The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reports that Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) will throw off a mound for the first time on Saturday. Bieber didn't throw off a mound all spring due to elbow/forearm issues. The Blue Jays aren't going to take any chances with the 30-year-old veteran, especially after he didn't make his season debut in 2025 until August after recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The former American League Cy Young and two-time All-Star had a 3.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 37:7 K:BB in seven regular-season starts for the Blue Jays last year before posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 18:6 K:BB in 18 2/3 playoff innings. Bieber can still be useful (when healthy) as starting rotation depth in deep-mixed leagues, but he's no longer as dominant as he once was after giving up plenty of loud contact in his return in 2025. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Bieber to be an option to come off the 15-day injured list until May.

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Miami Marlins infielder Graham Pauley is making the start at third base and will hit ninth for the Fish in Monday's series opener against the visiting Chicago White Sox and right-hander Davis Martin at LoanDepot Park, according to MLB.com. Pauley was sidelined for a good chunk of spring training with a forearm injury, but he's healthy now and will have a shot to play regularly at the hot corner in Miami, with Christopher Morel (oblique) on the 10-day injured list. Connor Norby will shift across the diamond and see most of the playing time at first base with Morel sidelined. Pauley has gone 1-for-4 with two strikeouts at the plate in two games to begin the 2026 regular season. There's probably a greater chance that Pauley serves in more of a super-utility role for the Marlins once Morel is ready to return. In his first 220 major-league plate appearances, Pauley has barely hit, slashing .208/.283/.355 with six home runs, 16 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 77 games.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (hip) could begin a minor-league rehab assignment as early as this week with High-A Rome, according to Grant McAuley of 929 The Game. Murphy is scheduled to take live batting practice at Rome on Wednesday as the Braves head out on a seven-game road trip. The 31-year-old veteran backstop began the 2026 season on the 10-day injured list after having offseason hip surgery, but it might not be long before he can make his debut this year for Atlanta. Fellow catcher Drake Baldwin is an everyday player now for the Braves after winning National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2025, but Murphy should also play regularly between catcher and designated hitter, while Jonah Heim will revert to No. 3 catching duties. Murphy was an All-Star in his first year in Atlanta in 2023, when he hit 21 home runs in 108 games. He had just 26 combined long balls in the last two years, though, while battling injuries. It remains to be seen if Murphy can rediscover his pre-injury power stroke after having hip surgery.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect Trey Yesavage (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a three-inning/45-pitch simulated game on Friday, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Yesavage was held back on purpose in spring training and then landed on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 regular season due to a right-shoulder impingement. The 22-year-old will be given plenty of time to build up his workload as he looks to rejoin Toronto's starting rotation. Yesavage made a quick ascent to the big leagues in 2025 and only made three regular-season starts before hurling 27 2/3 innings over six outings (five starts) in the postseason, which included an epic 12-strikeout performance in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struck out 39 batters and walked 11 in the postseason, putting his high-end upside on full display. Control can be an issue for Yesavage, though, and his redraft upside could be capped in 2026 with the Blue Jays handling him with extreme care to ensure his long-term health.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (oblique) will be on the team's road trip, but there's still no timetable for when he might make his first minor-league rehab start, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Strider will likely throw a live batting practice session on the road, and that will give the Braves a better feel for his potential return date from the 15-day injured list. The Braves reportedly don't think Strider will miss too much time after being diagnosed with an oblique strain, but he's not going to be ready to return from the IL when he's eligible on April 6. But barring a setback as he ramps back up, fantasy managers should get him back before the end of April. The 27-year-old was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and won a league-high 20 games that year, but he pitched in only two games in 2024 due to injury and went 7-14 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 23 starts for the Braves last year. Strider's injury history makes him riskier, especially since he's experienced a drop in velocity since his strong 2023 campaign.

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Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is back in center field and will hit sixth in the batting order on Monday for the series opener in Atlanta against the Braves and right-hander Bryce Elder, according to MLB.com. Butler had a rough Opening Day in the walk-off loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last week while going 0-for-3, and then was kept on the bench for the final two games of the series north of the border. The 25-year-old power/speed threat is back in action on Monday, though, and will hope to get going early in the 2026 season at Truist Park. Butler is hitless in three career at-bats against Elder with one RBI. Butler had his first career 20-20 season with the A's in 152 games played in 2025, but he disappointed with a .234/.306/.404 slash line and a .710 OPS in 630 plate appearances while dealing with knee issues for most of the year. If fully healthy and clicking, Butler is a candidate for 30 homers and 30 steals, so he should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena will take another day off on Monday for the series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park, per MLB.com. Carlos Correa will shift over to shortstop again, with Isaac Paredes making the start at third base against Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez. Pena has started just two of the team's first four games of the 2026 regular season as the Astros ease him in following his recovery from a fractured finger that he suffered during an exhibition game earlier in March while preparing for the World Baseball Classic. Pena has gone 2-for-10 with a run scored and a stolen base in the two games he's played so far. He should be back in the lineup at shortstop for the Astros for the second game of the series against Boston on Tuesday evening. Paredes is hitless in just two career at-bats against Suarez, while Correa has never faced the southpaw in his career.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo is not in the starting lineup for the series opener on Monday at Camden Yards against the visiting Texas Rangers, according to MLB.com. Adley Rutschman is behind the plate and will bat cleanup for the O's against right-hander Jack Leiter. Outfielder Tyler O'Neill is the designated hitter and will hit out of the five-hole. The 21-year-old Basallo will get his first day off of the 2026 season after he started in each of the first three games of the year versus the Minnesota Twins. Basallo went 2-for-10 in the first three games with two walks and four strikeouts at the dish. Young outfielder Dylan Beavers is also making a start on Monday with O'Neill at DH, getting the nod in right field and batting sixth. Basallo should be back in the starting lineup for fantasy managers for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday night.

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The Milwaukee Brewers are on the verge of finalizing an eight-year deal for just more than $50 million with 21-year-old prized shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt, who had not played above Double-A until this year, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The deal will include two option years for roughly $15 million per season. Per MLB Pipeline, Pratt is considered the Brewers' No. 4 prospect. Pratt isn't considered a top-10 prospect at the shortstop position going into the 2026 season, but he could be up in the big leagues sooner than later after this massive deal for an unproven commodity. Milwaukee did something similar with outfielder Jackson Chourio before he even had stepped foot on a major-league field. Pratt hit .238/.343/.348 with eight home runs and 31 steals in 120 games with Double-A Biloxi last year. He can run and has 15-20 homer power eventually at the next level. Pratt has come up in the system as a shortstop, but his future in Milwaukee might be at the hot corner, with top prospect Jesus Made considered the future of the franchise at the 6.

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The Milwaukee Brewers acquired outfielder Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants on Monday in exchange for cash considerations, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants also acquired right-hander Dylan Smith from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash considerations and designated Tyler Fitzgerald in a corresponding move. Matos will head to the National League Central after he was designated for assignment last week. The 24-year-old will help give the Brewers some additional outfield depth early in the season with Jackson Chourio (hand) on the injured list. The Venezuelan outfielder has yet to click as a former top prospect in the big leagues, as he sports a .231/.281/.369 with a .650 OPS, 15 home runs, 61 RBI, 64 runs, and seven steals in 178 games played over three MLB seasons. It's worth noting that he's out of minor-league options. Matos has always made decent contact, but the power just hasn't manifested itself in the big leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles right-handed pitcher Andrew Kittredge (shoulder inflammation) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday, according to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Kittredge opened the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list, but he previously told reporters that he didn't expect to miss too much time. Indeed, he'll return to the mound for his rehab assignment on April 1 and could possibly be activated as soon as he's eligible to return on April 6. With that said, he's eligible to remain on rehab assignment through the end of April. The veteran reliever is looking to build off an impressive 2025 campaign in which he posted a 3.06 FIP with 10.9 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. He's capable of pitching in high-leverage scenarios in the later innings. He projects best as an eighth-inning setup option before the Orioles turn to closer Ryan Helsley, who recorded two saves in the Orioles' opening series.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (finger) will pitch in a minor-league rehab game on Thursday, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19. He'll make his appearance with the Reds' Low-A affiliate in Daytona, and if all goes well, he'll be activated from the injured list to start a game when the Reds are in Florida to take on the Miami Marlins. Lodolo opened the regular season on the 15-day injured list due to a blister on his left index finger, but the fact that he'll return in the first or second week of April after requiring just one rehab outing is a good sign. He's looking to build off a strong 2025 season in which he made 29 appearances with a 3.66 xFIP, 8.96 K/9, 1.78 BB/9, and 42.6% ground ball rate. The 28-year-old southpaw currently ranks #41 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat allowed seven earned runs, six hits, and four walks in his 2026 regular-season debut on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox. In his first career start as a Brewer, Sproat was roughed up, but he managed to escape with the no-decision as Milwaukee's bats came alive late in the game and dropped a six-spot in the eighth inning to take the lead (and win). Still, it was a frustrating outing for the young right-hander following an offseason trade from the New York Mets. His ground ball rate was down (albeit over a small sample size), and his control problems came out of nowhere. The lone bright spot from his outing was the fact that his fastball velocity jumped from 96.5 mph in 2025 to 98.6 mph in 2026. Sproat ranks #90 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026, but he'll need to bounce back in his next outing to prove Sunday's poor performance was a fluke.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Marte started each of the first three games of the season, but he was slumping at the plate with a 0-for-6 line and four strikeouts. Given his slow start offensively, we're not surprised to see him get the day off against Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft. It's too early to panic on Marte, though, as he's fully capable of returning to his 2025 form (14 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 101 wRC+). Perhaps the day off will allow him to reset and turn things around after a small sample size of disappointing results. There's still plenty of upside in the 24-year-old, who ranks #39 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Leadoff hitter Jake McCarthy will patrol center field in his absence. Doyle has been off to a woeful start offensively, going 0-for-11 with one walk, one stolen base, and two strikeouts. His .168 xBA suggests he's been only a little unlucky. Doyle has always been someone whose glove offers more value than his bat, but a three-game hitless streak is still concerning. He'll get the day off Monday to reset as the Rockies face off against Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Cody Ponce. If this is just a day off rather than a pure benching, he should get back into the lineup on Tuesday against veteran righty Max Scherzer.

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The Miami Marlins are sending first base prospect Deyvison De Los Santos back to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. It will make room for recently acquired infielder Leo Jimenez. With De Los Santos back in the minors, Connor Norby should play a lot of first base until Christopher Morel (oblique) returns from the 10-day injured list. The 22-year-old De Los Santos went 1-for-2 with a double in a cup of coffee with the Fish to begin the 2026 regular season, but the Marlins would like to get him more development on the farm. De Los Santos adds very little defensively, so he's going to need to hit to find his way into the lineup at the big-league level consistently. That may be asking a lot for a player that had a below-average 85 wRC+ last year in the minors. The good news is that De Los Santos showed more plate discipline and made more contact, but his quality of contact left plenty to be desired. For the time being, De Los Santos is merely a stash candidate in dynasty formats for his raw power at the plate.

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Baltimore Orioles corner infielder Coby Mayo spent the offseason hitting sliders, curveballs, and changeups "at their most extreme movement profiles" off a pitching machine in an effort to help him square the baseball up more frequently, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Mayo is Baltimore's everyday third baseman to begin the 2026 season with Jordan Westburg (elbow) likely out through April. In 2025, Mayo whiffed on 43.8% of the breaking balls that he swung at. Although he's gone just 2-for-9 in the early going in the first three games of the 2026 season, Mayo has two walks and two strikeouts and is already squaring the ball up more frequently. In 85 games for the O's last year, Mayo slashed .217/.299/.388 with a .687 OPS, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, and 30 runs scored in 294 plate appearances. With more consistent playing time at third base early on this year, Mayo will have an opportunity to become a post-hype breakout in Baltimore.

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Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (ankle) is still in a walking boot on Monday, and the team will see how he feels, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Estevez probably won't be available to pitch to begin the week, but with an off day on Tuesday, the Royals will determine if he needs to go on the injured list. The 33-year-old veteran took a line drive off his left ankle when he allowed a whopping six runs in a blown save on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, and he wasn't available to pitch in the series finale in Atlanta on Sunday. With Estevez out, Lucas Erceg picked up the save for KC in the 4-1 win. Even if Estevez was available on Sunday, manager Matt Quatraro hinted that the Royals want to use the struggling reliever in lower-leverage situations going forward. Estevez could certainly be used in save situations again in 2026, but right now, he's firmly on the closer hot seat, and fantasy managers need to scoop up Erceg wherever they can. An IL stint seems likely for Estevez, mainly so that he can figure out a way to get his velocity back up.

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The re-trial of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, which was scheduled to start on Monday in the Dominican Republic, has been delayed again and is now set to take place from May 13 to 15, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Franco was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic back in June of last year and received a suspended two-year prison sentence. The 25-year-old could be subject to further discipline under MLB's domestic-violence, sexual-assault, and child-abuse policies. Franco remains on the restricted list and will be unlikely to obtain a visa to ever return to play for the Rays or another big-league club in the future. A once-promising MLB career has been thrown away due to poor personal choices by Franco. In Tampa, youngster Carson Williams has taken over the shortstop job early in 2026 with Taylor Walls (oblique) on the 10-day injured list.

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New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette didn't take long to hear the boo-birds coming his way during his opening weekend with his new team, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. It wasn't all bad for Bichette in the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he did strike out multiple times per game and carries an early 53.3% strikeout rate in 15 plate appearances. Bichette acknowledged that he's feeling the pressure after signing a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets in the offseason. To begin the 2026 season, he went 1-for-14 with an RBI, run scored, and eight strikeouts. "We can talk about it being early, but I need to figure some things out," Bichette said. "I've done it before. Just different circumstances." Fantasy managers shouldn't be overly concerned just yet, especially since Bichette is also transitioning on defense from the move from shortstop to the hot corner in Queens.

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