San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (hip) is hoping to start a flat-ground throwing program in the next few days. It's unclear when Cobb will be ready to pitch in games leading up to the 2024 season after he had surgery in late October to fix a torn labrum and remove three bone chips from his left hip. The 36-year-old said he expects to be pitching for the Giants in the first half of the season, but when exactly that will be is unclear. We should have a better idea on his timetable once the club begins preparations at spring training. Despite being long in the tooth, Cobb was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and went 7-7 with a 3.87 ERA (4.01 FIP) and 1.32 WHIP with 37 walks and 131 strikeouts in 28 starts (151 1/3 innings). Given the injury, Cobb's age and his declining strikeout rate, he's not going to be a terribly attractive fantasy starter in 2024.

The San Francisco Giants are committed to using right-hander Jordan Hicks as a "conventional starter" in 2024, and he'll start the year stretched out to five innings and/or 75 pitches. Hicks is excited for the opportunity to be a starter that he hasn't yet received in the big leagues. The 27-year-old hard-throwing right-hander has never thrown more than 77 2/3 innings in the big leagues in a single season, and durability hasn't exactly been his strong suit, so it's a bit of a risk turning him into a starter. He'll also be on an innings limit in his first year in San Francisco, which will surely limit his fantasy ceiling. But Hicks throws as hard as anyone in the majors and had career-highs in strikeouts (81) and strikeout rate (28.4%) in 65 2/3 relief innings for the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays in 2023. Pitching half his games in San Fran will also make him appealing when he's on the mound.

Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said that the team isn't trying to trade utility player Christopher Morel this offseason. And as far as where Morel will play in 2024, they view him as a game-changing hitter whom the Cubs want to keep in their lineup, whether he's playing one spot or moving around. Morel has appeared at each outfield spot, shortstop, second base and third base in his career, but he made 61 appearances in 107 games as the designated hitter in 2023 while hitting 26 home runs, which was tied with Cody Bellinger for the team lead. Morel didn't make his season debut until May 9 and was tied for 19th in MLB with a .508 slugging percentage. Not only can Morel hit and hit for power, but he could give fantasy managers some nice positional flexibility in 2024. Third base and first base, in addition to DH, might be the most realistic for Chicago.

The Milwaukee Brewers have considered a reunion with first baseman Carlos Santana but have also considered free-agent first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper, according to sources. The 33-year-old right-handed-hitting veteran was originally drafted by Milwaukee in the sixth round in 2013 and is coming off a season with the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres in which he hit .251/.304/.419 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI. A rival scout predicted that Cooper could hit 20 to 25 home runs in a hitter-friendly ballpark like in Milwaukee. If Cooper joins the Brew Crew, he'd become an interesting late-round flier for some pop in deep mixed leagues. He was a first-time All-Star for the Fish in 2022, when he hit .261/.337/.415 with nine home runs and 50 RBI in 119 games.

New York Yankees outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez (elbow) is doing well and his estimated return timetable is "sometime in the summer," according to general manager Brian Cashman. "We're going to need him whenever he's ready." The 20-year-old Dominican made his major-league debut in 2023 and played in only eight games before needing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He looked good in a small sample size, hitting four home runs, but he may not be guaranteed the starting center field job in the Bronx now that the team has added Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo this offseason. Dominguez is probably still worth stashing in most fantasy leagues this year, even if he doesn't play in the first half of the year and is eased in once he's ready. MLB.com the player they call the Martian listed as New York's No. 2 prospect, behind only outfielder Spencer Jones.