Yankees GM Brian Cashman stated that starting pitcher Gerrit Cole could be placed on the 60-Day IL if they need to free up a spot on the 40-man roster. Cole is expected to miss an extended amount of time anyway, so putting him on the IL would give them some roster flexibility. If the Yankees were to do that, that would at least firm up the fact that the 6x All-Star would not return before late May or early June at the earliest, and fantasy managers can adjust expectations accordingly. Cole's draft stock has already plummeted of course, but a late-round flier on a pitcher with Cole's ceiling seems like a reasonable gamble, assuming he won't need to miss any additional time and provided you have space to stash him.

The Texas Rangers officially placed right-hander Jacob deGrom (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Friday to make room for right-hander Michael Lorenzen on the active roster. deGrom, who is recovering from surgery on his right UCL, started playing catch on Feb. 12 and resumed again on the first official day of spring workouts on Feb. 14, just under eight months after the surgery to fix his torn right UCL ended his 2023 season. It was the second Tommy John surgery for the 35-year-old veteran. General manager Chris Young said that deGrom is progressing well in his rehab with an eye on returning around August. He still has a long ways to go in his recovery and shouldn't be relied on for much, if any, fantasy production late in the second half of 2024 if he returns to Texas' starting rotation.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (back) is back in the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Saturday against the New York Yankees, playing first base and batting third in the lineup. After getting seven at-bats on the back fields in camp on Friday, Harper is ready to return to spring action this weekend after dealing with a minor back injury. The 31-year-old former MVP has gone only 5-for-22 with three runs scored in Grapefruit League games this spring, but the only thing that really matters is that he'll be ready for Opening Day next Thursday. Moving to first base full time in 2024, Harper is ranked at RotoBaller as the No. 1 fantasy first baseman, behind only the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman.

San Francisco Giants infielder Wilmer Flores (knee) returned to Cactus League action on Friday against the Chicago Cubs, starting at first base and batting third in the lineup. Flores returned to the field on Friday after he was scratched from Wednesday's Cactus League lineup due to minor knee soreness. The fact that the 32-year-old is already back on the field heading into the weekend suggests he won't open the 2024 regular season on the injured list next week. The Venezuelan veteran hit an impressive .284/.355/.509 with an .863 OPS, a career-high 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 126 games in 2023 in his third year in the Bay Area. At the very least, Flores should be a lineup regular for the Gigantes this year against left-handed pitching at either first base or designated hitter.

After New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (lat) was scratched from Friday's Grapefruit League game due to lat tightness, he said he's "fully confident I'll be in there Opening Day" and added that the decision to scratch him on Friday was a precaution. "He didn't seem too concerned with it. He said it's something he has every now and then during the season, but just wanted to be certain," manager Aaron Boone said. Fantasy managers that took the 34-year-old left-handed-hitting veteran as a power-hitting corner-infield option in mixed leagues will be hoping that Rizzo can carry over his strong spring training performance into the regular season. If Rizzo can stay healthy in 2024 after missing the last two months of 2023 with a concussion, he could be an excellent value play in fantasy.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (back) got seven at-bats on a back field in camp on Friday, hitting an opposite-field home run while also beating out an infield single. Harper was happy to see some velocity and is hoping to play first base on Saturday in a Grapefruit League game versus the New York Yankees. The 31-year-old former MVP has been out of action for the last week in spring training due to some back stiffness, but he looks to be healthy now and should be ready to go for Opening Day on March 28. Now a full-time first baseman for the Phillies, Harper is ranked as the No. 2 fantasy first baseman at RotoBaller after slashing .293/.401/.499 with a .900 OPS, 21 home runs, 72 RBI and 11 stolen bases in just 126 games in 2023 in his fifth season with the Phillies.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (lat) was scratched from Friday's Grapefruit League contest against the New York Mets due to lat tightness. Manager Aaron Boone said during the game that Rizzo came to him 20 minutes before the game and said he wanted to come out and be cautious as it's something he deals with in the regular season. The 34-year-old has been enjoying a big spring, hitting .412 with two home runs and seven walks against five strikeouts across 41 trips to the plate, good for a 1.188 OPS. The veteran endured a down 2023 season, hitting .244 with 12 home runs in an injury-shortened 99 games after suffering a concussion in a May collision with Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer against the Chicago Cubs in Thursday's Cactus League matchup. The veteran is entering his 14th season, all with Colorado and has looked good this spring with a .333 batting, two homers and six RBI in 39 at-bats. At age 37, Blackmon may have to succumb some playing time to younger players on a rebuilding Rockies team, but he can still be useful during long stretches at Coors Field. Even with a nice spring, there should be players with bigger upsides towards the end of deep league drafts.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich has been having a nice spring with two homers, five RBI and a .333 batting average in 24 Cactus League at-bats. Yelich, 32, bounced back in 2023 after some rough campaigns in 2022 and 2023 and finished with a .278 batting average that was accompanied by 19 homers, 76 RBI and 28 stolen bases. Yelich looked to be on the decline, but last year proved he still has enough juice in his bat to be productive. Despite not being the MVP-caliber player that he was in years past, Yelich should still be a useful piece for managers filling out their outfields ahead of Opening Day.

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (back) said he felt good in his return to Grapefruit League action on Thursday night against the Baltimore Orioles and expects to be ready for Opening Day on March 28 next Thursday. Jansen said he didn't feel good until Thursday and that he's been battling lat, shoulder and back issues throughout spring training. The 36-year-old veteran right-hander looked like his dominant self in a perfect inning of work against Baltimore, which is great news for fantasy managers that already have Jansen rostered. It was just his second appearance of the spring, though, and MLB's active leader in saves should be considered a pretty big injury risk as a No. 2 fantasy closer as he heads into his 15th big-league season (second with the Red Sox).

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (back) was hitting and fielding again on Thursday. While Harper has not played in a Grapefruit League game since March 14 because of soreness in his lower back, Thursday represented his third consecutive day of baseball activities. The 31-year-old slugger is scheduled to get at-bats at Carpenter Complex on Friday and Saturday, so he appears to be on track for Philly's Opening Day matchup versus the Atlanta Braves on March 28. There's been concern about Harper because he's had back issues in the past, although he's never been placed on the injured list because of them. This situation remains worth monitoring, but fantasy managers don't need to adjust Harper's 17 NFBC ADP at this juncture. Through 26 plate appearances this spring, the two-time National League MVP is slashing only .227/.346/.273 with one double and three runs scored but has stolen two bases in just nine games.

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Wade Miley (groin) was scratched from Thursday night's Cactus League appearance versus the San Francisco Giants due to groin tightness. Miley will throw a bullpen session on Thursday without the up and downs instead and might try to pitch in a spring game this weekend. He said he was going to start the 2024 season on the injured list anyway because of shoulder issues, so he figured he wouldn't push it. With Miley sidelined to begin the season, either Joe Ross or Robert Gasser will likely fill in for the Brewers' starting rotation. Even when healthy, Miley should be avoided in mixed fantasy leagues. The soft-tossing 37-year-old southpaw just doesn't offer any upside in the strikeout department, and durability is also an issue.

Boston Red Sox relievers Kenley Jansen (back) and Chris Martin (groin) are both scheduled to pitch in Thursday night's Grapefruit League game against the Baltimore Orioles. Jansen didn't make his Grapefruit League debut until last Friday due to lat tightness this spring and then was scratched from a spring appearance earlier this week due to lower-back stiffness. While Jansen is running out of time to be ready for Opening Day on March 28 next Thursday, if he can avoid anymore setbacks with his back, he could still be ready. Martin, who is probably next in line for saves in Boston if Jansen ever misses time, will be making his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday after injuring his groin in early March. Jansen is the active MLB leader in saves, but he's become extremely injury-prone.

New York Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton went off in Wednesday's 12-0 Grapefruit League rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates, smashing three home runs and piling up eight RBI. Stanton went deep for a towering two-run homer in the first inning, crushed a grand slam during the second frame, and launched a solo blast in the fourth just for good measure. And just like that, the 34-year-old slugger is now batting .314 (11-for-35) with four long balls, 10 RBI, and a 1.073 OPS this spring. Stanton's All-Star days might be behind him after a miserable 2023 saw him register a career-worst .191/.275/.420 triple-slash line across 415 plate appearances, but he'll open the 2024 season as the everyday designated hitter in the heart of the order in a loaded Yankees lineup. His playing time should be safe until Jasson Dominguez (elbow) returns later in the summer, and Stanton's 220 NFBC ADP should rise a bit following Wednesday's explosion.

With both Toronto Blue Jays relief pitchers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) dealing with injuries with Opening Day right around the corner next week, Chad Green and Yimi Garcia are two clear candidates to fill in for the closer role if Romano and Swanson aren't ready or are eased back in. Nate Pearson could also be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster if one or both of Romano and/or Swanson are on the injured list. Green has just 11 career saves, but he has enough high-leverage experience to know the ropes. Garcia saved 15 games for the Marlins in 2021 and stepped into the role a few times in Toronto last year when Romano was available, making him the best one to speculate on in deep fantasy leagues.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Tyler Matzek (elbow) is back this year after missing all of last season and the last two postseasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery in October of 2022. Matzek threw two perfect innings with four strikeouts in a Grapefruit League game on Sunday to erase any questions about whether he'd need a short minor-league rehab stint to shake off the rust to open the season. The 33-year-old veteran reliever looks ready for the 2024 season, and his velocity has ticked up to 95 mph in his fifth spring appearance on Sunday. He has nine strikeouts, two hits allowed and two walks in 5 2/3 scoreless innings over five outings and will return to Atlanta's bullpen as an important late-inning lefty arm. Matzek isn't going to be a save option, but don't forget that he had 24 holds in 2021.

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington said that he's experimenting with leadoff hitters, which is why third baseman Anthony Rendon was hitting first in the order in the Cactus League game on Wednesday versus the San Francisco Giants. Washington said that the team doesn't have an ideal leadoff hitter, but Rendon does have a knack for getting on base with a career on-base percentage of .367 and 11 percent walk rate in 11 big-league seasons. The 33-year-old has mostly hit third or fourth in his four years with the Angles, which have been marred by injuries. Rendon hasn't played more than 58 games in any of his four years in Anaheim, which has basically made him avoidable in all mixed fantasy leagues going into 2024.

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia is enjoying himself a nice spring as he looks to build upon what was mostly a strong season in the 2023 campaign. The right-hander has worked to a tidy 2.25 ERA across seven outings and eight innings of work, posting a 0.63 WHIP with seven strikeouts in that time. Both of his earned runs allowed have come via solo home runs and he has walked just two batters to this point. Garcia's solid work is certainly worth monitoring considering Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is dealing with an elbow issue and setup man Erik Swanson is also sidelined with a forearm injury. Should that duo miss time to begin the season, it's likely Garcia will be in line for some early-season save opportunities, although Romano would certainly take over closing duties upon his return.

Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Wacha has enjoyed a nice spring through his first four outings of Cactus League action. The veteran has pitched to a 3.86 ERA to this point with two of his four outings coming as the scoreless variety. He has struck out 10 against four walks in his 9 1/3 innings of work. It appears the next step for the 32-year-old will be to build up his innings after maxing out at 3 2/3 frames his last time out. Wacha joined the Royals on a two-year, $32 million deal this winter on the heels of a 2023 campaign that saw him pitch to a healthy 3.22 ERA across 24 starts with the Padres, going 14-4 in the process. However, he also posted a 4.43 SIERA, suggesting some regression for 2024 as ATC projects a 4.45 ERA across another 24 starts for him this upcoming season.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo is enjoying a big spring as he looks to bounce back at the plate in the 2024 season. The veteran is hitting .433 (13-for-30) with two homers, eight RBI, and a 1.241 OPS across 37 trips to the plate. He also has seven walks against five strikeouts in that time. Rizzo enjoyed a solid start to his 2023 season but a May collision with San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. on a pickoff play resulted in a concussion that bogged him down for the remainder of the season. Rizzo wound up hitting .244 with 12 home runs and a .706 OPS across 99 games for the season, the worst overall production of his career outside of his 49-game debut in the 2011 season. He figures to bounce back with some power but his 22 home runs and 67 RBI projected by ATC leave much to be desired at the first-base position.