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Sources tell Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Andrew Destin that Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz (wrist) will miss time in spring training with a right-wrist injury. The severity of Horwitz's wrist injury is unclear, but it will certainly put his status up in the air for Opening Day in late March. The 27-year-old was dealt from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Cleveland Guardians and then to the Pirates this offseason. If healthy, he's expected to serve as the Bucs' primary first baseman in 2025 after hitting .265/.357/.433 with a .790 OPS, 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 46 runs scored in 381 plate appearances over 97 games in Toronto in 2024. If Horwitz's wrist injury is serious enough to keep him out for the start of the regular season, it's possible that Jared Triolo will slide across the diamond and start at first base for Pittsburgh. Stay tuned for more information on the severity of Horwitz's injury.

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ESPN's Alden Gonzalez writes that while the Los Angeles Dodgers will closely monitor Japanese rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki in his first year in the big leagues in 2025, they won't put any restrictions on him. Gonzalez is eager to see how one of the most lauded pitching development programs goes about extracting greatness from Sasaki. With a nasty splitter, Sasaki should immediately have plenty of fantasy appeal with the World Champion Dodgers, and RotoBaller has the 23-year-old ranked as the No. 21 fantasy starting pitcher before ever throwing a pitch in the majors. Durability could be an issue, though, as Sasaki dealt with arm and oblique injuries the last two years in Japan and topped out at 129 1/3 innings in 2022. He's healthy entering spring training, but it's hard to believe that the Dodgers won't monitor his workload eventually in 2025.

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ESPN's Buster Olney writes that free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman is likely to sign with either the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs or Detroit Tigers soon. Sources with the Houston Astros are skeptical he'll re-sign. If Bregman chooses the Red Sox, he could be moved to second base. The 30-year-old is the last big remaining free agent still on the open market with teams reporting to spring training later this week. For fantasy purposes, the aging veteran would fit best at either Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, and a signing in Detroit would indicate that the Tigers are going all-in after surprisingly making the postseason last year. If he signs with the Cubs or Tigers, he'll likely remain at the hot corner. Without knowing yet where Bregman will be playing in 2025, RotoBaller has Bregman ranked just inside the top-15 fantasy third basemen.

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Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz said that right-hander Drew Thorpe (elbow) is feeling good and should start throwing off a mound soon. "Playing catch right now. He'll be on a mound here shortly. We do expect him to be a little behind some of these other starters, but with that being said, we feel like he's going to be active throughout spring training," Getz said. Thorpe had surgery last September to remove a bone spur from his right elbow and has had multiple setbacks since, but it sounds as though the 24-year-old could still be ready for Opening Day in late March. If he's able to get past his elbow injuries, he'll have a good shot to open the year in the starting rotation. The former second-rounder by the New York Yankees in 2022 out of Cal Poly had a 5.48 ERA (5.87 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP with 25 K's and 21 walks in his first nine big-league starts in 2024. Fantasy managers in shallow mixed leagues can ignore Thorpe.

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MLB.com's Maria Guardado projects San Francisco Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong to be on the outside looking in for a starting rotation spot to begin the 2025 season. Entering spring training, Guardado lists Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Justin Verlander, Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison as the team's five starters, with Birdsong, Landen Roupp and Keaton Winn as other possibilities. In his big-league debut in 2024, Birdsong went 5-6 with a 4.75 ERA (4.67 FIP), a 1.39 WHIP and 88:43 K:BB in 72 innings over 16 starts. The 23-year-old showed some nice strikeout upside and plenty of stuff that plays at the big-league level, but he would probably benefit from more seasoning with his control on the farm to open 2025. If he improves his command and gets another shot in the rotation at some point in 2025, fantasy managers should be running to the waiver wire to take a chance on him.

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San Francisco Giants infielder Brett Wisely could have the inside track on a bench job in spring training due to the fact that the team already has a plethora of right-handed infield bats, MLB.com's Maria Guardado writes. Wisely has that going for him, but Casey Schmitt and Osleivis Basabe both offer just as much defensive versatility and could force their way onto the Opening Day roster if they impress during spring training. The 25-year-old Wisely has showed very little offensively in the Bay Area in his first two big-league seasons, slashing .218/.263/.320 with a weak .582 OPS, six home runs, 39 RBI, four stolen bases and 35 runs scored in 403 plate appearances over 142 games played. At best, Wisely should be considered a decent middle-infield glove option for the Giants off the bench, and he can also fill in at center field in a pinch.

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MLB.com's Maria Guardado writes that San Francisco Giants outfielder Luis Matos' impressive stint in winter ball should make him the favorite to serve as Mike Yastrzemski's platoon partner in right field to open the 2025 season. However, the Giants could also take a long look at former infield prospect Marco Luciano, who is expected to make the transition from the infield to outfield this year. Matos, 23, went back and forth between the big-league club and Triple-A Sacramento six times in 2024 and ended up hitting just .213/.237/.347 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 45 games for the Gigantes in his second year in the big leagues. He made plenty of contact and limited his strikeouts, but the quality of his contact was weak. Unless Matos develops more power and starts hitting the ball harder, he'll remain a fourth outfield type for San Fran.

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MLB.com's Maria Guardado writes that San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnacion should get plenty of chances to stick on the big-league roster in 2025 since he's out of minor-league options, and she even goes as far as to project him as the team's primary designated hitter. Encarnacion hit .248 with a .702 OPS and five home runs in 35 games for the Giants last year. The 27-year-old Dominican outfielder has 50 career home runs in 223 games at Triple-A in the minors and has impressive raw power. Although he struck out plenty in a limited sample size last year in just his second stint in the big leagues, Encarnacion had a 58.8 percent barrel rate and 95 mph average exit velocity. If he takes advantage of early-season playing time, he could be a deep-league power sleeper, but fantasy managers definitely shouldn't expect much in the batting average department.

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The New York Yankees claimed left-hander Brent Headrick off waivers from the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Headrick will now head to the American League East and hope to win a roster spot with the Yankees out of spring training. The 27-year-old southpaw made his major-league debut with the Twins in 2023 and had a rough 6.31 ERA, a 1.44 WHIP, his first career save, 30 strikeouts and 10 walks in 25 2/3 innings over 14 relief appearances. In just three innings in his lone appearance in 2024, Headrick allowed a solo home run. Especially since he has minor-league options remaining, Headrick is most likely to open the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The former ninth-round pick in 2019 out of Illinois State University will provide minor-league relief depth for the Yankees after posting a 3.64 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in five minor-league seasons with the Twins.

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New York Yankees right-handers Jake Cousins (forearm) and Clayton Beeter (shoulder) are both dealing with injuries prior to the start of spring training. Cousins is dealing with a forearm strain but could start throwing next week or the week after, according to manager Aaron Boone. The injury has put his status for Opening Day in question. Beeter, meanwhile, had a "shoulder issue" this offseason but is already throwing side sessions. The 30-year-old Cousins had a career-best 2.37 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with his first career save, a career-high 53 strikeouts and 20 walks in 38 relief innings in 2024 in his first year with the Yankees. If healthy, he should see more high-leverage work in New York's 'pen thanks to his 34% strikeout rate last year. Beeter has been mostly a starter in the minors, but he's likely ticketed for a middle-relief bullpen role if he makes the Opening Day roster.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that infielder DJ LeMahieu (hip) is healthy entering spring training this year. "DJ is healthy, which is really been the issue for him over the last couple of years. He's had those things that have popped up, that have really zapped his greatness. I'm not going to put anything past a healthy DJ LeMahieu and his ability to hit," Boone said. The 36-year-old's fantasy stock is way down heading into the 2025 season after he played in just 67 games due to injuries and hit .204/.269/.259 with two homers and 26 RBI. LeMahieu finished the year on the injured list with a hip impingement and didn't play at all in the postseason. Pending a last-minute acquisition of Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, LeMahieu should get first crack at third base duties in the Bronx to begin the year. He ranks as RotoBaller's No. 65 fantasy third baseman.

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According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips (shoulder) is still recovering from the injury that kept him sidelined during the World Series and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Plunkett noted that the 30-year-old suffered a tear in the back of his rotator cuff. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection in November and only began doing baseball activities in January. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training, but it seems unlikely that he will be ready for Opening Day. Last season, Phillips posted a 3.62 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP across 54 2/3 innings. He tallied 63 punchouts and 18 saves. He generated a strong 32.7 percent hard-hit rate with a solid 3.29 xERA. While Phillips is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Tanner Scott to see most of the save opportunities, with Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen, and Alex Vesia also seeing high-leverage work.

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According to Aram Leighton of Just BB Media, the Texas Rangers signed right-handed pitcher JT Chargois to a minor-league contract. Last season, Chargois spent time with the Miami Marlins and Seattle Mariners. Across 36 1/3 innings, the Rice product posted a solid 2.23 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP. He tallied 30 punchouts with a modest 8.9 percent walk rate. However, he generated a 4.40 xERA, which suggests he could face some regression during the 2025 season. In 2023, Chargois posted a 3.61 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Chargois to compete for a spot in the Texas bullpen during spring training. Given his solid performance last season, he could make a case to earn a low-leverage spot in the bullpen if he can perform well in spring training.

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According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, Cincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Rhett Lowder (elbow) is dealing with elbow soreness and is being limited with his throwing program. However, Sheldon noted the former seventh overall pick has no structural damages. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Lowder's status during spring training in case he faces more limitations. However, seeing that the MRI results came back positive is a positive sign. Lowder is expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation during spring training. Last summer, the No. 2 ranked prospect in the system made his professional debut. He opened the campaign at High-A but spent most of his summer at Double-A, where he held a 4.31 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP across 77 1/3 frames. He then earned a brief taste of the majors, where he posted a 1.17 ERA across 30 innings. Lowder could open the season at Triple-A if this injury lingers throughout the spring.

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According to the team, the Miami Marlins have claimed right-handed pitcher Ronny Henriquez off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. In a corresponding move, the team designated right-handed pitcher Xzavion Curry for assignment. Henriquez has spent his entire MLB career with the Twins. Last season, the right-hander appeared in 16 games for the Twins (one start) and posted a 3.26 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP in 19 innings. He posted a poor 18.3 percent strikeout rate but did show a strong command of his pitches with a 6.1 percent walk rate. He also generated an elite 53.3 percent ground-ball rate. Across 207 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level, Henriquez held a 5.08 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect the 24-year-old to compete for a spot in the Miami bullpen during spring training.

From RotoBaller

According to the team, the Miami Marlins have designated right-handed pitcher Xzavion Curry for assignment. In a corresponding move, the Marlins claimed Ronny Henriquez off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. Last season, Curry spent time with the Cleveland Guardians and Marlins. Across 42 2/3 innings, Curry posted a 4.64 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP. He tallied just 28 punchouts but showed elite command with a 4.1 percent walk rate. With his 18-inning stint with Miami, Curry was very impressive, posting a 3.00 ERA with a 0.61 WHIP. Across 113 2/3 career frames at the Triple-A level, the Georgia Tech product has posted a hefty 5.86 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP. Given his success in the majors last season, Curry could draw interest as a low-leverage relief pitcher on waivers.

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According to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Braves are signing left-handed pitcher Jake Diekman to a minor-league deal that includes an invite to spring training. Last season, the 38-year-old logged 32 innings with the New York Mets. Across this stint, Diekman held a 5.63 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He was unable to command his pitches as he posted a hefty 16.6 percent walk rate. However, he did post a strong 27.6 percent strikeout rate. This was a steep decline from the 3.34 ERA and the 1.32 WHIP he held across 56 2/3 innings during the 2023 campaign. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression during spring training as he could contend to earn a spot in the Atlanta bullpen. If he were to earn a role, he would likely operate as a low-leverage option.

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Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said on Tuesday that the team has been very happy with infielder Vaughn Grissom, who gained 20 pounds of muscle during the offseason. Grissom was expected to be Boston's primary second baseman at this time last year, but groin and hamstring injuries limited him to just 31 games at the big-league level in 2024 in his first year in Boston. He went 20-for-105 (.190) with no homers, six RBI and two stolen bases in 114 plate appearances with the BoSox. The 24-year-old will yet again have a shot to earn significant playing time in 2025, but he will be competing with prospect Kristian Campbell and David Hamilton at the keystone this spring. Over a full season, Grissom has the skills to reach double digits in homers and steals, making him a worthwhile end-game gamble in deep-mixed fantasy drafts.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Tigers right-handed pitching prospect Jackson Jobe is already one of the favorites to win the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2025, but the former third overall pick isn't a lock to make the team's Opening Day starting rotation. After making his MLB debut in September of 2024 as a reliever, Jobe added a curveball and two-seam fastball to his pitch mix this offseason and now features six pitches -- four-seam fastball, cutter, changeup, sweeper, curve and two-seamer. He's hoping the additions bring him more strikeouts after his strikeout rate decreased in the minors last year, falling from 32.6% in 2023 to 25.6% in 2024. Jobe ranked in the 90th percentile in reaching two strikes in the minors, but only ranked in the 13th percentile in called-strike-plus-whiff rate in two-strike counts. The 22-year-old has electric stuff and is the No. 5 overall MLB prospect, and he'll be given every chance to win a rotation spot this spring in Detroit.

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Free-agent outfielder Michael Taylor and the Chicago White Sox agreed to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. Taylor became a free agent last September when he was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and now he'll be heading to the American League Central to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in spring training. The 33-year-old veteran has primarily been an asset for his defense and speed during his 11 seasons in the big leagues with four different teams. He really struggled in 2024 with the Bucs, slashing .193/.253/.290 with a career-worst .543 OPS, five home runs, 21 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 35 runs scored in 113 games and 300 plate appearances. In Chicago, he'll be competing for a bench spot behind outfielders Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, Oscar Colas, Dominic Fletcher and Austin Slater. You can avoid Taylor in fantasy.

From RotoBaller