San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth agreed to a seven-year, $80 million extension with the team. The deal starts in 2024 and will keep him in San Diego until the completion of the 2030 season. The 29-year-old has posted a .256/.337/.431 slash line in 366 career games with the Padres. His versatility allows him to handle multiple areas in the infield, although he's been spending time at first base. Cronenworth had also played at least 152 games in each of his last two seasons, which is always a plus for fantasy managers.

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Paul Sewald picked up his first win of the season on Opening Day on Thursday night in the 3-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Sewald worked a perfect eighth inning and struck out one, while Andres Munoz got the save after giving up two hits in a scoreless ninth inning. The 32-year-old picked up the hold, but fantasy managers that drafted him for saves should be disappointed. He had a career-high 20 saves last year and should be in the mix for saves again in 2023, but Munoz could be a thorn in his side all year in the ninth inning. It's something to keep an eye on in the early portions of this season.

The Atlanta Braves have signed infielder Charlie Culberson to a minor-league deal. The 33-year-old was released by the Tampa Bay Rays a week ago. He'll make his return to Atlanta after spending 2018-2020 with the team. Since then, Culberson has served in a bench role with the Texas Rangers. The expectation is that he'll head to Triple-A and serve as additional depth for the organization. It's unlikely that Culberson has any fantasy value even if he makes it to the Braves roster.

Oakland Athletics reliever Dany Jimenez pitched the ninth inning of the team's 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels Thursday night. He allowed no runs, walked one, and struck out one en route to his first save of the season. It wasn't certain who the closer would be coming into the year, with Jimenez, Jeurys Familia, and Trevor May all candidates for the ninth inning. But after posting a 3.41 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 11 saves over 34.1 innings in 2022, the 29-year-old might be in line for the bulk of save opportunities moving forward. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on this situation for the time being.

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley had a tough outing to open his season, blowing a save opportunity and taking the loss against the Toronto Blue Jays. Helsley allowed two runs on two hits and a walk, and he didn't strike out a batter. Helsley's command wasn't up to par in this one, as he was frequently missing his spots. That was a bit of a concern with Helsley, who, outside of last season, has had some control issues in the past. Regardless, it will take more than one bad outing for him to lose the closer role that he grabbed a hold of during his breakout 2022 campaign.

New York Mets relief pitcher David Robertson closed out the team's Opening Day game against the Miami Marlins on Thursday, throwing a perfect inning and recording two punchouts while picking up the save. This is a relieving development for those that drafted Robertson expecting him to take over Edwin Diaz's closing role, as manager Buck Showalter had recently stated he wasn't sure who the closer would be. It appears Robertson will at least get the first crack at it, and if the 37-year-old can pitch as well as he did last year, where he posted 20 saves to go with a 2.40 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, he should be able to hold onto the role for some time.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Yonathan Daza will act as the leadoff hitter for Thursday's Opening Day against the San Diego Padres, according to MLB.com. Daza earned that role after a solid 2022 season, where he batted .301 with a .349 OBP, and he hit .311 this spring. However, he showed little power and speed, with just two home runs and no stolen bases over 113 games. Daza has the skill to continue providing batting average, but fantasy managers shouldn't count on much else from the 29-year-old, especially if he loses the role at the top of the lineup if the Rockies aren't satisfied with his talent at the plate.

Minnesota Twins left-hander Pablo Lopez threw 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball in a 2-0 Opening Day win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. Lopez struck out eight, walked three, and picked up the win in his first start for the Twins. The veteran southpaw proved to be difficult for the Royals to make contact against as he finished with 17 swinging strikes on 85 total pitches. Minnesota has to be pleased with the early returns after they acquired Lopez from the Miami Marlins for Luis Arraez in the offseason. Lopez could finish as a top fantasy starting pitcher if he is able to stay healthy this season.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher JT Brubaker (elbow, forearm) may have to miss the entire 2023 season after suffering elbow inflammation a couple of days ago, according to Jason Mackey. The injury is expected to be major and will keep him out for an extended time. The Pirates are hoping Brubaker can make a comeback this year, but the outlook isn't very positive. Brubaker was expected to anchor a poor Pirates rotation in 2023. The 29-year-old posted a 4.69 ERA in 2022, but his 3.92 FIP looked much better, thanks to a 1.06 HR/9. Brubaker didn't generate too many strikeouts, with a 22.8% strikeout rate and didn't have the most control, exhibited by an 8.4% walk rate. The right-hander is droppable in almost every league after the news, and fantasy managers can easily replace him with another arm on the waiver wire.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Justin Wilson (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. No surprise here, as the lefty is still not 100% after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2022. Wilson, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract in February, appeared in five games with the Reds last season, posting an 0-1 record with a 2.45 ERA and seven strikeouts in just over three innings. The 35-year-old wasn't expected to draw much interest from fantasy managers to begin with. However, since Wilson isn't due back until around the All-Star break, his fantasy value can't get any lower.

The New York Mets are not naming a closer in Edwin Diaz's (knee) absence to open the 2023 regular season. Manager Buck Showalter said he can see one pitcher getting the bulk of the save chances, and "obviously David Robertson has probably the strongest background" with 157 career saves. However, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley and even Drew Smith could also see time pitching in the ninth inning for the Mets this year. The best bet for saves in this bullpen is clearly Robertson, given his experience, with Ottavino and Raley serving as high-leverage setup men. The 37-year-old Robertson was solid last year for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, and his fantasy stock went way up when we learned that Diaz would likely miss all of 2023 due to his knee injury.

Texas Rangers outfielder Travis Jankowski is expected to make the Opening Day roster as a bench player with Leody Taveras (oblique) set to open up the 2023 regular season on the injured list with a left oblique strain. Jankowski will mostly be useful for his defense and speed on the basepaths off the bench for the Rangers, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues can ignore him for now. The 31-year-old left-handed hitter spent the 2022 campaign with the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners, hitting a combined .164/.281/.164 with no home runs, two RBI, 11 runs scored and three steals in 44 games. In his eight big-league seasons, he's produced a weak .236/.319/.310 slash line with a .630 OPS, nine home runs, 54 RBI and 72 stolen bases in 470 games.

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired outfielder Cristian Pache from the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday in exchange for right-hander Billy Sullivan. Pache, once a top prospect of the Atlanta Braves, was dealt to Philly after it was announced that he wouldn't make Oakland's Opening Day roster. The 24-year-old's glove is still way ahead of his bat, although he did hit .302 (13-for-43) with a double, two triples, eight RBI, three runs scored and a steal in 21 Cactus League games this spring. In his three major-league seasons, Pache has hit just .156 with a .439 OPS, four home runs, 22 RBI and 24 runs scored in 115 games. For now, he'll bring the Phillies some outfield depth. Pache can be ignored in single-year mixed leagues.

Miami Marlins relief pitchers Tanner Scott, Dylan Floro and A.J. Puk are "in the mix" for closing situations this year, according to manager Skip Schumaker. Floro is expected to be the favorite for saves in Miami after picking up 25 saves for the team over the last two seasons. Scott and Puk are left-handers, and Scott had a career-high 20 saves for the Fish in 2022. Both southpaws have intriguing strikeout upside and are worth speculating on for saves/holds in the back of Miami's bullpen in deeper fantasy leagues. This will probably be a frustrating situation to follow in fantasy, especially with Schumaker being a first-time manager at the big-league level in 2023. Puk was dominant in spring training but has the least closing experience of the trio.

It's looking like Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Rob Zastryzny will make the team's Opening Day roster in a bullpen that also will include closer David Bednar, Wil Crowe, Colin Holderman, Duane Underwood Jr., Chase De Jong, Dauri Moreta and Jose Hernandez. Zastryzny, a 31-year-old left-hander, made the club by not allowing a run over 7 1/3 Grapefruit League innings while walking one and striking out 10 batters in six appearances. He doesn't have much major-league experience, with just 38 2/3 innings pitched over 24 outings (one start) in four seasons, but he'll be a key left-hander out of Pittsburgh's 'pen to start the 2023 campaign.

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert (elbow), who will open the 2023 season in Triple-A Albuquerque's starting rotation, will be on a limited early season pitch count since he had minimal action in 2022 after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2020. He went 1-1 with a 6.43 ERA in four Cactus League outings, but he looks healthy. The 25-year-old is hoping he can be of use to the Rockies at some point in 2023. "I'm feeling really good -- my elbow, especially," Lambert said. "I feel healthy. I feel strong. And my feel is definitely coming back. Early in camp it was kind of sporadic, and I had a lot of walks. But my last two times, especially, I was much better and more around the zone."

Miami Marlins second baseman/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (arm) played in a scrimmage Monday at loanDepot Park and doubled. This is encouraging for fantasy managers, as he didn't play in the final two Grapefruit League games due to cramping in his right arm. Manager Skip Schumaker said of Chisholm missing game time, "Dehydration causes injuries, and so at this point of the camp, I'm not going to run him out there and risk it." The 25-year-old played in only 60 games in 2022 due to a stress fracture in his back and a torn meniscus, although he slashed .254/.325/.535 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in the 241 plate appearances he had. Chisholm could prove to be a big fantasy asset at a shallow position this season if he can manage to stay healthy.

The Pittsburgh Pirates reassigned catcher Tyler Heineman to Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned right-hander Yerry De Los Santos to Indianapolis on Tuesday. The team also released catcher Kevin Plawecki from his minor-league contract. Heineman, 31, will open the year in the minors as catching depth for the organization behind Austin Hedges and Jason Delay. He's hit just .214 with one home run and 12 RBI in 82 career games with the Pirates, Giants, Marlins and Blue Jays. De Los Santos, 25, had a 4.91 ERA (4.01 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, three saves and 26 strikeouts in 25 2/3 relief innings in his major-league debut for Pittsburgh in 2022. He should get another shot in the Bucs' bullpen at some point in 2023.

The Cleveland Guardians and second baseman Andres Gimenez are finalizing a long-term contract extension on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. The 24-year-old infielder was a first-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2022 and had 7.4 Wins Above Replacement for the Guardians. He also finished his third MLB campaign with a .297/.371/.466 slash line with a career-high .837 OPS, 17 long balls, 69 RBI, 66 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 557 plate appearances over 146 games played. His big season in 2022 put Gimenez firmly as a top-five fantasy asset at the keystone. However, a high BABIP last year points to potential regression across the board for the young infielder in 2023. UPDATE: the two sides agreed on a seven-year, $106.5 million extension with a $23 million club option for 2031.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Tyrone Taylor (elbow) will open the regular season on the injured list after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection at the end of February. He is expected to miss at least the first month of the season after dealing with this right elbow injury since last year. Taylor has resumed a throwing program, though and is hopeful of making his 2023 debut by the middle of May. When healthy, the 29-year-old is expected to be Milwaukee's regular right fielder. With Taylor sidelined, Brian Anderson is expected to see some more playing time in the outfield in the first month of the season. Fantasy managers would like Taylor to get on base more, but he'll be attractive for his power in deep mixed leagues with regular playing time when he returns.