Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) threw a two-inning simulated game in camp on Wednesday as he tries to recover from right-shoulder fatigue that has sidelined him from Grapefruit League action. He reported feeling good afterward and is scheduled to make his spring debut on Monday. If he continues to progress, there's a chance that Gausman won't need to open the season on the injured list. Gausman has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the last three seasons, averaging a 3.10 ERA and 29.6% strikeout rate. The 33-year-old veteran finished third in the American League Cy Young voting in 2023. If Gausman is in the Opening Day rotation, he'll most likely be on a strict pitch limit, which will make him a pretty big fantasy risk early on.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) will pitch two innings against minor-league hitters on Friday on a back field at the team's spring training complex. If Gray passes that test, he could be slotted in for his first regular-season start on the team's West coast road trip from March 28-April 3. The 34-year-old won't be able to start on Opening Day on March 28 due to the hamstring he strained in camp, but it sounds like he may not need to open the year on the injured list. Gray was the runner-up behind Gerrit Cole in the American League Cy Young voting in 2023, and while he doesn't throw that hard, he has great control and knows how to limit hard contact. In his first year with the Cardinals, Gray should be a high-floor No. 3 fantasy starter.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a Cactus League matchup versus the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. His homer would be the first this spring for the slugger. He now has four RBI this spring with a .290 batting average over 31 at-bats. Walker year in and year out has been a steady source of power for managers and will look to have his third straight season of 30-plus homers in 2024. One of the more underrated first baseman, Walker's power makes him a nice selection for managers after the big names are off the board.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 1-for-4 with two runs, two walks and a three-run homer in Thursday's victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the second straight game that the veteran has been the designated hitter with Tyler Wade drawing the start at third base. Machado hit .370 in the Cactus League this spring, but didn't have a homer. Not much for managers to worry as just two games and he's shown why he is one of the best in the business. The 31-year-old's .258 batting average in 2023 was his lowest since hitting .256 in 2019, but he stayed the course in the power department with 30 homers and 91 RBI. Machado is hitting cleanup in a strong Padres lineup this season and should continue to provide plenty of value out of the hot corner for managers in 2024, especially with an ADP of 42.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop/outfielder Mookie Betts had a huge game on Thursday versus the San Diego Padres. Betts went 4-for-5 with two runs, six RBI and one walk. He also belted his first homer, a two-run rocket off Michael King in the fifth inning. Betts is always one of the strongest performers in the league and now is leading off with Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman behind him. In addition to his outfield and second base eligibility, Betts will soon pick up shortstop eligibility and that will only increase his already high value. Betts continues to put up top tier numbers on a yearly basis and there is no reason to believe that he will cool down this season at age 31. At the top of arguably the best lineup in the game, Betts remains entrenched as a first-round pick with sneaky position eligibility.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale threw on a back field on Wednesday instead of the Grapefruit League game versus the Toronto Blue Jays. It serves as a likely indication that Sale is lined up to start Atlanta's third outing of the regular season on March 31 on the road against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies, with aces Spencer Strider and Max Fried setting up to take the ball in the first and second contests of the year respectively. The Braves acquired the 34-year-old Sale, MLB's all-time leader with 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, from the Boston Red Sox back on Dec. 30 in exchange for former top infielder prospect Vaughn Grissom to bolster their starting rotation. The veteran southpaw posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 17:4 K:BB over 11 2/3 frames this spring and could be a value at his 129 NFBC ADP with a better defense behind him plus a more favorable home ballpark factor in 2024.

When the Detroit Tigers signed infielder Gio Urshela to a one-year, $1.5 million deal late in February, having him serve as the primary third baseman in 2024 always made the most sense but the Tigers didn't make any declarations about his playing time because they needed to evaluate his on-field performance in his return from a broken pelvis last year. With eight days until Opening Day on March 28 against the Chicago White Sox, Urshela hasn't locked down starting duties at the hot corner as he competes with Matt Vierling, Zach McKinstry and Andy Ibanez. Vierling was projected to be the primary third baseman before the team signed Urshela, only to move back to his previous role as an outfielder. Urshela is the best defender, but he hasn't been hitting for power or drawing walks on offense. Urshela and Vierling -- both right-handed hitters -- are at the top of the pecking order in the internal plan for a primary third baseman.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (hamstring) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. After that, Gray is expected to progress to facing live hitters on Friday. The 34-year-old has already been ruled out for Opening Day. Although, Gray may be able to avoid a trip to the injured list. The Cardinals are likely going to wait and see how he feels after Friday before making any more decisions.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (shoulder) appears to be making progress in his recovery process. The right-hander was able to throw a two-inning simulated game on Wednesday without any issues. Gausman won't be ready for Opening Day as he still needs to build up his stamina and pitch count. That being said, Gausman is likely to be skipped the first and possibly the second time through the rotation. He should be ready to go by mid-April, but that all depends on his recovery.

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) was still feeling some tightness in his left lat on Wednesday after being pulled from his Cactus League outing on Tuesday night, although the tightness wasn't as bad as Tuesday evening, according to manager Torey Lovullo. The D-backs have talked about the possibility of having Rodriguez undergo an MRI exam. The 30-year-old southpaw will probably go for an MRI if he's still feeling tightness in his lat on Thursday, and his availability for Opening Day is certainly up in the air right now. E-Rod managed career-highs in ERA (3.30) and WHIP (1.15) in 26 starts for the Detroit Tigers in 2023, but regression is likely coming for a pitcher that has had plenty of durability issues in his career -- he's gone over 160 innings pitched in one of his eight big-league seasons.

San Francisco Giants left-hander Blake Snell said he won't be ready for Opening Day next Thursday on March 28 against his former team, the San Diego Padres. Snell is in the 60-pitch range in camp, but those pitches are without the adrenaline and facing big-league hitters. The Giants will get a schedule after Snell throws a bullpen session on Thursday. Last year's National League Cy Young winner -- the second time he's won the award in his career -- signed with the Gigantes just this week and is going to be delayed to start the regular season. For a pitcher that is notorious for starting slow, his late signing is a red flag for his 2024 fantasy value as a No. 2 starter. The 31-year-old southpaw led the league with a 2.25 ERA and 182 ERA+, but he also led the league in walks (99). Regression is likely coming despite being in an excellent pitcher's park in San Fran.

Houston Astros reliever Josh Hader is having a nice spring to this point in Grapefruit League action. The left-hander has worked to a 3.18 ERA across 5 2/3 innings of work in five appearances, striking out five versus two walks in that time. The strikeout artist began his spring with four scoreless frames but allowed a pair of solo home runs in 2/3 of an inning his last time out on Monday. Signed to a historic deal this winter, Hader posted an eye-popping 1.28 ERA alongside a massive 36.8% K% across 61 outings with the Padres last season, locking down 33 saves in that time. As the confirmed closer for a strong Astros team, Hader is a candidate to pace all of baseball in saves in 2024 while boasting elite strikeout stuff with a career 42.2% K%, making him perhaps the top closing option in fantasy baseball.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler (pectoral) was scratched from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Detroit Tigers due to left-pectoral tightness. It's unclear how serious Kepler's pectoral injury is, but for now he'll be considered day-to-day. With Opening Day just right around the corner next Thursday, though, the 31-year-old veteran outfielder could be in danger of missing the start of the regular season, depending on the severity of the injury. Kepler had a bounce-back year in 2023, slashing .260/.332/.484 with an .816 OPS, 24 home runs and 66 RBI in 130 games played in his ninth big-league season. He hit the ball hard and lowered his strikeout rate while also slightly improving against left-handed pitching. Kepler should once again see most of the playing time in right field for the Twins and is an outfield depth option for his power in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) finished a two-inning simulated game in camp on Wednesday, throwing 36 pitches (28 strikes) to seven batters. He allowed two hits and struck out two during the session and said everything felt sound physically with his shoulder. Gausman's next step is to target 60-65 pitches over three innings in a simulated game, which will likely take place on Monday. The Blue Jays will make a call on Gausman's availability for the start of the season after his next simulated game. The 33-year-old veteran and ace of Toronto's staff has been working through right-shoulder fatigue in camp and won't start on Opening Day next week, but he may not be far behind. He should still be considered a top-10 fantasy starter.

As expected, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (abdomen, oblique) is back in center field on Wednesday and is hitting third in the team's Grapefruit League contest versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Judge's return to spring action had been pushed back a few days over the weekend, causing fans and fantasy managers to panic about his availability for Opening Day next week against the Houston Astros. But the Yankees and the 31-year-old All-Star continued to downplay the severity of his injuries, and fantasy managers should be able to relax a bit now that Judge is back in the starting lineup. The top-10 fantasy asset is a difference-maker at the plate when he's healthy, but it's fair to wonder how healthy he'll be in 2024 while having to start in center field for the first half of the season.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (back) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second in the team's Grapefruit League game on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. Buxton was scratched from the spring lineup on Monday due to back tightness, but it turned out to be a minor issue, which is great news for the oft-injured 30-year-old outfielder. Buxton wasn't able to play a single game in center field in 2023 for Minnesota due to a knee injury that eventually required surgery. His knee is healthy this spring, though, and he's hit one home run and has a 1.074 OPS in Grapefruit League play. The power/speed combination has always been tantalizing with Buxton, but his inability to stay on the field trumps any of the offensive skills he has these days.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish only lasted 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision in Wednesday's Opening Day contest versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea. The veteran allowed two hits, one unearned run, three walks and struck out three on the day. Darvish probably could have gone longer, but the Padres defense did not do him any favors. Darvish had good results in the Cactus League this spring with a 2.89 ERA in three starts, but is coming off one his worst careers in the big leagues with a 4.56 ERA in 2023. Despite the ERA, his numbers were on par for the rest of his career. The 37-year-old isn't getting any younger, but he should remain a solid option for managers in the middle of their rotation.

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) was removed from his Cactus League start against the Chicago Cubs after one inning on Tuesday due to left-lat tightness. Lat injuries usually are bad news for pitchers, but we'll have to wait and see what the Diamondbacks say about E-Rod's status on Wednesday. But with Opening Day just nine days away, the 30-year-old is now in danger of having to miss his first turn through the team's starting rotation. The Venezuelan hurler isn't a stranger to injuries in his career, as he's exceeded 160 innings just once in eight big-league campaigns. He's coming off career-bests in ERA (3.30) and WHIP (1.15) in 26 starts for the Detroit Tigers in 2023 while striking out 143 hitters in 152 innings, but regression should be expected, especially in a tougher division and if he's forced to start the year on the injured list.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (hip) will make his Cactus League debut on Friday against the Chicago Cubs and will throw three innings. Cobb was initially expected to return around midseason after he underwent surgery on his hip last October, but the 36-year-old veteran has made excellent progress this offseason and now might be able to join San Fran's starting rotation just a few weeks into the year. Cobb made his spring debut in a minor-league game last Saturday and struck out five in two scoreless innings. He's still going to open the year on the injured list, but Cobb now becomes a more attractive matchup-based streaming option in 2024. However, health issues probably aren't going to go away for a pitcher that was far too hittable in 2023.

The Texas Rangers announced on Tuesday that right-hander Nathan Eovaldi will start the team's Opening Day game on March 28 at home versus the visiting Chicago Cubs. The injury-prone Eovaldi will kick off the year as the Rangers look to defend their World Series title from last fall. The 34-year-old veteran has made the All-Star team twice in the last three years and went 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA (3.88 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP while walking 47 and striking out 132 hitters in 144 innings over his 25 starts in 2023 during the regular season. During the team's run to the World Series in the playoffs, he went 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA and 41 K's in 36 2/3 frames. Eovaldi can be a solid fantasy asset when healthy, but he's gone over 150 innings just once since the 2016 campaign.