Free-agent right-hander Julio Teheran signed a minor-league deal with the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Teheran will receive $2 million if he's on the major-league roster in 2024, and his deal also includes a $100,000 signing bonus and an opt-out clause. The 33-year-old pitched above expectations in 2023 with the Milwaukee Brewers, going 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA (4.93 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with 13 walks and 50 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings over 14 appearances (11 starts). At best, Teheran will provide some veteran insurance for an Orioles rotation that will be without both righty Kyle Bradish (elbow) and lefty John Means (elbow) to start the season. Fantasy managers should be avoiding Teheran in mixed leagues if he's making starts in Baltimore early in the year.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte (groin) is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Marte played in only 86 games last year while coming off double-hernia surgery the previous offseason, and he struggled to a .248/.301/.324 slash line with five home runs and 28 RBI, although he did steal 24 bases in 341 plate appearances before eventually being shut down with a groin injury. Injuries are a big concern for the 35-year-old veteran coming into the 2024 campaign, although he's apparently fully healthy this spring after playing in the Dominican winter league. Marte could rebound with better health this year, but the injury risk alone makes him more of a No. 5 of 6 outfielder for fantasy managers.

Baltimore Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel (quadriceps) threw a live batting practice session on Monday at camp and said he felt great. Kimbrel expects to make his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday. Kimbrel dealt with quadriceps soreness over the weekend and was shut down for a few days as a precaution. The 35-year-old veteran reliever is feeling good again now, though, and has plenty of time to get himself right before Opening Day at the end of March. Kimbrel joined the Orioles in the offseason on a one-year deal to serve as the team's closer in 2024 with Felix Bautista (elbow) out for the year. He led the Phillies with 23 saves in 2023 and had a 3.26 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 94 strikeouts in 69 innings. Injuries are a concern, but as long as he's healthy, he should receive plenty of save opportunities in Baltimore.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that first baseman Bryce Harper and catcher J.T. Realmuto are expected to make their Grapefruit League debuts on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. Harper and Realmuto are just getting a few days in camp to ramp up. Harper is making the full-time transition from the outfield to first base in 2024, but it's unclear if he'll be eased in as the designated hitter early in spring games. The 31-year-old former MVP got a late start to last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2022 but finished with a strong .293/.401/.499 slash line with a .900 OPS, 21 home runs, 72 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 126 games. Harper is no longer eligible in the outfield for fantasy managers, but with him ready to go to start the 2024 season, he should be viewed as a top-five fantasy first baseman in 2024.

St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Matt Carpenter (wrist) was scratched from the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Monday due to a bruised left wrist after being hit by a pitch in a previous game over the weekend. Carpenter's injury doesn't sound very serious, but the Cardinals will take it easy on the 38-year-old left-hander for a day or two. Carpenter essentially became a bench coach for the San Diego Padres last year after hitting just .176/.322/.319 with five home runs, 31 RBI and 67 strikeouts in 237 plate appearances over 76 games played. It was a big disappointment after he hit 15 home runs in 2022 with the Yankees before getting hurt. It's unlikely at this point that Carpenter will have a resurgence as he returns to St. Louis.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed free-agent shortstop Brandon Crawford to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to league sources. The three-time All-Star with the San Francisco Giants is expected to serve as the backup to 21-year-old rookie shortstop Masyn Winn while the team awaits further clarity on Tommy Edman's recovery from wrist surgery. Crawford spent the previous 13 seasons in the Bay Area, playing a key role in the team's 2012 and 2014 World Series championships. He was an All-Star as recently as 2021, but his performance started to decline in 2022, and he appeared in just 93 games last year due to various injuries and finished with a meager .194/.273/.314 slash line. The 37-year-old is a good defender but can't be counted on for offensive production at this point, and the 2024 season could easily be Crawford's last as a pro.

The St. Louis Cardinals and free-agent shortstop Brandon Crawford could be nearing an agreement, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser. The long-time Giants infielder's tenure with the club all be ended on Monday when the team agreed to a contract with veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed. After exploding for an MVP-caliber 2021 season, it has been a struggle at the plate for Crawford over the last two seasons. Most recently, he hit .94 with seven home runs, three stolen bases, and a .587 OPS across just 94 games last season, production that graded out 37% below the league average, as per his 63 wRC+. He has spent all 13 of his big-league seasons with the Giants.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman went 1-for-2 with a homer, sacrifice fly, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's 4-1 Cactus League win over the Padres. Freeman was batting in his usual second spot in the order and picking right where he left off last season. He ambushed the first pitch he saw from Padres right-handed starter Jhony Brito, sending it over the left-centerfield wall for his first home run of the spring. In his third at-bat, the perennial All-Star nearly had another HR when he sent the first pitch he saw to the warning track in right-center, but it resulted in a sac fly instead, driving in his second run of the game. As one would expect, Freeman hasn't missed a beat, and after hitting .331-29-102-131-23 last season, the veteran appears primed for another strong campaign. Now projected to hit in front of last year's AL MVP, Shohei Ohtani, his run totals could see a bump, and he had 12 more SB than any first baseman in 2023. Going around eighth overall, the 34-year-old is a fine foundational piece and multi-category contributor for any 2024 fantasy baseball team.

Baltimore Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel (quadriceps) said he cut his live batting practice session in camp on Saturday shorty by around five pitches because he felt some tightness in his lower body. However, Kimbrel isn't concerned after getting treatment from trainers. He's scheduled to throw again on Monday. Manager Brandon Hyde later said Kimbrel was dealing with quadriceps soreness. While it doesn't appear to be a serious injury, it's something to watch for the 35-year-old right-hander as we get close to Opening Day in late March. If healthy, Kimbrel, who is the active MLB leader in saves, will operate as Baltimore's full-time closer with Felix Bautista (elbow) out for the whole year.

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is noticeably slimmer at camp and said his offseason workouts were aimed at allowing him to "be a baseball player again." Stanton said he needs to be more mobile, which is why he did more running during the offseason. In addition to focusing on his conditioning, Stanton made some slight changes to his swing over the winter in hopes of bouncing back in 2024 after hitting just .191/.275/.420 with 24 home runs, 13 doubles, 60 RBI and 43 runs scored in 415 trips to the plate over 101 games played. The 34-year-old veteran slugger's injury history is well-documented and has caused his fantasy stock to fall considerably in recent years. It will drive his draft-day cost down, but with better health in 2024, Stanton could be a nice value play for those looking for elite power.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte (groin) played winter ball last month and is confident in his health and ability to play right field every day for the start of the 2024 season after missing most of the final two months of 2023 with a right-groin strain. The 35-year-old veteran underwent double-groin surgery the previous winter. "I know that I am good [physically]," Marte said Sunday. The Mets will probably consider Marte for designated hitter at-bats in 2024, but his preference is to play right field. Marte appeared in only 86 games last year and slashed .248/.301/.324 with five homers and 28 RBI. According to manager Carlos Mendoza, Marte is still viewed as a full-time right-fielder. Marte can be a solid power/speed player for fantasy managers when he's healthy, but his age and injury history make him a pretty risky fantasy selection.

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (lat), who arrived to camp last Wednesday with lat soreness and was shut down for several days, is throwing on Monday against a ploy wall at spring training. While Jansen is a bit behind the other pitchers in camp, as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks, he should still be ready for Opening Day. The 36-year-old veteran has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but his lat injury may cause interested teams to reconsider. As long as he's healthy on Opening Day, Jansen should be Boston's primary closer for 2024. He's the MLB's active leader in saves and had 29 saves in 2023, but his lengthy injury history and age make him a risky target for saves in fantasy drafts this spring.

The San Francisco Giants have signed veteran Pablo Sandoval to a minor league contract, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Sandoval's deal includes an invitation to major league spring training. The 37-year-old has been out of Major League Baseball since 2021, and he was most recently a member of Dubai's Abu Dhabi Falcons after being selected in the Baseball United Draft last October. It's hard to envision Sandoval making the Opening Day roster, but at the very least, he provides depth, competition, and an invaluable veteran presence. Last measured at 5-foot-10 and 268 pounds, the former All-Star third baseman now figures to spend most of his time at first base or designated hitter.

The Chicago White Sox agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league spring training with free-agent right-hander Bryan Shaw on Saturday. Shaw returns to the White Sox after recording a 4.14 ERA (3.87 FIP), a 1.23 WHIP, a career-high four saves, 17 walks and 40 strikeouts in 45 2/3 relief innings for the Pale Hose in 2023. The 36-year-old will help bolster one of the weakest bullpens in the league again in 2024, although he won't be a lock to make the Opening Day roster out of camp. The 13-year major-league veteran has a career 3.93 ERA (4.04 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP with 19 saves and 677 strikeouts in 760 1/3 innings pitched with the White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that relievers Blake Treinen (shoulder), Daniel Hudson (knee) and J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) are all tracking to be on the active roster to kick off the season in a two-game series against the division-rival San Diego Padres in Korea. Roberts said Hudson is still working through some execution stuff after missing close to two seasons due to injuries. The 36-year-old Hudson made just three appearances in 2023 and will give them veteran depth in the bullpen, but he's not on the fantasy radar. Neither is Treinen, 35, who made five appearances in 2022 and three rehab outings in 2023 after having shoulder surgery. He's going to need to prove himself before he's given a high-leverage role in the 'pen again.

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (lat) is in good spirits in camp after reporting to spring training with lat soreness, but he won't be back to throwing for a week or so. The Red Sox aren't going to take any chances with Jansen, especially since he's been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. The 36-year-old's injury isn't very serious, but it doesn't look great for an aging reliever as he prepares for the 2024 regular season. If Jansen is traded or isn't ready for Opening Day because of his injury, Chris Martin would be the most likely candidate to see a boost in value as Boston's primary closing option at the back of the bullpen. Jansen had 29 saves in 2023 to become MLB's active leader in saves, but he also dealt with back, knee and hamstring injuries and is a pretty big injury risk at the closing position for fantasy managers.

Los Angeles Angels left-handed reliever Drew Pomeranz (elbow), who is in spring training on a minor-league deal, said he's "full-go" in his effort to return to the majors for the first time since 2021. Pomeranz had elbow surgery in August of 2021 and has dealt with several setbacks since. "Pushing from bullpens to game speed is where I had real trouble," Pomeranz said. "I kept getting reinjured and reinjured. It's pretty frustrating trying to figure out what's going on I feel good right now, probably the same point I would have in any spring training coming in." Anything the Angels manage to get out of the 35-year-old veteran southpaw in 2024 would be gravy. Although he had a 1.75 ERA in 2021 before his injury, Pomeranz shouldn't be drafted in any fantasy leagues this spring.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu is expected to be the team's leadoff hitter in the 2024 season, according to manager Aaron Boone. "I want it to be DJ. Hopefully it is," Boone said when asked about the team's plans for the leadoff spot. It was also reported earlier in the offseason that LeMahieu would serve as the Yankees' primary third baseman this season. The 35-year-old endured a down season at the plate, by his standards, in 2023 as he hit .243 with 15 home runs and a .717 OPS across 136 games played. Perhaps most concerning is the fact his strikeout rate jumped all the way to 22.2%, a figure far beyond his 15.2% career mark and the highest rate of his MLB career. He also drew walks at a solid 10.7% clip a season ago.

Boston Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow said that closer Kenley Jansen (lat) reported to camp with some "general lat soreness" and will not be throwing for now. However, Jansen did take part in other drills on Monday and had been throwing bullpen sessions at home. This isn't good news for the 36-year-old reliever, especially since the Red Sox have been shopping him in trades, but it appears to be a minor injury that may not end up affecting his availability for the start of the 2024 season. If everything calms down in his lat, Jansen hopes to resume throwing in around a week. If Jansen isn't ready for the start of the regular season or if he's trade during spring training, Chris Martin and Josh Winckowski would become the two primary candidates for closing duties in Boston in 2024.

Free-agent left-hander Drew Pomeranz (elbow) signed a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league spring training on Tuesday with the Los Angeles Angels. Pomeranz hasn't pitched in a big-league game since 2021 due to arm injuries, and he was forced to shut down his minor-league rehab assignment late last year due to more elbow pain. The 34-year-old southpaw reliever will be hoping to win a roster spot out of spring training this year with the Angels if he can stay on the field. In 27 relief appearances for the San Diego Padres back in 2021, Pomeranz had a strong 1.75 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 10 walks and 30 strikeouts. He has 11 years of major-league experience but has only recorded nine saves and should be ignored in all fantasy leagues for now.