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.

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.

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.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Martin Perez continued his impressive spring during Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The left-hander struck out eight batters over five innings of work during Monday's victory. It's worth noting that Perez never struck out eight hitters during a single start last season. His velocity was down during this game and he was still extremely effective. Perez has allowed one earned run in 12 innings this season. Perez probably won't be a reliable 12-team fantasy option, but could still be worth a look in deep leagues.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) should face hitters "in the next day or two" in camp. Verlander came into spring training with right-shoulder issues, but he threw another bullpen session on Sunday and is ramping up with the start of the 2024 regular season right around the corner. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner is going to start the year on the injured list and might not make his 2024 debut until late April or early May. He became the first pitcher age 40 or older to win 12 games and post an ERA below 3.25 since 2013, so Verlander can clearly still be effective despite his age. However, injuries are a big concern, and his fantasy value has obviously dropped considerably in 2024 now that he could miss the first month of the season.

Free-agent outfielder Kole Calhoun has decided to retire from professional baseball. The veteran announced his retirement in a lengthy statement online after a solid 12-year run in the majors. Calhoun began to cement himself in the 2013 season when he hit .282 with eight homers in just 58 games. He went on to become the everyday right fielder for the Angels the following season when he hit .272 with 17 home runs and a .775 OPS across 127 games in the 2013 campaign. He would be an integral part of the Angels' offense for the next five seasons, launching a career-high 33 home runs in the 2019 campaign. All told, the 36-year-old posted a .242 average with 179 long balls and 34 stolen bases across 1,239 appearances in the big leagues.

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back), who had surgery on Dec. 15 on his back for a herniated disc that shut him down late last season, has been cleared for baseball activities around the 13-week mark since surgery. June remains the target date for the Rangers, although Scherzer doesn't fully see it that way. In eight starts for Texas in 2023 after being traded from the Mets, he went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA, but he missed the final six weeks of the regular season due to a muscle strain in his right shoulder. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer isn't targeting any specific date to make his 2024 debut, and the reality is he could miss all of the first half of the season. Scherzer can still contribute in fantasy when he's healthy, but the fact that he could miss the first half drastically reduces his fantasy value in upcoming drafts.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times is reporting that starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi (shoulder) has returned to the Rays on a minor-league deal. Odorizzi spent 2023 recovering from shoulder surgery and last suited up in 2022 for the Atlanta Braves. The right-hander will return to familiar grounds with the club that he spent five of 11 seasons with. He does own a career 3.99 ERA, but this is merely a depth piece and he can be avoided in all fantasy formats for now.

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.

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.

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.

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 right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) will start the 2024 regular season on the injured list, manager Joe Espada confirmed on Tuesday. Verlander's right shoulder didn't respond the way he'd hoped this offseason, which caused him to come to spring training behind all the other starting pitchers. The 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner has been throwing bullpen sessions in camp but has yet to be cleared to face live hitters. It doesn't appear to be a serious issue, but the Astros aren't going to rush an aging pitcher who has had injury issues in recent seasons. There's no guarantee that Verlander will be ready to go when he's eligible to come off the injured list on April 11. The future Hall of Famer is no longer a fantasy ace and comes with plenty of injury risk as a No. 3 or 4 starter for fantasy managers.

Kansas City Royals catcher/designated hitter Salvador Perez is batting .267 with one home run and three RBI in 15 at-bats this spring while seeing time both at catcher and designated hitter. The 33-year-old also spent time at first base in 2023 while slashing .255/.292/.422 with 23 home runs, 59 runs scored, and 80 RBI in 580 plate appearances. Age and wear will get to Perez at some point, but his ability to rack up PA while playing multiple positions and serving as DH still makes him a higher-end fantasy catcher. It is encouraging to see the Royals managing his time behind the plate while still getting him in the lineup.

Veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson has decided to retire from professional baseball. The 38-year-old played 13 seasons in the big leagues and enjoyed a wildly successful career. Donaldson was a two-time Silver Slugger winner, appeared in three All-Star games, and took home the 2015 AL MVP Award. He put forth a .261 average with 279 home runs and a .847 OPS across 1,384 games played. Interestingly, his runs and RBI figures were identical at 816 apiece. Most recently, Donaldson appeared in 51 games between the Yankees and Brewers in the 2023 season but limped to a .152 average, although he did slug 13 home runs in just 189 trips to the plate. He spent his 13 years in the majors with the Athletics, Blue Jays, then-Indians, Braves, Twins, Yankees, and Brewers.

New York Mets veteran left-hander Jose Quintana appears slated to be the team's Opening Day starter in 2024. He made an Opening Day start with the Chicago White Sox in 2017 and allowed three home runs and six runs total in a loss to the Tigers. Quintana didn't finish the second inning in his first Grapefruit League start last Thursday to mostly Astros starters. He missed the first half of 2023 with a rib injury and threw 75 2/3 innings total last year, but he said he shouldn't have any problems working back toward 180 innings or more in 2024. Kodai Senga (shoulder) is expected to miss at least the first month of the season, so the Mets will need some pitchers to step up at the top of their rotation in his absence. The 35-year-old Quintana is an extreme health risk, as he's gone over 100 innings just once in the last four years.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale has looked sharp through two starts with his new team this spring. The left-hander has struck out nine batters with only three hits allowed in 5 2/3 innings of work. It's a small sample size but it's great to see Sale looking like himself again. The seven-time All-Star was traded to Atlanta from the Boston Red Sox in December. Sale has struggled to stay healthy over the last few seasons. He made 20 starts with the Red Sox last season but didn't look like himself. Fantasy managers shouldn't get too eager but possibly the old Sale is back with his new team.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have brought in shortstop Elvis Andrus on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. On paper, Andrus doesn't exactly fit in the overcrowded D-Backs infield. Geraldo Perdomo has already been named the starting shortstop. It won't be long before top prospect Jordan Lawlar is in the mix as well. At best, Andrus will have a bench role but that likely wouldn't be enough to provide consistent fantasy value. He slashed .251/.304/.358 with six homers and 12 steals during his time with the Chicago White Sox last season.