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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) won't need more imaging done on his elbow before he's cleared to throw again, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Rodriguez's throwing progression, which will be a "restart," is expected to begin early next week. "So it's going to take a while," Hyde said. The Baltimore Sun's Jacob Calvin Meyer writes that the Orioles haven't put a timetable on Rodriguez's return, but it's going to be longer than a month. Fantasy managers should expect the 25-year-old to miss at least the first month of the season, barring any setbacks with his right elbow once he starts ramping up. He is dealing with elbow inflammation and was given a cortisone injection in camp. It's a tough break for a pitcher that was on his way to breaking out last year, too, before a lat strain in August ended his season early. Rodriguez's new elbow injury has dropped him all the way to No. 72 in RotoBaller's pitching rankings.

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Kansas City Royals right-hander Kyle Wright (hamstring, shoulder) is hoping that he can progress to live batting practice sessions in camp next week, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. After already missing all of the 2024 season due to right-shoulder surgery, Wright has missed more time this spring after injuring his hamstring. Even if the 29-year-old former Atlanta Braves pitcher starts facing live hitters next week, he's not going to be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. The Royals took a flier on Wright hoping that he can recapture his magical 2022 campaign with Atlanta in which he had a 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 174 strikeouts and 53 walks in 180 1/3 innings. However, it was the only one of his six big-league seasons that stands out, and he's made just nine appearances in the last two years due to his shoulder injury. At best, he's stash-worthy in deep AL-only leagues, but don't expect much.

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Kansas City Royals right-hander Alec Marsh (shoulder) said he felt great in two innings of live batting practice in camp on Thursday and will continue to build his arm up. It's unclear when Marsh might be cleared to pitch in a Cactus League game, but he is making progress after arriving to spring training this year with right-shoulder tightness. Even if the 26-year-old is cleared to pitch in spring games before spring training is over, he's expected to open the 2025 regular season on the injured list. In his second year in the big leagues in 2024, Marsh went 9-9 with a 4.53 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP with 123 strikeouts and 39 walks in 129 innings over 26 outings (25 starts) for the Royals. He showed better control last year but faded down the stretch in his first full big league season and was sent to the minors while also spending time in relief. Marsh will make more starts for KC this year but is out of the top-100 fantasy starting pitchers.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (forearm) is still feeling better on Friday and did some increased baseball activities at camp, including hitting, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Witt was hit by a pitch on his left forearm in a Cactus League game on Wednesday, but X-rays came back negative and he's just dealing with a forearm contusion. The 24-year-old All-Star is taking it easy, but there's a chance he'll be back in a spring game on Saturday, depending on how he feels by then. Even if he doesn't return to a game this weekend, though, Witt should be just fine for Opening Day in a few weeks. Fantasy managers that had already taken Witt early in the first round of fantasy drafts were surely holding their breathe on Wednesday after he was hit by reliever Andres Munoz. Last year's runner-up for American League MVP is ranked as the No. 2 player at RotoBaller, behind only Shohei Ohtani.

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Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz is going to stick around with the organization for a few more seasons. On Friday, the Rays picked up Diaz's $12 million team option for 2026 and added a vesting option for the 2027 season. This is noteworthy because Diaz was subject to plenty of trade rumors this offseason, but it appears the Rays want to hold onto the slugging corner infielder. Last season, Diaz slashed .281/.341/.755 with 14 home runs and 65 RBI across 145 games with the Rays. That was actually a down year for Diaz who hit .330 with 22 homers in 2023. He has been a reliable bat for a handful of years and that should remain the case heading into 2025.

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New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (knee) is expected to be ready in time to play on Opening Day. The veteran outfielder has been dealing with a lingering knee issue, but recently received a gel injection, which appears to be helping him. Nimmo believes he'll be ready to play designated hitter, but is unsure if he's ready for the outfield yet. Nimmo continued by saying he still feels soreness in his knee and is about 80 percent healthy right now. Fantasy managers should expect to have Nimmo as part of their lineup on Opening Day, but should check back in case of a setback.

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is reportedly near the top of the list for ninth inning options heading into the regular season. White Sox manager Will Venable said he might use multiple players in the closer role, but said Clevinger could be an early favorite for saves on the South Side. The veteran right-hander has done a nice job through a few spring appearances, but this will be his first time being a full-time reliever. Clevinger only made four starts for the White Sox last season, but posted a 3.77 ERA across 24 starts in 2023. Honestly, Clevinger might be a viable closing option, but the White Sox probably aren't going to give him enough chances to warrant rostering him in most fantasy formats.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows (arm) will open the regular season on the 10-day injured list, according to manager A.J. Hinch. This was expected to happen considering Meadows is still dealing with a nerve issue in his right arm. Meadows hasn't made much progress over the last few weeks, so his timetable to return to the field is unclear right now. The absence of Meadows means that Wenceel Perez has a path to everyday playing time in Detroit. Last season, Perez slashed .242/.300/.383 with nine home runs, 37 RBI, and nine stolen bases across 112 games. There could be some deep league value from Perez, assuming he gets everyday at-bats to begin the season.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon has been officially named the Opening Day starter against the Milwaukee Brewers. Well, this honor was going to be given to Gerrit Cole (elbow) before he suffered a season-ending injury. After that, Rodon and Max Fried became the favorites to take the ball on Opening Day. The Yankees have decided to give it to Rodon who is entering his third season in pinstripes. Last season, Rodon posted a 3.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 195/47 K/BB ratio across 32 starts with the Yankees. The Yankees are hopeful that the two-time All-Star can help pick up some of the slack left behind by the injury to Cole.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder Jorge Mateo (elbow) could get into some Grapefruit League games soon, but it will take him some time to ramp up and he remains doubtful to be ready for Opening Day, according to manager Brandon Hyde. It's good news that Mateo has progressed to the point where he's close to being cleared to play in games, but he'll almost certainly begin the 2025 regular season on the injured list after he had reconstruction surgery on his right UCL in his left (non-throwing) elbow. It helps that the surgery wasn't to his throwing arm, but Mateo still won't be ready for the start of the season and will merely be a bench infielder for the Orioles once he's ready to make his season debut. The 29-year-old Dominican led the league with 35 stolen bases in 2022 and also stole 32 bags in 2023, but he's never hit for average and isn't guaranteed that type of playing time again.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Friday that right-hander Zach Eflin will start on Opening Day on March 27 in Toronto against the division-rival Blue Jays. Eflin gets the nod with fellow right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) opening the year on the injured list. The 30-year-old veteran closed out the year in Baltimore after the O's acquired him in a trade with the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, and he'll start the first game of the year heading into his first full season in Baltimore. Eflin has allowed four earned runs with two walks and only one strikeout in two Grapefruit League starts, but he had a sharp 2.60 ERA, 47 K's and 11 walks in 55 1/3 inning over nine starts to close out last year with the Orioles. While Eflin continues to rarely walk people, his drop in strikeout percentage in 2024 could be concerning. Treat him as a back-end fantasy starting pitcher with a shaky DFS matchup on Opening Day.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Painter (elbow) threw his first live batting practice session of the spring against some of his Phillies teammates on Friday, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Painter, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 8 overall prospect in baseball this year, is being brought along slowly in spring training after he missed all of the last two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had in July of 2023. The 21-year-old will not pitch at all in the Grapefruit League and will not break camp with the big-league roster as he continues to slowly build up his prized right arm. If everything goes well and he doesn't encounter any setbacks along the way, Painter should be a starting-rotation option for the Phillies in the second half of the season. Painter should already be rostered in all dynasty/keeper leagues, but fantasy managers in single-year leagues should temper expectations.

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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper established himself as one of the league's best defensive first baseman in 2024 in his first full season playing the position. But in the offseason, he offered to return to the outfield if the Phillies were to acquire a big bat (such as Pete Alonso) to play first base. It came after Harper said in February of last year that he never wanted to move back to the outfield. The 32-year-old two-time MVP says he's still open to moving back to right field if the Phillies were to acquire a first baseman at the trade deadline this summer. "The main goal is to win the World Series." Alonso re-signed with the Mets, but perhaps the Phillies look to trade for Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is in the final year of his deal. Offensively, Harper returned to the 30-homer mark in 2024 and will come off the board in the early rounds of drafts as one of the best first baseman available.

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Los Angeles Angels third baseman Yoan Moncada (thumb) was scratched from Friday's Cactus League lineup against the division-rival Athletics due to thumb soreness, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. Meanwhile, Luis Rengifo (hamstring) is returning to the spring lineup on Friday for the first time this month due to hamstring tightness he's been dealing with. It's unclear how serious Moncada's thumb issue is or if it will cause him to miss additional time. With Anthony Rendon (hip) out for the foreseeable future, Moncada has an opportunity to see regular playing time at the hot corner in Anaheim to start the season, although Rengifo is also an option there. The 29-year-old Cuban infielder hit 25 homers for the White Sox in 2019 but hasn't come close to replicating his numbers that season and played in only 12 games due to injury in 2024. He'll have to prove himself before becoming worth a roster spot in mixed fantasy leagues.

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According to Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, the team is considering moving third baseman Jose Ramirez to the No. 2 spot in the lineup this year. Ramirez was the team's three-hole hitter 152 times last year, and he appeared in the two-hole just six times. Vogt's reasoning behind the potential change is that it will get the 32-year-old up to the plate more often over the course of the entire season and also give him more RBI opportunities. Nothing is set in stone just yet, and a move up just one spot in the lineup wouldn't drastically impact his fantasy value in 2025. Options to hit behind Ramirez in the third spot would include young first baseman Kyle Manzardo, veteran Carlos Santana and outfielder Lane Thomas. Ramirez, a six-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner, is one of the best all-around players in baseball and is ranked at RotoBaller as the No. 5 overall fantasy player.

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New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Friday that right-hander Clay Holmes will be the team's Opening Day starter this year on March 27 versus the Houston Astros on the road. "He earned it. We like what we're seeing," Mendoza said. As he transitions to a full-time starting role in his first year with the Mets, the Yankees' former closer has made a nice first impression and has been dominant this spring, striking out 13 and walking four in 9 2/3 scoreless Grapefruit League innings. Holmes showed plenty of dominance over the last three years in the Bronx as the Yankees closer as well with 204 total strikeouts and 74 saves in 189 2/3 innings pitched. He's also an extreme ground-ball artist. The two-time All-Star could turn out to be a great investment for the Mets over the course of his three-year deal, but for fantasy purposes, he's a back-end starter, at best, simply because he hasn't topped 100 innings since 2018.

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The Miami Marlins optioned right-handed pitchers Valente Bellozo and Brett de Geus to Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday and reassigned right-hander Josh Ekness to minor-league camp. Bellozo lost out on the competition for a starting-rotation spot in camp by giving up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings of work in the Grapefruit League. To begin the season, the 25-year-old Mexican hurler will serve as starting depth in the minors. Bellozo made his big-league debut in 2024 and went 3-4 with a 3.67 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 44 K's and 21 walks in 68 2/3 innings over 13 starts for the Fish. The 27-year-old de Geus also didn't perform well in spring training, getting hit around to the tune of six runs in just 2 2/3 innings in the Grapefruit League. de Geus spent 2024 with three different teams and had an ERA above 7.00 in just 11 1/3 inning. He'll open in the minor as relief depth for Miami.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (forearm, wrist) left Friday's Grapefruit League game against the division-rival Washington Nationals after he was hit by a pitch in the right forearm/wrist area. Riley passed initial strength tests, and X-rays came back negative for any broken bones, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Justin Toscano. The 27-year-old will now go for a CT scan, with the Braves not saying anything until they have the full update. While it appears Riley avoided a significant injury, he's not out of the woods just yet. We will continue to monitor the situation, but expect him to miss at least a few days in camp. If the CT scan doesn't show anything serious, Riley should be ready for Opening Day in late March. There is more concern here since Riley dealt with a fractured hand in 2024, which wasn't discovered until he had a CT scan. Stay tuned.

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There is a chance that Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera (finger) will have his next turn skipped in spring training, according to manager Clayton McCullough. Cabrera was pulled from his Grapefruit League start on Thursday against the Houston Astros after only 12 pitches due to a blister on his right middle finger. The next step for the 26-year-old will be determined on Friday. If Cabrera's next start is skipped, he will almost certainly open the 2025 regular season on the injured list. In addition to another blister issue popping up, he hasn't pitched well in spring training, allowed 13 runs on 11 hits while walking four in just 4 2/3 innings. Cabrera has intriguing stuff on the mound, but injuries, inconsistency and a lack of control/command of his pitches has put him off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (oblique) will be forced to open the 2025 regular season on the injured list after being diagnosed with a low-grade oblique strain. The Reds weren't too worried about Stephenson's injury when he initially was announced as dealing with a sore back, and although it shouldn't be a long-term injury, it will keep the 28-year-old from playing on Opening Day and in early April. He will now miss the rest of spring training and will hope that he doesn't suffer any setbacks when he eventually starts to ramp up baseball activities. It means that Jose Trevino will now open the year as Cincy's starting catcher, with Austin Wynns likely backing him up. After a bounce-back 2024 season in which the former first-rounder hit .258 with career-highs in homers (19) and RBI (66), Stephenson will now fall outside the top-10 fantasy catchers due to his oblique injury.

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