St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) threw a full side session in camp on Thursday after straining his right hamstring on March 4. If Gray is able to clear this hurdle, it could put him on a path to pitch in the opening series of the regular season in Los Angeles against the Dodgers at the end of March. The 34-year-old's next step could either be live batting practice or to pitch in a Grapefruit League game. It's great news for those that were worried the veteran hurler might have to open his first season with the Red Birds on the injured list. The three-time All-Star was great with the Minnesota Twins last year and finished second in the American League Cy Young voting. Even though he's leaving the weak AL Central, Gray is a strong No. 2 fantasy starter in St. Louis in 2024.

San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar (leg) was forced to exit early during Wednesday's Cactus League matchup against the Oakland Athletics. The veteran slugger came up limping after rounding first base in the fourth inning. He was able to walk off the field under his own power. The expectation is that Profar will undergo further testing and an update will be given following the contest. The 31-year-old was 3-for-3 with a one home run and 4 RBI before exiting the game. The expectation is that Profar is going to be the Opening Day left fielder in San Diego.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (shoulder) is close to progressing to facing hitters again. Astros manager Joe Espada recently said that Verlander is slated to throw another bullpen session on Thursday. The team will wait and see how Verlander feels after that before deciding on when he'll face hitters again. The 41-year-old will open the season on the injured list, but it doesn't sound like Verlander is going to miss an extended period of time.

New York Mets left-hander Jose Quintana will officially be the team's Opening Day starter on March 28 against the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. Quintana is getting the nod to kick things off for the Metropolitans in 2024 because right-hander Kodai Senga (shoulder) is being forced to start the year on the injured list due to a right-shoulder injury. The 35-year-old veteran Quintana had a decent 3.57 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 24 walks in 75 2/3 innings over his 13 starts in New York last year after getting a late start to the year due to a fractured rib. The Colombian southpaw can be a reliable innings-eater in NL-only leagues at the back of your fantasy rotation, but there's very little upside left at this stage of Quintana's career for those in mixed leagues.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Aaron Hicks took part in an intrasquad game on Wednesday after he was scratched on Monday due to general soreness. Hicks landed with the Angels on a league-minimum deal this winter after he enjoyed a big season following a move to the Orioles last season. After struggling to a .188 average and .524 OPS across 28 games with the Yankees, the veteran hit .275 with seven home runs and an .806 OPS across 65 games with Baltimore a season ago. Hicks said he expects to see time at all three outfield spots this season and the plan is for him to play every day. However, the 34-year-old has a lengthy injury history on his resume as his fantasy value remains questionable given his largely subpar performance over the last few seasons.

The New York Mets are among the teams talking to free-agent designated hitter J.D. Martinez, and the interest is mutual, according to sources. Owner Steve Cohen has apparently given the go-ahead to seriously discuss signing Martinez, even though the team is over the so-called "Steve Cohen tax," and they'd have to pay a 110 percent tax on any new deals. Martinez would solve the team's long-running issue of not having much protection for cleanup hitter Pete Alonso. The Los Angeles Angels remain involved with the veteran slugger, too, and he's said to like the idea of going to Anaheim to join Mike Trout. Martinez is now 36, but he still managed to hit .271 with 30-plus homers in 2023, but he also struck out over 30% of the time with the Dodgers.

Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu (knee) is scheduled to hit and take groundballs in camp on Tuesday and could return to Grapefruit League games by Wednesday or Thursday, according to manager Joe Espada. The Astros have held Abreu out of games the last couple of days while he deals with right-knee soreness. It's nothing serious, though, and the 37-year-old right-handed slugger should be just fine for Opening Day on March 28. So far in spring training games, he's gone 4-for-14 in six contests for the Astros. Abreu came on strong in the second half last year after a really bad start in his first year in Houston. He's no longer in his prime, though, so fantasy managers might not be able to expect much from Abreu other than solid RBI numbers while hitting in the heart of a strong Astros lineup.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will throw a side session in camp on Tuesday, and the team will determine his next steps afterwards. Gausman's options include a live batting practice session or straight into a Grapefruit League game. The 33-year-old has been dealing with right-shoulder fatigue in spring training but is making nice progress and could still be ready for Opening Day if he resumes facing hitters in spring games soon. When healthy, Gausman is the ace of Toronto's pitching staff and is a top-10 fantasy starting pitcher, despite residing in a hitter-friendly home ballpark and the tough American League East division. Gausman has made the All-Star squad twice in the last three years and had a league-high 237 strikeouts in 31 starts in 2023.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (elbow) has been named the Opening Day starter in Seoul, Korea, against the Dodgers. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow will oppose him. The 37-year-old's 2023 season was cut short when he underwent surgery to address elbow inflammation. However, he has looked good this spring, pitching 9 1/3 innings with a 2.89 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts. Darvish's fantasy value has fluctuated over the past several seasons. Fantasy managers will be hoping he can both stay healthy and find his strikeout stuff for 2024. For DFS purposes to kick off the year, Darvish will be one to avoid.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Aaron Hicks was scratched from Monday's lineup against the Rangers due to body soreness. Willie Calhoun replaced him in the lineup. The Angels described Hicks' injury as "body soreness" but didn't go into further detail on what the veteran was dealing with. Hicks is considered day-to-day. He signed a one-year contract with the Angels in January, providing the team with outfield depth. Hicks slashed .253/.353/.383 with eight home runs, 36 RBI, 44 runs, and six stolen bases over 312 plate appearances in 2023. The former New York Yankee will play all three outfield spots for the Angels and serve occasionally as the team's designated hitter. With an NFBC ADP well past 600, Hicks is mainly an option in AL-Only leagues.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb (hip) threw a 30-pitch batting practice session on Monday. The right-hander was originally expected to be sidelined until around June. Now, it sounds like Cobb would return at some point in April. There is certainly still plenty of rehabbing left before Cobb is ready to rejoin the Giants rotation. However, it sounds like the 36-year-old is heading in the right direction. He pitched well with the team last year and could be an interesting deep league option once he returns.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (hamstring) was able to throw a 20-pitch, light bullpen Monday. He is expected to throw a longer session on Wednesday or Thursday. After topping out at 92 mph on Monday, it sounds like Gray is trending in the right direction. The 34-year-old shouldn't have to build his arm back up, as he only went two days without throwing. There's still the probability that Gray starts the season on the IL, but it should be a brief stint if he continues to show he's healthy after mildly straining his right hamstring on March 4. If Gray starts to fall from his 118.4 ADP because of his availability to start the season healthy, he will return good value. Gray is a steady presence in a fantasy rotation and was able to start 32 games last season. If he's able to duplicate that number in 2024, he will again be a solid option for fantasy managers.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale was looking excellent on the mound until he faced off against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. The left-hander was smacked around for three runs in 3 2/3 innings during Saturday's loss. Sale didn't have his best stuff as he allowed four hits and walked one batter during his rough outing. Despite the bad outing, fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about Sale. He still holds a 3.24 ERA with 11 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP over 8 1/3 innings this spring.

Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu (knee) is dealing with right knee soreness from his sliding attempt on a foul ball during Thursday's spring training win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter. Manager Joe Espada said Abreu will rest for a few days but that there are "no concerns." This issue sounds to be minor, so Abreu should be back in Houston's lineup in short order. The 37-year-old 2020 American League MVP looked to be a shell of himself during most of the first season of a three-year deal with the Astros, but in his final 26 games of the campaign, Abreu managed to hit .237 with an .835 OPS, seven home runs, six doubles, and 28 RBI over his closing 97 at-bats. After also batting .295 with a .945 OPS in 44 postseason ABs, the late-season surge gives the veteran slugger some late-round life in 2024 fantasy drafts.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (hamstring) has been able to do agility work and throw from 120 feet in recent days without issue, per manager Oliver Marmol. If Gray's recovery goes well on Saturday and Sunday, he could throw a side session off the mound next week, Marmol also said. Gray suffered a mild right hamstring strain during Monday's Grapefruit League loss to the Washington Nationals, but he is trending in the right direction ahead of St. Louis' Opening Day on March 28 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the 34-year-old three-time All-Star could face a minimum stay on the injured list to begin the campaign, we still wouldn't recommended letting Gray fall into the double-digit rounds of fantasy drafts, considering where he's at in his recovery at this stage. Entering the first season of a three-year deal with the Cards, Gray led baseball with a 2.83 FIP and 0.4 home runs per nine innings across his 184 innings for the Minnesota Twins in 2023.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a side session on Saturday at the team's camp. It will be Gausman's first time throwing off a mound since experiencing fatigue in his right shoulder following a bullpen session around a week ago, which is an optimistic sign for his chances of building his arm back up in time for Toronto's Opening Day on March 28 against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star led the American League with 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023, registering a 3.16 ERA (2.97 FIP), 1.17 WHIP, and 237:55 K:BB over 185 frames. At this point, there's really not much reason for fantasy managers to be adjusting Gausman's third-round price tag in drafts this spring.

The Miami Marlins and free-agent designated hitter J.D. Martinez are in discussions as the slugger lingers on the open market. The Marlins lost their primary designated hitter from last season Jorge Soler to the San Francisco Giants in free agency, so a fit with Martinez makes sense. However, the club could also go with a rotating DH combo of Josh Bell and Jake Burger as Martinez is reportedly seeking a two-year deal. The veteran is coming off of a massive season with the Dodgers in which he hit .271 with 33 home runs and 103 RBI despite appearing in just 113 games a season ago. Despite his utility-only eligibility and his unsure landing spot in free agency, Martinez still makes sense for fantasy managers around his 235.2 ADP.

Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu logged an RBI double and scored a run as part of his two plate appearances in Thursday's Grapefruit League contest versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The veteran is now hitting .286 (4-for-14) with a pair of doubles, three strikeouts, and zero walks across six games and 15 trips to the plate so far this spring. The 2020 AL MVP struggled in his first season with Houston in 2023, hitting .237 with 18 home runs and a .679 OPS across 141 games played. The Astros plan to either give Abreu more days off in the 2024 season or have him spend more time at designated hitter, or perhaps both. That said, he could provide some late-round pop with another 18 home runs projected by ATC in the 2024 season but he is no longer a premier option at first base.

Free-agent catcher Mike Zunino has retired from professional baseball. Known for both his prodigious power and big-time strikeout rates, the 32-year-old spent the 2023 season with the Cleveland Guardians but struggled to a .177 average with just three homers in 42 games before being designated for assignment to pave the way for the catcher of the future Bo Naylor. Also known for his excellent work behind the plate, Zunino hangs 'em up after appearing in 892 regular-season games with a lifetime .199 average and 149 home runs in that time. He launched a career-high 33 home runs in the 2021 season with the Tampa Bay Rays while he spent six seasons with the Seattle Mariners to begin his career.