Justin Verlander (shoulder) will be activated from the IL and take the mound for Friday's game against the Nationals. (Source: Brian McTaggert on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: It was expected that Verlander would make his season debut during this weekend's series in Washington D.C. Now, it has been confirmed that will happen Friday. Verlander, who has been dealing with shoulder inflammation, threw 77 pitches over four innings in a rehab outing this past Saturday. This news is obviously very welcome by the struggling Astros and their beat-up pitching staff.
Sat, Apr 13th 9:48am EDT
By Jesse Garcia
Spencer Strider will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery to repair his UCL in his right elbow with internal brace. (Source: Braves on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: This is a massive blow for the Braves and fantasy managers. The good news for Strider is he avoided another Tommy John surgery, but will still miss the remainder of the season. Strider will now turn his focus towards rehab and being ready for the 2025 season.
The Orioles are calling up top prospect Jackson Holliday from Triple-A Norfolk. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: It came as a surprise when the Orioles reassigned Holliday to minor-league camp at the end of spring training, but he showed his talent early with the Tides. The 20-year-old slashed .333/.482/.595 with two home runs, nine RBI, and one stolen base in 10 Triple-A. Holliday should see plenty of playing time at second base. If he is not already rostered in your league, he's a must-add.
Sat, Apr 6th 11:26am EDT
By Mike Maher
Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, the team announced Saturday. Cleveland is working with Dr. Meister in Dallas to figure out a date for the surgery. All other details are unknown at this point, per Guardians beat writer Mandy Bell. (Source: Mandy Bell on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Bieber apparently had pain after his Opening Day start that continued through his outing in Seattle. He was off to a fantastic start to the season. Through two starts, he had allowed zero earned runs on 10 hits and one walk with 20 strikeouts across 12 innings. He'll now miss the rest of the 2024 season and at least the beginning of the 2025 season. For the Guardians, their staff will now be anchored by Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee, Carlos Carrasco, and Triston McKenzie. It isn't immediately known who will fill Bieber's spot in the rotation. In the interim, Tyler Beede could move from long relief to the rotation.
Trevor Story appeared to hurt his shoulder while diving for a ground ball in the fourth inning of Friday's game versus the Los Angeles Angels. He was replaced by Pablo Reyes. (Source: FOX Sports on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: This is a tough blow for Story whose Red Sox tenure has been plagued by injuries. He was immediately in pain after hitting the ground and is likely going for testing. If he is to miss significant time, Pablo Reyes could see regular starts at shortstop. Other options for shortstop are Vaughn Grissom (currently on the IL with a hamstring injury) and Ceddanne Rafaela, though the Red Sox would likely prefer to keep Rafaela patrolling CF as often as possible.
The Marlins have announced that right-handed pitcher Eury Perez will undergo Tommy John surgery. (Source: Christina De Nicola)
Fantasy Impact: Perez will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. He is only worth holding onto in dynasty formats.
Jordan Montgomery and Arizona have agreed to a 1-year, $25 million deal with a $25 million option for a second year. (Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Montgomery is finally off the board after a long offseason of uncertainty. He will likely need some time to get built up with his new team after missing all of spring training, but he shouldn't miss too much time. The Diamondbacks will feature a revamped rotation this season, adding Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez to go along with Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt.
Blake Snell has agreed to a two-year, $62 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. (Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Snell has finally found his new team. He landed what he was looking for with a short-term deal that includes an opt out. He joins a Giants starting rotation that is banged up. It is unclear if Snell will be fully ready to go for the start of the season.
Devin Williams met with a spine specialist on Wednesday and has two stress fractures in his back. He'll be shut down for six weeks and rehabbing for six after that. He's expected to make a full recovery. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Williams was being drafted as the first closer off the board after he put together a masterful 2023 with a 1.53 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 13.3 K/9 and 36 saves. Fangraphs currently has Trevor Megill filling in although Joel Payamps should also get opportunities.
The Chicago White Sox have traded pitcher Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Cease has had his name in the rumor mill for much of the offseason with several teams connected to the right-hander. Ultimately, it's the pitching-needy Padres who have traded for the White Sox ace. Cease finished second in AL Cy Young voting in the 2022 season when he posted a 2.20 ERA but he regressed to a 4.58 ERA across 33 starts in the 2023 campaign.
Gerrit Cole is getting an MRI done on his pitching elbow. (Source: Bryan Hoch on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Ouch. This is not the news fantasy managers wanted to hear just weeks before Opening Day. Cole is coming off his first Cy Young award last year and back-to-back years of 200+ innings pitched. He's been the most consistent pitcher in fantasy over the past five seasons, and fantasy managers will be holding their breath waiting for the results.
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Noelvi Marte has been issued an 80-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug violation. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Marte will now first the first half of the season after he was expected to handle the primary duties at third base in 2024. The 22-year-old impressed with a .316 average with three homers and six stolen bases with the Reds in his 35-game debut last season.
Initial imaging showed Lucas Giolito likely has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain and could miss the 2024 season (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Giolito may need surgery to repair the right-elbow damage. It would be a big loss to the starting rotation for Boston after signing him to a two-year deal this offseason.
The San Francisco Giants and free-agent outfielder/DH Jorge Soler have agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract. (Source: Susan Slusser on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The 31-year-old indeed gets the three-year pact he had reportedly been in search of on the open market. The 3-year-old gas a big season with the Marlins in 2023, hitting 36 home runs alongside an .853 OPS across 580 trips to the plate. He will serve as the Giants' primary DH in the 2024 campaign.
The Houston Astros have signed second baseman Jose Altuve to a five-year contract extension worth $125 million. (Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The deal will kick in in the 2024 season. Altuve has parlayed a couple of big season into his new deal as he raked in 2022 before doing so again in 2023, albeit in just 90 games. He hit .311 with 17 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a .914 OPS across 410 trips to the plate in 2023. He is one of, if not the top second baseman in fantasy baseball ahead of the 2024 season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially brought back Clayton Kershaw for a 17th season. (Source: MLB on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: It had become increasingly likely the Dodgers would bring back their future Hall of Famer and they indeed have. Kershaw worked to a dynamite 2.46 ERA across 24 starts with the club in 2023, a figure almost identical to his career 2.48 ERA across 425 big-league outings. However, Kershaw has dealt with various injuries in recent seasons and will miss the first half of 2024 after undergoing shoulder surgery in early November.
Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on an 11-year, $288.7 million contract extension. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Witt gets a much deserved extension as one of the top young players in the MLB. He hit .276 last season with 30 home runs, 96 RBI and 49 stolen bases. He'll remain one of the top players in the sport, and a stud for fantasy baseball managers as well.
The Milwaukee Brewers have traded ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: In exchange, the Orioles will send infield prospect Joey Ortiz, left-hander DL Hall, and the 34th overall pick to the Brewers in the deal. The 29-year-old Burnes is a free agent at season's end and regressed, by his standards, to a 3.39 ERA in 2023 after posting an ERA of 2.94 or better in each of his previous three seasons. Needless to say, his addition could put a powerhouse Orioles team over the top the in 2024.
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager has undergone surgery to repair a sports hernia. (Source: Evan Grant on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: A firm timetable for his return is unclear but Seager is likely to miss most of spring training with his Opening Day status up in the air. Despite a pair of IL stints, Seager put forth an MVP-type season in 2023, hitting .327 with 33 home runs and 96 RBI in just 119 games played, his second of a 10-year megadeal signed with the Rangers prior to the 2022 campaign.
The Texas Rangers have signed relief pitcher David Robertson to a one-year contract in the $11-12 million range. (Source: Jeff Passan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The specific amount has yet to be released but the reigning World Series champions add a big arm to their relief corps. Robertson worked to a 2.05 ERA across 40 appearances with the Mets last season but struggled upon a trade to the Miami Marlins at the deadline. The veteran owns a career 2.90 ERA with 175 saves across 793 appearances.
