The Los Angeles Angels signed free-agent right-hander Zach Plesac to an undisclosed deal over the weekend. Plesac made his big-league debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2019 and had a career-best 2.28 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 57 strikeouts in eight starts in the shortened 2020 season. He wasn't as good in 2021 and 2022 before stumbling to a 7.59 ERA (4.47 FIP) and 1.97 WHIP with five walks and 14 strikeouts in five starts this past season. The 28-year-old wasn't much better in the minors, persuading the Guardians to move on from him. The Angels can use all the pitching help they can get, but it's unlikely that Plesac will be much more than a long-relief arm or spot starter if he makes the major-league roster out of spring training.

Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said last weekend that right-hander Bryce Elder will battle Reynaldo Lopez, A.J. Smith-Shawver and others for the fifth spot in the starting rotation in spring training. Lopez could be stretched out in camp to prepare for the possibility of being used as a starter at some point. Chris Sale's presence creates the opportunity for Lopez to be used as a reliever, a role in which he's thrived. Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton are the other members of Atlanta's current rotation heading into the 2024 campaign. The 24-year-old Elder will still be the favorite for the fifth rotation spot out of spring training, but if his second-half struggles from 2023 remain early on, he could be out of a starting job quickly. Overall in 31 starts last season, Elder went 12-4 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 128 strikeouts in 174 2/3 innings.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale's workload will closely be monitored in his first year with Atlanta after going just over 100 innings in 2023 with the Boston Red Sox due to a scapula injury, but the Braves plan on having Sale in their starting rotation to begin the year. They don't think they need to delay Sale's debut a month or two in order to maximize what he might be able to provide during the playoffs. The 34-year-old southpaw's dominance has ended in recent seasons due to injuries. He had Tommy John surgery in 2020 and battled a rib fracture and right-wrist fracture in 2022. Sale had a 4.30 ERA in 20 starts this past season but finished the year strong with eight earned runs allowed in five starts in September. As he's been the past few seasons, Sale will be a risk/reward fantasy starter in 2024 in his new digs.

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said the team views infielder Vaughn Grissom as an everyday second baseman after they acquired him from the Atlanta Braves in the trade that sent left-hander Chris Sale to Atlanta. It was a bit of a curious move for the pitching-needy Red Sox to part ways with a starting pitcher, but it makes more sense if they view the 22-year-old Grissom as the future at the keystone. He can also fill in at shortstop and third base if needed, but Grissom should enter spring training as Boston's regular second baseman. The expanded role on a new team will make Grissom more intriguing in fantasy leagues as a late-round flier in a great hitting environment. The right-handed hitter hit .287/.339/.407 with five home runs, 27 RBI and five stolen bases in 64 games in his two MLB seasons with the Braves but just never had enough of an opportunity to make him relevant in mixed fantasy leagues.

New York Mets rookie infielder Ronny Mauricio (knee) will have surgery to fix a torn ACL in his knee shortly after New Year's Day, according to a league source. The 22-year-old is in good spirits after injuring his right knee on Dec. 10 while playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. He was expected to be heavily in the mix for the job at third base after making his MLB debut in 2023. Now that Mauricio will miss a good chunk of the 2024 season, left-handed batters Brett Baty and Joey Wendle will be the primary options competing at the hot corner in spring training. The Mets could look for another right-handed-hitting option at the position that offers good defense at an affordable price. Giovanni Urshela has attracted interest from both the Mets and New York Yankees.