The Baltimore Orioles agreed to terms on a one-year major-league deal with free-agent right-hander Kyle Gibson on Friday and placed right-hander Kyle Bradish (elbow) on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move to make room for Gibson on the 40-man roster. Gibson's deal is for $5.25 million and will give Baltimore some more starting depth entering the 2025 season with Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells and Bradish all opening the year on the injured list with elbow issues. The 37-year-old veteran could get some decent run in the team's rotation eventually, which could make him worth pursuing in AL-only formats. Gibson spent the 2023 season in Baltimore before going 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with 151 K's and 68 walks in 30 starts for the Cardinals in 2024. There's not much upside, but Gibson could have some streaming appeal in DFS back in Baltimore.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (forearm) admitted that he received a pain-killing injection in the flexor tendon of his right forearm late last season -- he ended the year on the injured list -- and the injury delayed his offseason program. Gray said the injury hasn't been an issue during spring training, but the delay in his throwing program could explain his diminished velocity in Grapefruit League games. The 35-year-old veteran has really struggled in spring games, allowing 18 earned runs on 21 hits (seven homers) while walking six and striking out 14 in 11 1/3 innings over four starts. Gray's velocity was down nearly two mph in his Grapefruit League start against the Houston Astros, which should be a cause for concern for the Cards and fantasy managers alike. If his velocity doesn't rebound, it's unlikely he'll have a strikeout rate north of 30% like he had in 2024. It's something to keep a close eye on.

San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) will not be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season due to right-elbow inflammation, manager Mike Shildt confirmed on Friday. There is no timetable for Darvish's return. "We feel pretty comfortable that some rest and getting ramped back up will be the answer," Shildt said. Without a clear timeline for a potential return, we wouldn't blame fantasy managers for avoiding the 38-year-old Japanese veteran in upcoming drafts. He was also limited to only 16 starts in 2024 due to an elbow injury and a personal matter, so surgery on his elbow shouldn't be ruled out at this point. Darvish looked great down the stretch when he returned late last year, though, including two postseason appearances. Now that Darvish will officially open the year on the injured list, lefty Kyle Hart and right-hander Stephen Kolek are competing for the No. 5 rotation spot in SD.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) will start the team's Grapefruit League game on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. Scherzer asked to make the two-hour road trip to Fort Myers because he wanted to face major-league hitters. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has been dealing with a nagging right-thumb injury in spring training, but he looked good during a bullpen session on Thursday and is now ready to test his finger in game action and is looking to throw around 60-65 pitches against Minnesota. If Scherzer avoids a setback with his thumb, he should be ready for Opening Day next Thursday. While Scherzer was initially looking like a late-round value pitch as fantasy rotation depth, his thumb injury might have a lot of fantasy managers pumping the brakes.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw a bullpen session in camp on Thursday and said afterwards that the plan is for him to pitch in a game on Saturday, assuming his thumb recovers normally. Manager John Schneider said they would ideally like Scherzer to throw 65 to 70 pitches this weekend. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer continues to be bothered by a right-thumb injury this spring, but he's pushing through it and could be ready for the start of his first season in Toronto if he makes it through his outing this Saturday without any issues. While the eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner had been somewhat of a value pick as rotation depth for much of the spring, his thumb injury reminds us that there's still plenty of injury risk surrounding the aging pitcher. Scherzer is just inside RotoBaller's top-100 rankings for starting pitchers.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will play "most of his games" in left field in 2025, manager Joe Espada said on Wednesday. The skipper left the door open for things to change due to injuries and good performances in the minor leagues, but Espada made it clear that Altuve will open the year as the team's primary left fielder. While nothing had really been official until now, this was the expectation all along for the 34-year-old veteran after he has spent all his time playing left field in spring training. As a result, Mauricio Dubon figures to see most of the starts at second base for Houston to begin the season. While Father Time will eventually catch up to Altuve, the nine-time All-Star, former MVP, seven-time Silver Slugger winner, three-time batting champ and two-time World Series champ deserves the benefit of the doubt as a high-end fantasy second baseman that is adding value with outfield eligibility.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (wrist) is scheduled to return to the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Thursday against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies and play in the remainder of the spring games, according to The Athletic's David O'Brien. A bone bruise in his left wrist has kept Profar out of spring training games since March 8, but he's ready to return now and should be ready to go for Opening Day next Thursday, barring a setback this weekend. The 32-year-old has gone 2-for-12 with two doubles in six games so far this spring. While he should be ready, it will be interesting to see if his lack of spring action will hurt him early on at the plate in his first year in Atlanta after a breakout 2024 campaign with the San Diego Padres. Profar doesn't have elite speed or power, but he makes a lot of contact and has great plate discipline. He's just inside RotoBaller's top-40 outfield rankings.

MassLive's Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam write that Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks appears to be behind left-hander Aroldis Chapman for closing duties to begin the 2025 regular season, even though he has seemingly corrected some of the command issues he had early in camp. Second-year right-hander Justin Slaten will also be an option for the BoSox in late-inning, high-leverage situations. As things stand right now, Chapman and Slaten are ahead of Hendriks, who has allowed six earned runs on 12 hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out four in five appearances in the Grapefruit League. The 36-year-old Australian is a three-time All-Star and has 116 career MLB saves over 13 seasons, though, so he's still going to be a key member of Boston's bullpen in 2025. He just isn't much of a target for save speculators right now.

Although San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) played catch in camp on Tuesday, manager Mike Shildt revealed that Darvish experienced elbow inflammation after his last Cactus League start. The Padres are calling Darvis day-to-day right now, but Shildt couldn't rule out the injury affecting the start of Darvish's 2025 season. The Padres attributed fatigue to the 38-year-old Japanese pitcher missing his scheduled spring start on Tuesday, but now we know he's dealing with an elbow issue that could land him on the injured list to begin the season. We wouldn't blame fantasy managers from wanting to avoid an aging pitcher dealing with an elbow issue that could put the start of his season in peril. If Darvish is not able to open the year in the Friars' starting rotation, either Stephen Kolek or Kyle Hart would be candidates to replace him.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) felt "probably a little bit better than I think I expected" on Tuesday, but that the veteran hurler is still very much day-to-day as the team manages his thumb issue. Toronto is holding out hope that Scherzer can pitch in a game this weekend. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has been dealing with a right-thumb injury and is working with a hand specialist as he tries to prepare for the start of his first year with the Blue Jays. The three-time Cy Young winner, eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion can still be useful as rotation depth in fantasy leagues, but durability has become a big factor for him as he nears the end of his fantastic career. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 93 fantasy starter, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him open the year on the injured list.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Alex Cobb (hip) threw his first bullpen session in camp on Saturday and is scheduled to throw his second bullpen on Wednesday. Cobb was shut down early in spring training after he was diagnosed with right-hip inflammation, but the 37-year-old veteran is ramping back up as he attempts to rejoin the team's starting rotation. Opening Day is next Thursday in L.A. against the World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers, though, so Cobb will open the regular season on the injured list and isn't expected to make his 2025 debut until late April or early May. While Cobb will be given a rotation spot in Detroit when he's ready, he's not much of a fantasy asset and has only made 30 starts in a season once. He made just three starts in 2024 due to hip, finger and shoulder injuries and just hasn't been very durable.

Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports that Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) is still battling pain in his thumb. Reports from Toronto noted that the 40-year-old threw a successful session on Friday and suffered no setbacks. However, Scherzer's thumb ailment reportedly traces all the way back to 2023. "My thumb hurts. It hurts to grip the ball," said Scherzer. "Unfortunately, this is what I've been dealing with since 2023." The former first-round pick had pitched well thus far in the spring before being bothered by his thumb, accruing a 2.00 ERA and 0.33 WHIP across nine innings. While it appears he's on track to rejoin the Jays' rotation sooner than later, fantasy managers may want to exhibit caution when considering him in drafts, as it seems like the thumb issue could continue to linger.

With the way New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has raved about veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco's swing-and-miss stuff in camp, indications are that Carrasco is likely to open the regular season in the team's starting rotation, according to YES Network's Jack Curry. The 37-year-old has an opt-out on March 22, but Curry thinks Carrasco will remain with the team because of the fact that they need starting depth due to the injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Luis Gil (lat). Pitching prospect Will Warren has also been deserving of a rotation spot, but he has minor-league options remaining, and the Yankees apparently don't want to lose Carrasco. The veteran hurler has a 2.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in Grapefruit League play while striking out 12 and walking six in 11 innings. If Carrasco wins the final rotation spot in the Bronx, he'll merely be a low-upside, matchup-based streamer in deep leagues and DFS.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (wrist) took batting practice on Sunday in camp, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. The Braves have Monday off and will be in Tampa on Wednesday night, so they may wait until Thursday to put Profar back in the Grapefruit League lineup. However, until then, he can get as many at-bats as he needs in minor-league games. Bowman says that Profar remains on track for Opening Day next Thursday. The Braves are being cautious with the 32-year-old after he sustained a bone bruise in his left wrist in spring training, but fantasy managers shouldn't need to worry that he won't be ready for the start of the regular season unless he suffers a setback once he resumes playing in games. After a breakout year in 2024 with the Padres, many fantasy managers are wondering if Profar can repeat it. He doesn't have great speed or power, but he's in an excellent lineup and is just inside RotoBaller's rankings as a top-40 outfielder.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale has been assigned the Opening Day start for the Braves to kick off the 2025 season. Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, looks to continue his dominance in 2025 for the Braves and will start the season on the road versus the San Diego Padres on Thursday, March 27. The Padres have a solid lineup, including superstars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Regardless, Sale is one of the most dominant starters in the game, and fantasy managers should start him confidently next Thursday. During the 2024 season, Sale went 18-3 with an 11.4 K/9, 2.38 ERA, a 6.4 WAR, and a 2.09 FIP. Look for him to continue to rack up the wins and strikeouts behind one of the most potent lineups in baseball.

Phil Miller of the Minnesota Star Tribune notes that Minnesota Twins pitcher Michael Tonkin (shoulder) is set to begin the 2025 season on the injured list. The 35-year-old picked up what was labeled as a "slight" shoulder strain in his last outing on Feb. 28. Although he is progressing, it appears Tonkin won't make the team's Opening Day roster. The righty was solid in 2024 while spending time with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and eventually, Minnesota -- pitching to a 3.63 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 79.1 innings. Fantasy managers can expect him to slot back into his middle reliever role upon returning to health.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (fatigue) will have his scheduled bullpen session on Sunday pushed back for a day or two. That being said, Darvish won't take the mound for Tuesday's scheduled start. Right now, the Padres aren't too concerned and will just give Darvish some time to rest. The injury bug continues to hold back the right-hander who hasn't made 30 starts in a single season since 2022. It doesn't sound like the team is discussing placing Darvish on the injured list. For now, Darvish should be considered as day-to-day until the team re-evaluates the situation in a few days.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) is set to throw in a minor-league game "in the next day or two." If Scherzer performs well, he should be on track to be ready for Opening Day. Earlier in camp, Scherzer was scratched from a start due to minor thumb soreness. However, given this report, it appears Scherzer should be in a good position to be ready for Opening Day. During the winter, the Blue Jays signed the right-hander to a one-year $15.5 million contract. Last season, Scherzer was limited by numerous injuries as he logged just 43 1/3 innings. He posted a 3.95 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. In 2023, Scherzer tossed 152 2/3 innings with a 3.77 ERA and a strong 1.12 WHIP. Fantasy managers should view the 40-year-old as a solid late-round starting pitcher that should provide solid strikeout upside while improving your WHIP ratio.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray will get the nod on Opening Day against the Minnesota Twins. Gray enjoyed a strong debut season in St. Louis last summer and will operate as the top man in the rotation in 2025. Last season, Gray logged 166 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.84 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 203 strikeouts and served up just 39 walks. His strikeouts were the fourth-most in the National League. He generated a solid 3.67 xERA with a .237 xBA which placed him in the 63rd and 53rd percentiles respectively. In addition, the 35-year-old generated whiffs at an elite 29.8 percent rate. Gray's sweeper (second-most used pitch) is his primary put-away pitch as it generated an elite 44.8 percent whiff rate. Facing the Twins, Gray will be viewed as a solid option in DFS given his strikeout upside.

Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Bryan Shaw was optioned to Triple-A. Shaw joined the Reds as a non-roster invite earlier in the winter. Last season, the 37-year-old logged just four innings in the major leagues. Across this short stint, Shaw allowed four earned runs and held a 4:4 BB:K. During the 2023 campaign, Shaw logged 45 2/3 innings of work to the tune of a 4.14 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. During this season, Shaw tallied 40 punchouts with 17 walks and four saves. Across 92 2/3 career innings a the Triple-A level, Shaw has posted a 4.37 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Shaw to be in the mix to return to the majors later in the 2025 season when the Reds need additional depth in their bullpen.