Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Alex Faedo (shoulder) is expected to start the season on the injured list due to a right-shoulder injury, according to MLB.com's Adam Berry. Manager Kevin Cash said Faedo had an MRI exam that didn't show anything "too alarming," but he will be shut down from throwing for a short period. Before his injury, the 29-year-old looked to be a favorite for the final spot in the bullpen because of his ability to pitch multiple innings, his track record in the big leagues, and the fact he has no minor-league options remaining. The former first-round pick out of Florida struggled with injuries with the Detroit Tigers before posting a 3.61 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings over 39 appearances as a reliever last year. If he can move past a shoulder injury that he also dealt with late last year, Faedo could be a valuable multi-inning reliever for the Rays. However, there's very little fantasy appeal.

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (back), who was scratched from Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to lower-back tightness, will return to the lineup on Saturday against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, according to manager Alex Cora. Story had a already previously missed a week of spring training action due to a back injury, but this time around it's clearly not as serious. Barring another setback to close out Grapefruit League action, the 32-year-old veteran should be good to go for Opening Day next Thursday. The two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner has played in just 163 games in three seasons since joining Boston in 2022, though, which is why fantasy managers can't trust him as anything more than middle infield depth in deeper leagues because of his propensity for injury.

The Baltimore Orioles agreed to terms on a one-year major-league deal with free-agent right-hander Kyle Gibson on Friday and placed right-hander Kyle Bradish (elbow) on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move to make room for Gibson on the 40-man roster. Gibson's deal is for $5.25 million and will give Baltimore some more starting depth entering the 2025 season with Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells and Bradish all opening the year on the injured list with elbow issues. The 37-year-old veteran could get some decent run in the team's rotation eventually, which could make him worth pursuing in AL-only formats. Gibson spent the 2023 season in Baltimore before going 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with 151 K's and 68 walks in 30 starts for the Cardinals in 2024. There's not much upside, but Gibson could have some streaming appeal in DFS back in Baltimore.

The Kansas City Royals acquired outfielder Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, sources tell MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Milwaukee ships the veteran outfielder to the American League Central after he was unlikely to make their Opening Day roster out of spring training. The 36-year-old veteran went just 2-for-23 with two RBI and four runs scored in nine Cactus League games. Canha will be off the fantasy radar in all mixed leagues, but he'll provide the Royals with some outfield depth to open the regular season. The former seventh-round pick by the Florida Marlins back in 2010 out of the University of California -- Berkeley has 10 years of major-league experience. He hit .242/.344/.346 with seven homers, 42 RBI and seven steals in 125 games with the Tigers and Giants in 2024.

The Cleveland Guardians have optioned outfield prospect Johnathan Rodriguez to Triple-A Columbus. Rodriguez was competing for a starting role in the outfield but fell short, given his struggles during camp. Across 13 contests, Rodriguez held a modest .217/.375/.391 slash line with just one home run and one double. Last summer, Rodriguez made his MLB debut and posted a .129/.325/.161 slash line across 13 MLB contests. He tallied just one extra-base hit but held a solid 5:9 BB:K. At the Triple-A level, Rodriguez flashed his upside as he hit for a strong .301/.390/.540 line. Across 118 games, Rodriguez went deep 29 times and added 18 doubles. He swiped eight bags and held a 64:128 BB:K. With Rodriguez opening the season at Triple-A, fantasy managers should expect Will Brennan and Jhonkensy Noel to see most of the starts in right field.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez will start the 2025 regular season at Triple-A Durham. Jimenez started to come on strong of late at the plate in Grapefruit League action, but it wasn't enough for him to beat out Curtis Mead, who has been one of the best overall hitters this spring. The 28-year-old Dominican has hit .235 (8-for-34) with a homer, double, four RBI and a run scored in 12 spring games played. Jimenez continues to fall after slashing a combined .238/.289/.336 with a career-low .626 OPS, six home runs and 23 RBI in 98 games in 2024 with the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. The oft-injured outfielder continued to deal with injuries last year and made two separate trips to the injured list. Jimenez hits the ball hard when he makes contact, but he hit too many ground balls last year and hasn't displayed an ability to stay healthy long enough to make any real impact.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Curtis Mead has made the team's Opening Day roster, according to manager Kevin Cash. Mead essentially beats out Eloy Jimenez for one of the team's final roster spots out of camp thanks to an impressive Grapefruit League performance this spring. Entering play on Friday, Mead has hit .543 (19-for-35) with a homer, double, three RBI, a stolen base and six runs scored in 13 contests. The 24-year-old Australian's stock is certainly rising for those in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues despite the fact he's only hit .244/.300/.312 with a .613 OPS, two home runs and 12 RBI in 62 games since he debuted in the big leagues in 2023. The former highly-touted prospect in the Phillies system might initially only see playing time in Tampa against lefties, but if he continues to swing the bat like he has in spring training, more playing time will surely come. Stash him in AL-only formats for now.

The Sporting Tribune's Jack Janes writes that Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (shoulder) has been able to do just about every defensive drill in camp that the rest of the team is doing outside of throwing. His throwing program didn't allow him to throw across the diamond until he reached 120 feet, which he accomplished this past week. The 24-year-old finally started throwing to first base last Sunday and said his arm is feeling good. Neto has also been swinging the bat in batting practice and in the cages as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery that will cause him to start the 2025 season on the injured list. "Honestly, I feel really great with my shoulder and where it's at. I'm feeling way stronger since when I first walked in here," Neto said. Kevin Newman is expected to start the year as the team's starting shortstop, but it might not be long before Neto makes his 2025 debut.

Texas Rangers outfielders Evan Carter and Leody Taveras could start the year in a platoon in center field, according to MLB.com's Kennedi Landry. Neither player has hit lefties well, but Carter has really struggled, hitting .081/.150/.081 with three total hits against lefties in the big leagues since debuting late in the 2023 season. He has five strikeouts in seven at-bats against southpaws in spring training. The 22-year-old just hasn't had much exposure to high-leverage lefties in the big leagues in only 68 regular-season games played. He also played just 45 games in 2024 due to a back injury that the team is still managing. Carter expects to improve against lefties in time, but the Rangers might just continue avoid having him face them. Between recurring back issues and the fact that he won't play regularly, Carter's fantasy upside is limited in 2025.

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (back) was scratched from Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to lower-back tightness, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. He'll be replaced by Nick Sogard, who will start at shortstop and bat eighth in the lineup. While it's unclear if this is just the Red Sox being cautious, but it should be noted that the 32-year-old veteran already missed a week of spring action due to a back issue. With Opening Day less than a week away, there's no guarantee that Story will be ready to play next Thursday. If Story has to start the year on the injured list, David Hamilton could begin the year as Boston's primary shortstop, with prospect Kristian Campbell serving as the starting second baseman. The oft-injured Story is a hard sell as a middle-infield option in deep-mixed leagues because of his inability to stay on the field for long periods of time.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (forearm) admitted that he received a pain-killing injection in the flexor tendon of his right forearm late last season -- he ended the year on the injured list -- and the injury delayed his offseason program. Gray said the injury hasn't been an issue during spring training, but the delay in his throwing program could explain his diminished velocity in Grapefruit League games. The 35-year-old veteran has really struggled in spring games, allowing 18 earned runs on 21 hits (seven homers) while walking six and striking out 14 in 11 1/3 innings over four starts. Gray's velocity was down nearly two mph in his Grapefruit League start against the Houston Astros, which should be a cause for concern for the Cards and fantasy managers alike. If his velocity doesn't rebound, it's unlikely he'll have a strikeout rate north of 30% like he had in 2024. It's something to keep a close eye on.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) will take live batting practice in camp on Saturday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Henderson is running out of time to be ready for Opening Day next Thursday, but the 23-year-old All-Star will take hacks against live pitching this weekend after being sidelined at spring training with a right-intercostal strain. He has only seen action in three Grapefruit League games, so fantasy managers that already used a first-round pick on Henderson have to be a bit worried that his lack of activity in camp could lead to a slow start in 2025. The good news is that if he's forced to open the year on the injured list, hopefully it won't be long before he's able to make his season debut in April. In just his third MLB season, Henderson broke out in 2024 with 37 homers, 92 RBI, 21 steals, 118 runs and a .281/.364/.529 slash line in 159 regular-season games.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) will start the team's Grapefruit League game on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. Scherzer asked to make the two-hour road trip to Fort Myers because he wanted to face major-league hitters. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has been dealing with a nagging right-thumb injury in spring training, but he looked good during a bullpen session on Thursday and is now ready to test his finger in game action and is looking to throw around 60-65 pitches against Minnesota. If Scherzer avoids a setback with his thumb, he should be ready for Opening Day next Thursday. While Scherzer was initially looking like a late-round value pitch as fantasy rotation depth, his thumb injury might have a lot of fantasy managers pumping the brakes.

The Seattle Times' Ryan Divish reports that Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby (shoulder) played catch in camp on Friday. Kirby was diagnosed with right-shoulder inflammation on March 7, and this is the first time he's thrown a ball since then. It's progress, but the 27-year-old will still open the 2025 regular season on the injured list. However, barring a setback now that he's throwing again, he may not miss much time and could make his season debut by mid-April. While Kirby should still be rostered in all fantasy leagues despite the fact he won't be ready for the start of the season, the injury certainly makes him a little less attractive in fantasy drafts this weekend for a pitcher that has had a below-average strikeout rate in his three major-league seasons. Stash him as a No. 3/4 fantasy starter to begin the year.

New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) could actually be healthy to start the 2025 regular season, but the New York Post's Greg Joyce writes that it still appears likely that Schmidt will begin the year on the injured list by Opening Day next Thursday. Schmidt threw two innings of live batting practice in camp on Thursday and didn't have any setbacks after he was scratched from his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Monday due to right-shoulder fatigue. The 29-year-old is just not built up enough in terms of pitch count -- he threw only 32 pitches on Thursday -- in order to be part of the Opening Day starting rotation. The Yankees haven't made anything official yet, but the best bet is that Schmidt stays back in Florida to start the year to properly build up his pitch count to somewhere around the 70-80-pitch mark. As a result, both Carlos Carrasco and prospect Will Warren could open the year in the rotation.

Per Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, Boston Red Sox second baseman Romy Gonzalez (oblique) took swings on Thursday and felt "fine" afterward. The 28-year-old left Monday's split-squad game against the Atlanta Braves with a tight oblique, but it's excellent news that he could swing a bat just a few days later. According to Gonzalez, he expects to play again in a few days. The former eighteenth-round pick is unlikely to be selected in fantasy drafts over the next week, though his underlying 2024 metrics point to some sleeper appeal. Gonzalez's average exit velocity of 92.3 MPH a season ago would rank in the top 20 batters if he qualified, and his hard-hit rate jumped nearly ten points from 2023 to a robust 51%. The utility bat was particularly effective against lefties last season, sporting a .302/.362/.517 triple-slash across 130 plate appearances.

The Athletic's Matt Kawahara reports that Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown does not think pitchers Forrest Whitley (knee) and Kaleb Ort (oblique) will be ready to go for the start of the season. However, Brown did note that both relievers could return "inside the month of April." The oft-injured Whitley sustained a bruised knee during his last spring training appearance, and although it appears minor, he's still working through it. While his major-league experience is capped at three innings, the 27-year-old was excellent to close out the 2024 season for Triple-A Sugar Land. On the other hand, Ort picked up an oblique injury early in camp and is behind in his build-up. The 33-year-old was superb for the Stros a season ago with a 2.55 ERA in 24.2 innings, though he compiled a 6.26 ERA or higher over the prior two seasons. They'll boost Houston's bullpen when both are healthy, and it appears their stays on the IL won't be for long.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Taj Bradley was inconsistent in his spring training start on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. He went 5 innings and allowed nine hits, three earned runs, two walks, and only four strikeouts. It's not necessarily the start fantasy managers were looking for, as Opening Day is less than a week away. Bradley enters the 2025 season as the No. 4/5 starter for the Rays, and although he has shown a lot of upside in his first couple of seasons in the MLB, he has shown just enough clunkers, similar to his start on Thursday. Hopefully, he can showcase more consistency in 2025 to live up to his potential and help the Rays compete for an AL East title.

The Toronto Blue Jays have optioned outfielder Jonatan Clase to Triple-A Buffalo. Clase was competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster but will continue his development at the top level of the minor leagues. Last season, the Blue Jays acquired Clase at the trade deadline from Seattle in exchange for relief pitcher Yimi Garcia. Clase made his MLB debut last season and appeared in 26 contests. During this short stint, Clase held a .246/.303/.328 slash line with three swiped bags. He generated a low .169 xBA with a .217 xwOBA. However, he flashed elite speed as he placed in the 99th percentile in sprint speed. At the Triple-A level, Clase held a .263/.344/.439 slash line with 21 doubles and 12 long balls. Across this stint, Clase swiped an impressive 38 bags. He is worth monitoring in deeper category leagues, as he could be a viable speed target when he returns to Toronto.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Eli Morgan has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday. The right-hander was part of the team that traveled for the Tokyo series. Morgan tossed 1.1 scoreless innings during the first game of that series. However, it doesn't appear that Morgan is going to be part of the bullpen for the domestic Opening Day next week. This is a bit of a surprising move given Morgan is coming off his best season in 2024. He posted a 1.93 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 34/11 K/BB ratio across 32 appearances with the Cleveland Guardians last season. He figures to pitch in Chicago at some point this summer, but is unlikely to have fantasy value as a middle reliever.