San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (hip) threw five innings in a rehab start in Arizona on Thursday. Cobb is eligible to return from the injured list on April 9th and is well ahead of his initial recovery timeline. He owned a 3.87 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 131:37 K: BB across 151 1/3 innings in 2023. The 36-year-old may be a viable streaming option once he returns to the Giants rotation and is projected for a 3.84 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Injury concerns are likely to be consistent with Cobb, so fantasy managers should take caution about how much they depend on him when rostering the right-hander.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Joc Pederson will slide into the starting lineup on Friday. The lefty slugger will play after sitting out the season opener with a left-handed starter opposing them in that one. Pederson will serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth versus right-hander Cal Quantrill on Friday. The left-handed slugger looks to join in on the fun after watching his team put up 16 runs in the season opener. Fantasy managers who have Pederson rostered should make sure to get him in their lineups.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu (foot) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Friday. The veteran slugger was recently placed on the injured list due to a foot issue. The good news is that LeMahieu was able to throw and hit off a tee on Thursday. The team will likely wait until after the MRI results are in before they give another update on his status. Fantasy managers should expect the team to have those results this weekend. The hope is that LeMahieu is available in roughly a week or so. Oswaldo Cabrera figures to see more playing time with LeMahieu sidelined.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) threw a bullpen session at Tropicana Field on Friday. Manager John Schneider said on Thursday that there will likely be no decision on when Gausman makes his season debut until Saturday. The 33-year-old veteran will either make his 2024 debut on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays or on Monday for the first game of a series versus the Houston Astros. Neither matchup is particularly nice for Gausman to make his season debut after missing valuable time in spring training with right-shoulder fatigue. The Blue Jays ace looked excellent in an exhibition game on Monday, but we would still encourage DFS gamers to fade Gausman in his first start of 2024.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free-agent left-hander Drew Pomeranz to a minor-league deal on Friday, and he's set to be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The nine-year major-league veteran reliever has been beleaguered by injuries the last two years. Pomeranz was with the Los Angeles Angels in spring training but was recently released. The 35-year-old southpaw hasn't pitched in the majors since 2021 with the San Diego Padres due to injuries, when he was outstanding with a 1.75 ERA (3.01 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with 10 walks and 30 strikeouts in 25 2/3 relief innings. He'll bring plenty of relief experience to the organization, but nobody should be expecting him to contribute much at the major-league level given his struggles with injuries in recent seasons.

The Chicago Cubs signed free-agent catcher Curt Casali to a minor-league deal on Friday. Casali comes to the Cubbies after being released by the Miami Marlins earlier this week. The 35-year-old veteran backstop will begin his 2024 campaign at Triple-A Iowa while serving as organizational catching depth behind big-leaguers Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya. The former 10th-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2011 out of Vanderbilt is nowhere near the fantasy radar right now. He hit .175/.290/.200 with no home runs and six RBI in just 40 big-league games with the Cincinnati Reds last year and has a career slash line of .200/.314/.380 with 47 homers and 154 RBI in 502 games over 10 seasons with four different organizations.

The Colorado Rockies placed right-hander Daniel Bard (knee) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday after he missed all of spring training following a cleanup procedure on his left knee in the middle of February. In addition to his knee ailment, the 38-year-old veteran has received platelet-rich plasma injections in his right forearm in the offseason. Bard is improving and could be ready to face live hitters in the second week of April. There's a chance that he could make his 2024 season debut before the end of April if he doesn't suffer any setbacks while on a minor-league rehab assignment. Bard again struggled with anxiety last year after recording 54 saves in 2021-22, and Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley are now Colorado's primary options for saves, so fantasy managers can ignore Bard.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos is hitting in the seven-hole for Friday's season opener versus the Atlanta Braves and right-hander Spencer Strider. The veteran largely hit somewhere in the top four in the lineup for much of the 2023 season but was moved down into the seven-hole more frequently in September. Nonetheless, it was a bounce-back season for the 32-year-old who hit .272 with 29 home runs while setting career highs with 106 RBI and 11 stolen bases. It was the third time in his career he has reached the century mark in RBI while his previous career-high in steals was seven in the 2022 season. The increase in stolen base attempts sure boosts his fantasy value but fantasy managers should brace for a few less steals in 2024.

Houston Astros right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly picked up the loss in Thursday's 5-4 Opening Day defeat to the visiting New York Yankees. He entered in the seventh frame in a 4-4 tie and allowed an earned run on two hits (a leadoff double to Aaron Judge) while walking one and striking out one. The 35-year-old veteran is off to a bad start after losing a lot of his fantasy appeal in the offseason when the team signed left-hander Josh Hader to be their new closer. The former 11th-round selection by the Boston Red Sox in 2007 has made two All-Star teams in his 12-year MLB career and saved 31 games for the Astros in 2023 while posting a 3.58 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 65 1/3 regular-season innings. Despite no longer being the closer in Houston, Pressly still has plenty of value in holds leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman smacked his first homer of the season in a 7-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Freeman showed why he was a top-five pick in most drafts, going 2-for-3 with the aforementioned home run while knocking in three and scoring a pair of runs. Statlines like this should be common occurrences for Freeman, who will have plenty of runners on base when he hits with Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani batting before him. Expect another brilliant season from the 34-year-old.

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen recorded his first save of the season in Thursday's victory against the Seattle Mariners. The veteran allowed a walk, but also recorded a pair of strikeouts. Despite dealing with back issues this spring, Jansen was ready and looked good to go on Opening Day. Even at age 36, Jansen remains a solid option for managers out of the bullpen. The veteran was rumored to be on the trade block this offseason, so it would not be the worst idea for Jansen managers to consider rostering Chris Martin if the Red Sox get off to a slow start and the rumors pick back up.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have placed veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal (foot) on the 15-day injured list with plantar fasciitis. The veteran came over from the White Sox this offseason to mentor fellow backstop Henry Davis. At age 35, Grandal is no longer the defensive specialist he once was and his offense has also started to decline. There is no timetable for his return, but he only played in two Grapefruit League games this spring and will need to shake off the rust before returning to the big leagues. Even when healthy, Grandal can be left on the wire in almost all formats. Catcher Jason Delay will take over the backup duties to Henry Davis with Grandal sidelined.

The Arizona Diamondbacks officially placed outfielder Randal Grichuk (ankle) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to March 25) on Thursday. Grichuk is recovering from right-ankle surgery to remove bone spurs in January, but he is with Triple-A Reno and will play center field for the first time in his recovery process at some point this weekend. It sounds like he won't need much time before being ready to go. The 32-year-old didn't take part at all in any spring training games but will get some work in the minors before eventually being activated from the IL and brought to Arizona as outfield depth. Grichuk is first eligible to come off the IL on April 5. Because the veteran outfielder won't see much playing time, he's only a bench asset in NL-only fantasy leagues.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is opening the season on the 15-day injured list with an impingement in his right shoulder. Walker doesn't need an injection or an MRI exam, though, and is hoping he doesn't have to miss much time. The 31-year-old felt discomfort while throwing a bullpen session last weekend and has been shut down since. With Walker starting the year on the shelf, it has opened up a starting rotation spot for Spencer Turnbull in Philly. Walker, the former 43rd overall pick in 2010 by the Seattle Mariners, went 15-6 last year in his first season with the Phils and had a 4.38 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 71 walks and 138 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings over 31 starts. He was fortunate to have those numbers, though, with below-average walk and strikeout rates.

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday. He said his arm is feeling good and described this period as "early February" for him if he didn't have the rehab for his back injury. Scherzer said there are still hurdles to jump through, but he said he respects the process of the rehab he's currently going through. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer underwent back surgery in December to fix a herniated disc in his back, which is why he's not ready for the start of the 2024 regular season. The Rangers don't have plans to put Scherzer on the 60-day injured list, which means that he could make his return to Texas' rotation before the end of May. That would be a best-case scenario. While Scherzer can still be an asset in fantasy, his days of being an ace are likely behind him at this point, especially coming off injury.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that relief pitchers Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) and Blake Treinen (lung) are "a ways away" from returning from the injured list. Both players are playing catch but have yet to start throwing bullpen sessions. Graterol is dealing with right-shoulder inflammation, while Treinen suffered a bruised lung when he was hit by a comebacker in the chest in spring training in early March. Both relievers are unlikely to be available for the Dodgers' bullpen until probably late April. Until they are able to return, Joe Kelly and Ryan Brasier will be counted on more in late-inning setup roles ahead of closer Evan Phillips.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) said he is feeling good about his recovery and is out to 120 feet in long toss. Manager Dave Roberts thinks that Kershaw is also "ahead of things" timetable-wise. His next step will be throwing bullpen sessions, but it's to be determined when that will take place. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer had left-shoulder surgery in the offseason and is starting the year on the 60-day injured list. As he nears the end of his illustrious career with the Dodgers, injuries are beginning to take their toll on Kershaw. However, the three-time Cy Young winner was effective in his 24 starts in 2023, posting a 2.46 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 40 walks and 137 strikeouts. Kershaw isn't going to be ready until sometime this summer, but if he's right, he can still be valuable in fantasy.

The New York Yankees officially placed right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Thursday with right-elbow inflammation. Cole has avoided structural damage in his right elbow, but he's still expected to miss at least one to two months. It remains to be seen if last year's American League Cy Young winner will be able to start a throwing program in a couple of weeks as he slowly begins to build his arm back up. The 33-year-old needs to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues because he's one of the very best arms in all of baseball when he's healthy, but there's really no telling how much he'll pitch in 2024 or how effective he'll be if he does. And of course the Yankees aren't going to rush their ace back too soon.