Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (knee) is looking good and is nearing 50 at-bats in live batting practice and minor-league games this spring. He went 0-for-2 with two walks in a minor-league game on Sunday, the third contest he's played in four days. Buxton has yet to play center field, but president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said the team plans to routinely use Buxton as the designated hitter early in the regular season to build him up slowly. Minnesota has eased the 29-year-old center fielder into action this spring after he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee last September. It's encouraging that he should be ready for Opening Day, but Buxton has been a headache to roster in fantasy because of all the injuries he's dealt with in his career.

Opening Day is in doubt for Minnesota Twins infielder Jorge Polanco (knee) and outfielder Alex Kirilloff (wrist). Polanco hasn't graduated from batting practice to exhibition games in camp after missing the final 58 games in 2022 with a bone bruise in his left knee. Kirilloff took two at-bats in a minor-league game over the weekend, but the Twins continue to be cautious with the young hitter. If Polanco is able to play on Tuesday, he'd need only a few days beyond the opener to be ready. But without him logging any time at second base, the bigger question is where Polanco would play as he continues to ramp up his activities. Because Kirilloff played Saturday, the Twins intend to delay a decision on his immediate future.

Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada (rib) is being listed as day-to-day with a bruised rib that he suffered in an outfield collision while playing for Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic against Team USA. Moncada avoided a concussion after colliding with teammate Luis Robert Jr. on Sunday evening. Both Moncada and Robert are expected to fly back on Tuesday and be in camp with the White Sox on Wednesday. It remains to be seen when the 27-year-old will get back into a game in the Cactus League, but he's unlikely to need to start the season on the injured list. Moncada had his worst season in 2022 and has battled injuries in recent seasons, but he's still young and could be a nice value pick to rebound in 2023.

Boston Red Sox infielder Yu Chang won't be back with the team in spring camp until Thursday due to visa issues. He will have six days to make the team once he's back, as he's competing with Bobby Dalbec for the final infield spot on the bench to open up the 2023 regular season. The 27-year-old played for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic and went 7-for-16 with four extra-base hits and eight RBI on his way to being named MVP for Pool A. He spent time with the Guardians, Pirates, Rays and Red Sox in 2022 and hit a combined .208/.289/.315 with four home runs, 15 RBI and 19 runs scored in 69 games. If he makes Boston's Opening Day roster, Chang will be a bench bat for the BoSox.

Atlanta Braves right-hander Michael Soroka (hamstring) will likely be targeted for two innings when he makes his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. Soroka has been behind the other pitchers in spring training after straining his right hamstring before reporting to camp. The 25-year-old right-hander was an All-Star in just his second big-league season in 2019 before injuries derailed his career. Since 2019, Soroka has made only three major-league starts due to two Achilles tears. He also dealt with right elbow soreness late last year and was shut down. Soroka appears to be healthy now, but he still needs to be built up and won't be ready for the start of the regular season. Because of how little he's pitched in recent seasons, fantasy managers can't realistically consider him a reliable asset in 2023.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen (groin) was scratched from his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Monday due to groin tightness. Trey Wingenter will now make the start in what will be a bullpen game for the Tigers against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 31-year-old is currently being evaluated, and it's unclear as of now if this is an injury that will put him in jeopardy of missing Opening Day. In his most recent spring outing on March 14, Lorenzen only threw 2 2/3 innings, so he still has some building up to do before the start of the 2023 regular season. Lorenzen's durability concerns are even more scary now that he's a starting pitcher, as he missed over two months with the Angels in 2022 due to a shoulder injury. He's in a pitcher-friendly division, but Lorenzen doesn't have much fantasy upside.

Boston Red Sox third baseman/designated hitter Justin Turner (face) has returned to the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Luis Ortiz. Turner is serving as the designated hitter and is batting third in the lineup. The 38-year-old required 16 stitches after being hit in the face by a pitch on March 6 and will be back in a game setting for the first time since then. Although he missed some valuable at-bats while healing, he has plenty of time to get his timing down between now and Opening Day at the end of this month. Between DH duties and occasionally filling in at the corner infield spots, Turner should be an everyday player in his first year in Beantown in 2023. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect a ton of power after he showed a sharp decline last year, but he still has excellent plate discipline.

Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom (side) allowed two hits and struck out four over three scoreless innings in Sunday's spring start against the Mariners. The 34-year-old made his spring debut on Sunday after being slowed by tightness in his left side. He showed no rust on Sunday and looked like his ace self. The former New York Met hit 100 mph twice in three innings, and his fastball consistently sat around 97-99 mph. "You saw what he can do, and this is early in Spring Training [for him]," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of deGrom. "The most important thing with everybody would be just keeping them healthy. You just saw what one of the best pitchers in the game looks like today. It is just fun to watch him again. We were excited to see him out there." deGrom is an elite ace when healthy and is a high-risk/high-reward pick at his current NFBC ADP of 29.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (leg) is expected to be fine after fouling a ball off the middle of his leg Sunday's spring game against the Brewers. According to Reds manager Dave Bell, Fraley should be fine. The 27-year-old exited Sunday's game early after fouling a pitch off his leg, but the ball missed his knee. He appears to have avoided a significant injury and is day-to-day. Fraley has had a torrid spring, hitting .306 with three home runs, 12 RBI, six runs, and four stolen bases across 36 at-bats. Fraley should be available for the Reds on Opening Day and is a solid pick at his current ADP of 266 in NFBC leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (hand) is expected to be fine after being hit by a pitch during Sunday's World Baseball Classic win over Cuba. According to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, Arenado is fine, and if the score (USA was up 9-2 at the time) had been different, "he would have fought me on it" in terms of staying on the field. He underwent x-rays on Sunday, which came back negative. The 31-year-old appeared to have avoided a significant injury and was removed as a precaution. He should be available for the World Baseball Classic championship Tuesday. Arenado is hitting .571 with two home runs and three RBI over 14 at-bats this spring.

San Diego Padres catcher Austin Nola (face) may have suffered a broken nose after being hit in the face during a Cactus League contest Sunday, "I can't imagine it's not broken," said Padres manager Bob Melvin. The 33-year-old was carted off the field in the top of the fourth inning after being hit in the face by a pitch. Nola is considered day-to-day, and it's unclear if the LSU product will be ready by Opening Day. He slashed .251/.321/.329 with four home runs, 40 RBI, and 40 runs over 397 plate appearances in 2022. Luis Campusano would be San Diego's primary catcher if Nola were to miss any games.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Jhoan Duran (leg) sustained a leg contusion after being hit by a line drive during Sunday's backfield game. According to Twins managers Rocco Baldelli, Duran was "moving around pretty well." The 25-year-old has avoided a significant injury and will likely get a few days off before returning to the mound. He will be used in high-leverage situations and should have some opportunities to rack up saves. Duran picked up a combined 26 saves and holds, along with a 1.86 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and an 89:16 K: BB across 67 2/3 innings in 2022. Duran has an NFBC ADP of 140 and could be a bargain at that price if the Twins utilize him as a traditional closer.

San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto (oblique) was removed from Sunday's minor-league "B" game with a "mild left oblique strain." He left after feeling "a little sore" in his left side while striking out in his only at-bat. The 24-year-old was removed for precautionary reasons and is considered "day-to-day." An oblique injury this close to Opening Day can be concerning, and the Padres will be cautious with their star outfielder. He went 6-for-15 with three doubles, two homers, and three walks across four games in the World Baseball Classic. Soto also dealt with a calf strain in late February and early March. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation, and we will keep you posted as more information comes in. Matt Carpenter and Adam Engel would see an uptick in at-bats if Soto were to miss any games. Stay tuned.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler (hip) was removed early during Sunday's Grapefruit League matchup. The left-handed slugger was pulled out of the game due to left hip tightness. It sounds like this was a precautionary move by the organization. Fantasy managers should consider Kepler as day-to-day right now. The team will likely give another update on his status, but he should be fine for Opening Day. The 30-year-old slugger is looking for a bounce back season after struggling in 2022. He should get a legitimate chance to prove himself as the everyday right fielder.

The Colorado Rockies signed utility fielder Jurickson Profar to a one-year, $8.75 million deal. Profar is guaranteed $7.75 million and can earn another million if he reaches 400 plate appearances. The 30-year-old is expected to serve as the Rockies left fielder while batting leadoff in 2023. He was one of the last free agents to be signed, despite a fruitful 2022 campaign with the San Diego Padres. Profar slashed .243/.331/.391 with 15 HRs and a .723 OPS. He put together a memorable Wild Card Series against the Mets, after posting a 1.012 OPS with four plated runs in the series. If the Curacao native can continue to contribute offensively, he could be a valuable investment in deep league formats.

New York Mets outfielder Abraham Almonte (calf) was reassigned to Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday. Almonte made eight appearances this spring, and will likely serve as organizational depth for the Mets in 2023. He made 14 at-bats and slashed .500/.650/.643 with a 1.293 OPS in spring training. He certainly made an impact this spring and may even see some time in the big leagues throughout the season. The 33-year-old spent his 2022 campaign with the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox. He played in just 15 big league games with the Red Sox and hit .257 with one home run. If he turns some heads in Triple-A Syracuse, he could get an early promotion. Although, he won't bring any value to fantasy leagues.

Houston Astros All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve (thumb) is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks due to a broken right thumb that he suffered in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals on Saturday night while playing for Team Venezuela. Altuve was hit by a pitch while facing Team USA and reliever Daniel Bard on Saturday, and now he's not expected to make his 2023 season debut until late May. The 32-year-old veteran may not return until June, depending on how his thumb heals. In the meantime, David Hensley, Mauricio Dubon and Rylan Bannon will compete for playing time at the keystone with Altuve on the shelf. It's a tough break for anyone that has already drafted Altuve, and for those with upcoming drafts, his fantasy stock obviously takes a big hit this year.

Los Angeles Angels reliever Jimmy Herget has joined the conversation to become the teams closer to begin the season. With offseason acquisition Carlos Estevez struggling in spring training with a 15.43 ERA through six appearances, Herget is being strongly considered to start off the season as the closer. After the Halos dealt star closer Raisel Iglesias during last years trade deadline, they turned to their closing committee for the second half. 29-year-old Herget led the committee with nine saves, and the Angels were impressed by his performance in high-leverage situations. In high-pressure situations, he posted a 3.51 FIP with 10 strikeouts across 12 2/3 innings. While Herget is a strong candidate to be the teams closer, other names like Aaron Loup and Jose Quijada are in the mix as well.

New York Mets outfielder Abraham Almonte (calf) was re-assigned to Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday. Almonte made eight appearances this spring, and will likely serve as organizational depth for the Mets in 2023. He made 14 at-bat and slashed .500/.650/.643 with a 1.293 OPS in spring training. He certainly made an impact this spring and may even see some time in the big leagues throughout the season. The 33-year-old spent his 2022 campaign with the Boston Red Sox, which was mainly played in the minor leagues. He played in just 15 big league games and hit .257 with one home run. If he turns some heads in Triple-A Worcester, he could get an early promotion. Although, he won't bring any value to fantasy leagues.

Boston Red Sox southpaw James Paxton (hamstring) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session on Saturday. Paxton is recovering from a right hamstring strain that he sustained in his first spring training start on March 3rd. He is expected to throw one more session along with two live BPs before pitching in a game. With the pace that he's on, Paxton will likely begin the season on the injured list. The 34-year-old missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and anticipates making a comeback in 2023. He last pitched a full season in 2019 with the New York Yankees and composed a 3.82 ERA across 29 starts. Evidently, Paxton has had a bumpy past few seasons but the Red Sox are hoping to reinvigorate the success that he had just a few seasons ago.