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The San Francisco Giants are saying that catcher Tom Murphy (back) is dealing with a mid-back disc herniation. Murphy will receive an epidural injection and be re-evaluated "in the next few weeks." As a result, it looks like Murphy will not be ready to go as the team's backup catcher for Opening Day in late March. Patrick Bailey is San Fran's unquestioned starting catcher entering the 2025 season, but with Murphy injured again, Sam Huff and Max Stassi will be competing for the backup role for the rest of spring training. The 33-year-old Murphy was only able to suit up in 13 games for the Giants in 2024 after signing a two-year deal last offseason due to a knee injury. When healthy, Murphy could have some sneaky power upside as a second catcher in two-catcher formats, but it's now looking like he could miss a significant portion to open the 2025 season.

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Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong (shoulder) is absent from Monday's Grapefruit League lineup against the division-rival New York Yankees. Wong is dealing with a sore shoulder in spring training. It's not a serious injury for the 28-year-old, though, and he's expected to play in a game at some point this week. Wong broke out for the BoSox in his fourth big-league season by slashing .280/.333/.425 with a .758 OPS, 13 home runs, 52 RBI, eight stolen bases and 54 runs scored in 126 games last year, but his production was down notably in the second half. He showed much better plate discipline in 2024, but fantasy managers should count on regression after his first-half production was mostly buoyed by an unsustainably-high BABIP. Wong will be Boston's starting backstop again, but you shouldn't be valuing him as a starter in single-catcher leagues.

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New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) is traveling back to New York for consultation with team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. Stanton hasn't been able to resume baseball activities at spring training due to pain in both of his elbows, which manager Aaron Boone described recently as "akin to tennis elbow." However, it's becoming a more serious concern now, and captain Aaron Judge said on Monday that Stanton could miss an early portion of the regular season. It's an issue that affected Stanton for most of last year, including the playoffs, although he still managed to be named the MVP of the American League Championship series against the Guardians. Pretty much an all-or-nothing power guy with a long injury history, Stanton's volatility for fantasy managers has just increased significantly during draft season.

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The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham reports that the Boston Red Sox don't see right-hander Kutter Crawford (knee) being ready for Opening Day in late March. The good news for the Red Sox is that they do believe right-handers Brayan Bello (shoulder) and Lucas Giolito (elbow) will be ready based on their schedules early in spring training. Crawford, 28, will now be much less attractive as pitching depth in deep-mixed leagues due to patellar-tendon soreness that he's been dealing with early in camp. If he cannot make significant progress soon, Crawford will likely open the 2025 regular season on the 15-day injured list. The former 16th-round pick in 2017 out of Florida Gulf Coast University admitted to being gassed down the stretch last year after making a league-high 33 starts and throwing a career-high 183 2/3 innings. Crawford finished with a 4.36 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 175 K's but also a league-high 34 homers allowed.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) took batting practice on the field at camp on Monday morning, and manager Pat Murphy thinks Yelich will make his Cactus League debut once the calendar flips to March. The Brewers are understandably taking it slow with Yelich early in spring training after he had a microdiscectomy to fix a herniated disc in his lower back last August, but he's coming along nicely and should be ready for Opening Day in late March, barring a setback. The 33-year-old veteran left-handed hitter has had ongoing back issues in recent seasons, but hopefully his procedure last year will correct everything moving forward. There's obvious risk from a fantasy perspective from such a surgery, but it helps to know that the former MVP was hitting .315 with 11 homers, 42 RBI and 21 steals in 73 games before he was shut down last year. Yelich is RotoBaller's No. 27 outfielder in 2025.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates' Grapefruit League game on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies was rained out, but right-hander Paul Skenes still threw a 45-pitch live batting practice session at LECOM Park, according to the team. The 22-year-old will have to wait to make his spring training debut in a game, but it has nothing to do with any kind of injury. The former first overall pick out of LSU took the league by storm last year in his MLB debut, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA (2.44 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, 170 strikeouts and 32 walks in 133 innings over 23 starts to become a first-time All-Star while also winning the National League Rookie of the Year honors. The sky is the limit for Skenes in 2025 in what will be his first full MLB campaign with the Bucs. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 2 fantasy pitcher and the No. 11 overall player.

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MLB.com's AJ Cassavell reports that San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (illness) is still dealing with an illness, and it's unclear when he'll make his Cactus League debut. "He's going to require a little bit more recovery," manager Mike Shildt said. It's still early in spring training, so fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about the 26-year-old All-Star not being ready for Opening Day at the end of March. We probably should never expect Tatis to put up the numbers he did in 2022 before he was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs, but his stolen base numbers could be on the rise again after he suffered a stress reaction in his right quadriceps last year that cost him two-plus months. When healthy, Tatis is still one of the best power/speed threats in all of baseball, making him worthy of a selection late in the first round or early in the second round of upcoming drafts.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that catcher Will Smith (ankle) could make his Cactus League debut by Thursday or Friday of this week. Smith is dealing with a minor ankle injury early in spring training, but it hasn't kept him from catching bullpens or taking batting practice. If the 29-year-old backstop can get through some running drills this week, he should be cleared to play in a game on Thursday or Friday. Although the Dodgers open the 2025 season in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 against the Chicago Cubs, Smith should be ready in time, barring a setback when he starts playing in games. Smith's minor ankle injury in camp shouldn't be a reason for fantasy managers to fade him as a top-10 catcher in upcoming drafts. The former first-rounder has been an All-Star each of the last two years and hit 20 homers and drove in over 70 runs in 2024 for the third time in the last four seasons.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Bobby Miller (head) will resume throwing on Monday in camp. In a scary scene in the team's Cactus League opener last Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, Miller was hit in the head by a line drive. The 25-year-old thankfully was able to walk off the field under his own power, but he was put in the league's concussion protocol and didn't throw over the weekend. He avoided a serious injury, though, and seemingly has cleared the concussion protocol. Barring a setback, it looks like Miller will be ready for Opening Day in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 against the Chicago Cubs, but it's unclear when he might be allowed to pitch in another Cactus League game. After struggling mightily in his second year in 2024 with the Dodgers, dealing with an injury and being demoted to the minors, Miller is no lock to make the Opening Day roster.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman threw a live batting practice session on Sunday in camp and will have one more "and then get into games," according to manager John Schneider. Gausman isn't dealing with a specific injury, but he's a little bit behind the other starting pitchers in spring training. However, the 34-year-old should be fully stretched out for Opening Day at the end of March. He notably bulked up in the offseason in order to help him navigate the rigors of a full season in 2025 after he saw his strikeout rate fall to 21.4 percent in 2024. In addition to that, Gausman also had a 7.4 percent walk rate, which was his highest mark since 2017. He made 31 starts last year but also had a shoulder injury last spring, which might have been the culprit for his velocity being down. At his age, it's fair to wonder if he'll be able to get his strikeout rate back up in 2025.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) could make his Cactus League debut on Thursday. Freeman will get some at-bats in a minor-league game at camp on Monday, and if he comes out of that without any setbacks, he should be ready to go for Thursday. The 35-year-old left-handed slugger had surgery to remove loose bodies in his right ankle in December, which is why the Dodgers are bringing him along slowly early in spring training. Barring a setback with his ankle once he starts playing in Cactus League games, Freeman should be ready to roll for Opening Day in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 against the Chicago Cubs. The eight-time All-Star and former MVP failed to put up 100 RBI for a third straight season in 2024, but he still hit .282 with 22 homers and 89 RBI and is the No. 2 fantasy first baseman at RotoBaller.

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The Houston Astros have re-engaged in trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for third baseman Nolan Arenado, but multiple sources say that no deal is gaining traction, and Arenado hasn't changed his stance about waiving his full no-trade clause to play for the Astros. "I don't feel anything is imminent," Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said on Saturday. "I can't comment or chase every rumor." The Astros circled back with the Cardinals on Arenado after Alex Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, but a source described a potential deal as a "non-starter." Another source said it's a "long shot" after Arenado already blocked a trade to the Astros in December. Although the Astros were initially listed on Arenado's list of five teams he'd consider waiving his no-trade clause for earlier this offseason, he ended up invoking his no-trade clause due to the timing of the deal after Houston just traded All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker.

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New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) has been diagnosed with a right-oblique strain and will most likely miss Opening Day at the end of March, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Manaea will be shut down for a couple of weeks at spring training before restarting his spring progression. If everything goes well once he resumes throwing, Manaea could make his 2025 debut by mid- or late April. It's an early blow to the Mets' starting pitching, as the veteran left-hander was the team's top pitcher in 2024, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA over 32 starts. The 33-year-old signed a three-year, $75 million contract in the offseason to return to the Mets. With both Manaea and Frankie Montas (lat) injured, it increases the likelihood of Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn (back) all making the Opening Day rotation.

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The New York Mets announced on Monday that infielder Nick Madrigal (shoulder) fractured his left shoulder when he dislocated it during Sunday's Grapefruit League game. According to manager Carlos Mendoza, Madrigal will be "out for a long time." The injuries are already mounting for the Mets early in spring training, with starting pitchers Frankie Montas (lat) and Sean Manaea (oblique) also expected to miss Opening Day in late March. Madrigal was an early favorite to win a bench spot in his first season with the Mets, but now he'll start the year on the injured list. His injury will open up opportunities for Luisangel Acuna, Brett Baty, Donovan Walton, Jared Young and Luis De Los Santos to compete for a utility role in spring training. Madrigal, a first-rounder by the White Sox in 2018, didn't really have any fantasy value in mixed leagues to begin with heading into the 2025 season.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows (biceps) is set to undergo further testing on Monday. The outfielder sustained this injury during a spring training contest on Saturday afternoon. He suffered this injury when making a throw and was lifted from the game. However, at the time of the injury, manager A.J. Hinch noted that it did not appear to be serious. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the tests will likely reveal some clarity on the extent of the injury. Last season, Meadows got off to a slow start but became an integral part of their lineup down the stretch. After the Midsummer classic, Meadows became the team's primary leadoff hitter and held a strong .296/.340/.500 line with six home runs and five stolen bases. If Meadows were to miss time, Matt Vierling or Wenceel Perez could see time in center field.

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New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run during their loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon. Jones hit the home run off Toronto right-hander Eric Pardinho. Jones is considered one of the top hitting prospects in the Yankee system. Last summer, the Vanderbilt product held a .259/.336/.452 line with 30 doubles and 17 home runs. He swiped 25 bags but held a poor 54:200 BB:K ratio. During the 2023 campaign, the 23-year-old spent most of his season with High-A Hudson Valley and posted a .261/.333/.406 line. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Jones' development as he could open the season with Triple-A. If he continues to flash this upside power, he may push for an MLB debut later this season.

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Washington Nationals outfield prospect Dylan Crews has showcased his elite skill set early in spring training. Across his first two games, the LSU product has gone 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, and a stolen base. The former second overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft made his MLB debut last season. Across his first 31 MLB games, Crews held a .218/.288/.353 line with five doubles, three home runs, and 12 stolen bases, He showed a strong eye at the plate with a 19.7 percent strikeout rate, which placed him in the 93rd percentile in sprint speed. Through 49 games with Triple-A Rochester, the 22-year-old posted a .265/.340/.455 slash line with 10 doubles, eight home runs, and 10 stolen bases. Crews is projected to be Washington's everyday right fielder and potentially bat in the top half of the lineup. If he continues to show five-category upside during camp, he could be an intriguing breakout pick in drafts.

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Kansas City Royals first base prospect Jac Caglianone went 1-for-1 with a solo shot during Sunday's victory over the Chicago White Sox. Caglianone launched a 435-foot shot off White Sox left-handed pitcher Trey McGough in the eighth inning. The Florida product was selected with the sixth overall pick in last year's MLB Draft. Caglianone was a two-way player at Florida but is expected to focus exclusively on hitting with Kansas City. Caglianone is considered the top first base prospect on MLB Pipeline and went deep 68 times over his final two seasons at Florida. The 22-year-old was given a brief look at High-A last summer and held a .241 AVG and hit two home runs across 29 games. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his development, as he could spend most of the 2025 season with Double-A.

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Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery went 1-for-2 with a two-run shot during his spring debut on Saturday afternoon. He struck out in his other at-bat. Montgomery is considered the No. 39 best prospect in the sport on MLB Pipeline. Montgomery was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Southridge HS. Last summer, Montgomery spent the entire campaign at the Triple-A level. The infielder struggled at times as he held a .214/.329/.381 line across 130 contests. However, he did enjoy a strong finish as he posted a .267/.357/.458 line with 10 long balls during the final month of the campaign. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his development during camp, as he could contend for a spot on the Opening Day roster if he performs well during spring training.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Zyhir Hope has hit a double and a home run across his first four spring training contests. He has held a .250/.333/.750 line. On Saturday afternoon, Hope launched a solo shot to the opposite field against the Kansas City Royals. While fantasy managers should not expect Hope to make his MLB debut for several seasons, he is developing into one of the top prospects in the Dodger system. MLB Pipeline ranks Hope as the No. 11 prospect in the system. The 20-year-old was selected in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. He was given a brief look in the Rookie League that season and held a .286/.419/.543 line across 11 games. Last summer, Hope spent most of the season with Single-A, where he held a .287/.415/.490 across 54 contests. If he continues to perform well in spring training, he may open the season with High-A.

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