression during spring training, as he could see occasional starts during the first half of the season.

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According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Los Angeles Angels have signed third baseman Yoan Moncada to a one-year contract worth $5 million. Earlier in the offseason, the White Sox declined Moncada's club option, which sent him to the free-agent market. Moncada was limited to just 12 games last season due to an adductor strain. Across this small stint, the infielder held a .275/.356/.400 slash line with three doubles. He held a 5:11 BB:K ratio. During the 2023 season, the 29-year-old appeared in just 92 games and posted a .260/.305/.425 line with 20 doubles and 11 long balls. While the switch-hitter has battled injuries throughout the past three seasons, he could find his footing with a new club. Fantasy managers should expect Moncada to compete for starts at the hot corner alongside Anthony Rendon.

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MLB.com's Brian McTaggart mentions outfielders Jacob Melton and Zach Dezenzo as having real opportunities to make an impact at the major-league level in 2025 for the Houston Astros. Per MLB Pipeline, Melton is the club's No. 2 prospect, while Dezenzo checks in at No. 6. Melton could push to make the team out of spring training, while Dezenzo will compete to make the team this spring, primarily as a left fielder. The 24-year-old Melton made it up to Triple-A Sugar Land in 2024 and hit a combined .253/.310/.426 with 15 homers, 54 RBI and 30 stolen bases combined at Sugar Land and Double-A Corpus Christi in 105 total games. He has intriguing power/speed skills and could become a fantasy asset sooner than later, but Dezenzo has a much better shot at playing time early in the year after making his MLB debut in 2024 and playing in 19 games.

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Houston Astros pitchers Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti -- each of whom made at least 28 starts in 2024 -- are locked into the starting rotation. Right-hander Hayden Wesneski, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs this offseason in the deal that sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago, is penciled in as the No. 5 starter, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. With Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. all rehabbing injuries, prospect Colton Gordon and Ryan Gusto will also compete for a rotation spot this spring. The 27-year-old Wesneski has only 22 starts in 68 MLB outings over the last three years with the Cubs. He's posted a 4.21 ERA and 14.8 K-BB% of his 109 innings as a starter, though. He should open up his first year in Houston in a starting role, but it may not last for long.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Thursday that catching prospect Samuel Basallo will be a non-roster invite at major-league spring training this year. Per MLB Pipeline, Basallo is the No. 13 prospect in all of baseball for the 2025 season. In addition to Basallo, outfield prospects Enrique Bradfield and Dylan Beavers will be at spring training. If Basallo, 20, sticks with the O's long term, he's likely going to have to move to first base or designated hitter with Adley Rutschman blocking him at catcher. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Dominican backstop is considered the top catching prospect in all of baseball. He slashed .278/.341/.449 with a .790 OPS, 19 homers, 65 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 127 games for Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2024. The left-handed hitter has power to all fields and limits his strikeouts. Basallo is projected to make his MLB debut at some point later this year.

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The San Francisco Giants acquired infielder Osleivis Basabe from the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday in exchange for cash considerations, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. Basabe had been designated for assignment by the Rays earlier in the week. Basabe played in only 78 games in the minors in 2024 due to a fractured wrist and hit .248 (65-for-262) with five home runs, 29 RBI and four stolen bases in 66 games with Triple-A Durham. The 24-year-old Venezuelan has hit over .300 in his career in the minors but went 19-for-87 (.218) with a homer and 25 strikeouts in 94 plate appearances in 31 games in 2023 in his major-league debut. Basabe can play multiple positions on the infield and will now head to spring training with the Giants hoping to carve out a utility role on the big-league roster. He will most likely open the year at Triple-A Sacramento.

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Atlanta Braves right-handed reliever Pierce Johnson will be relied on even more in 2025 with Joe Jimenez (knee) expected to miss most of the season after having knee surgery last October. Johnson split primary setup duties in Atlanta's bullpen last year with Jimenez, but he should be the primary late-inning setup man in front of closer Raisel Iglesias now. The 33-year-old has a mid-90s fastball but leans heavily on his curveball -- 72 percent of his offerings in 2024 were curves, the highest rate in baseball among pitchers with 10 or more outings. The former first-round pick of the Chicago Cubs went 6-6 last year in his first full season with Atlanta, posting a 3.67 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, two saves, 67 strikeouts and 25 walks in 56 1/3 innings pitched. Johnson's stock will rise in deep holds leagues.

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The Athletic's David O'Brien suggests that the Atlanta Braves will need left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer more in high-leverage situations in 2025 with A.J. Minter gone to the division-rival New York Mets in free agency. Bummer had 69 strikeouts and 18 walks in 55 1/3 innings in his first year with Atlanta in 2024, and his 33.1 percent hard-hit rate was a career-best. However, his .277 opponents' average was almost 40 points higher than in 2023, and his 58.1 percent ground-ball rate was his lowest since his rookie campaign in 2017 with the Chicago White Sox. He's due to make $3.5 million this year after signing a new two-year, $13 million contract with the Braves last November. Overall, Bummer had a 3.58 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 2024 in 55 1/3 innings pitched.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Chadwick Tromp is expected to open the 2025 season as Sean Murphy's backup now that Travis d'Arnaud is with the Angels, which likely means he'll receive a start or two per week. Tromp had a similar role last year when Murphy missed two months with an injury, and again when d'Arnaud missed a little bit of time. He's merely serviceable offensively and is more known for his game-calling skills and solid defense behind the dish. The 29-year-old Aruban catcher has played in just 26 games in the last three seasons in Atlanta and has hit .250 (18-for-72) with no homers, 10 RBI, four runs scored and 24 strikeouts in 74 plate appearances. Tromp could open the year as the Opening Day backup catcher for Atlanta, but top prospect Drake Baldwin could make his MLB debut sooner than later and push Tromp out of the picture.

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New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos will stick at the hot corner for the Mets in 2025 after the team re-signed first baseman Pete Alonso on Wednesday night. Before the move to reunite with Alonso, Vientos was set to slide across the diamond to serve as New York's primary first baseman. The return of Alonso will now push Luisangel Acuna and Brett Baty either to the bench or to the minors to start the season. Vientos won the third base gig last year with a breakout season in which he slashed .266/.322/.516 with an .837 OPS, 27 home runs, 71 RBI and 58 runs scored in 111 games played. MLB.com's Anthony DiComo has Vientos projected to hit fifth in the batting order behind a strong top of the lineup for the Mets. He should have elite RBI opportunities with the addition of superstar outfielder Juan Soto. RotoBaller has Vientos in the fourth tier of fantasy third baseman as the No. 7 option.

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According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, outfielder Tommy Pham signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth $4 million. Pham opened the 2024 season with the Chicago White Sox and was eventually shipped to St. Louis and then concluded the season in Kansas City. Across 116 contests, Pham held a .248/.305/.368 line. He tallied 20 doubles, nine home runs, and seven stolen bases. Under the hood, the 36-year-old generated a solid .263 xBA and a .407 xSLG, suggesting he should see some positive regression in 2025. Pham also generated a 42.7 percent hard-hit rate, which was above the average mark. At the plate, Pham held a 7.3 percent walk and a 22.2 percent strikeout rate which were both just below the average marks. Fantasy managers should expect Pham to compete for starts in right field with Nick Yorke as a platoon bat or see time as a designated hitter alongside Andrew McCutchen.

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According to Adam Berry of MLB.com, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca is expected to begin the season as the team's starting center fielder. Last summer, Jose Siri was the everyday center fielder in Tampa Bay, but he was traded to the New York Mets during the offseason. As a result, DeLuca stands at the top of the depth chart and is expected to open the season as the top option. Across 107 games in Tampa Bay last summer, the Oregon product held a .217/.278/.331 line with 12 doubles, six home runs, and 16 stolen bases. While he did not generate elite hitting metrics, he was a top defender with speed. He placed in the 93rd percentile in outs above average and the 98th percentile in sprint speed. Richie Palacios will likely open the season as the No. 2 option behind DeLuca. If DeLuca has a successful spring training, he could be worth a look in deeper category formats as he has flashed elite speed.

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According to Evan Woodbery of MassLive.com, the Detroit Tigers catchers Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler are expected to split duties during the 2025 season. Rogers spent the entire 2024 season with Detroit and held a .197/.255/.352 line with 16 doubles and 10 home runs. He was graded as an elite defender as he tallied eight blocks above average and was placed in the 91st percentile in framing. Dingler made his MLB debut late in the season and joined the Tigers during their postseason run. Across 27 games, the Ohio State product held a .167/.195/.310 line with one home run. However, at Triple-A, the former second-round selection posted a strong .308/.379/.559 slash line with 15 doubles, 17 long balls, and 52 RBI. While Rogers will likely operate as the No. 1 option, Dingler could be worth a look in deeper AL-only formats as he flashed elite hitting upside at the top level of the minor leagues. If he has a successful spring training, he could even begin to earn a larger share of the starts early into the season.

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According to the team, the New York Yankees have designated right-handed pitcher Allan Winans for assignment. This transaction opened a roster spot for right-handed pitcher Owen White, who the team claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. The Yankees claimed Winans earlier in January, but he will now return to waivers. Last season, Winans logged seven 2/3 innings at the MLB level with the Atlanta Braves. He allowed 13 earned runs and tallied just four punchouts. Across 32 1/3 innings with Atlanta in 2023, Winans held a 5.29 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP. Across 114 2/3 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett last summer, the 29-year-old posted a 3.30 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Winans to open the season at the Triple-A level, given his lack of MLB success.

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According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine will compete for the left-field job during spring training. Jackson noted that the team is hopeful Stowers can "recapture some of the promise he showed with the Orioles." Before being traded to Miami, the outfielder held a strong .306 AVG. However, once he joined the Marlins, Stowers saw his AVG drop to .186 and held a poor .262 OBP. He also hit just two home runs across 50 games. Despite the drop in production, Stowers still generated a 51.3 percent hard-hit rate, which is a positive sign. Conine made his MLB debut last season and had a .268/.326/.451 line across 30 contests. He tallied four doubles and three home runs with 12 RBI. Both outfielders will only have value in deeper formats as they have yet to have much extended success at the MLB level.

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According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the New York Mets are resigning first baseman Pete Alonso to a two-year deal worth $54 million. The contract contains an opt-out after the first season. Alonso has been in discussions with several teams during the offseason but will return to the Mets. The Blue Jays and Angles have been among the teams that have shown interest. During the offseason, the Mets signed superstar outfield Juan Soto to a record-breaking contract and will now bring back their first baseman as they pursue a championship. Alonso broke out at the MLB level during his first season as he led the National League in home runs (53) en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year. This past season, Alonso had a down year to his standards as he hit just 34 home runs with a .240/.329/.459 line. However, he generated a strong .461 xSLG, 13.2 percent barrel rate, and a 46.4 percent hard-hit, which suggests he should be poised to bounce back. Batting behind Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Brandon Nimmo should provide Alonso with elite RBI opportunities all season. He should be viewed as a top first baseman when looking for power and RBI upside.

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