New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga will make his spring debut on Monday evening against the Miami Marlins. The right-hander is expected to only throw one inning. The 32-year-old was limited to just four appearances during the entire 2024 campaign due to a shoulder and a calf injury. During the postseason, Senga logged five innings and allowed seven earned runs. In the regular season he made just one start where he tallied nine strikeouts with two earned runs across five 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but seeing him make his spring debut suggests he should see his normal workload by Opening Day. During the 2023 season, Senga held a strong 2.98 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings. He is expected to be open the season at the top of the Mets starting rotation.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) will cover first base and bat third during their contest against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. This is Freeman's first game playing the field during spring training. During his first taste of spring training, the reigning World Series MVP has exclusively been deployed as a designated hitter. Freeman underwent offseason ankle surgery to remove loose bodies from his ankle. However, seeing him make his defensive debut early in camp suggests he should not face many limitations during the regular season. The 35-year-old is expected to typically bat in the three-hole behind Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, which will provide him an elite total of counting stats. Last season, Freeman held a strong .278/.378/.476 slash line with 22 home runs. He should be viewed as a top first baseman in all formats while batting in the heart of one of the top lineups in the sport.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (elbow) is expected to make his spring debut on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Giolito is working his way back from an internal brace procedure he underwent which kept him sidelined for the entire 2024 campaign. Giolito has been throwing simulated games during camp and will now look to see his first game action since the 2023 season. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as he should be in a good position to claim a spot in the Opening Day rotation if he performs well during the remainder of camp. In 2023, Giolito spent time with three clubs and held a cumulative 184 1/3 innings with a high 4.88 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He tallied 204 strikeouts but generated a high 4.61 xERA. If he performs well in spring training, he could be an intriguing late-round pick in deeper formats.UPDATE: Giolito will throw one more up-and-down session on Thursday before making his Grapefruit League debut on March 11 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad (oblique) will not be ready by Opening Day. Assad was diagnosed with a mild oblique strain in February. He has begun playing catch and is targeting a return to the mound sometime next week. However, it appears the 27-year-old will be unable to ramp up for Opening Day. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Colin Rea to be one of the favorites to earn a spot in the rotation. Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown could also see starting opportunities if they perform well during spring training. Last season Assad logged 147 innings across 29 starts and held a 3.73 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. He tallied just 124 punchouts and generated a high 4.97 xERA. Earlier in the offseason, the Cubs signed Rea to a one-year deal and should be viewed as the top candidate to replace Assad as he started 27 games last summer for Milwaukee. Rea could be a viable target in NL-only formats if he is given starts at the beginning of the season.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitchers Albert Suarez and Cade Povich are viewed as the team's No. 6 and No. 7 starters. While this may keep them out of a job in the starting rotation to open the season, they could still compete for a long relief role during camp. Saurez is out of minor-league options and would likely remain on the Opening Day roster. However, given that Povich is only 24 years old, the team will likely opt to have him begin the season at Triple-A to continue his development. Last season, Suarez made 24 starts (32 games) and held a 3.70 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP. He tallied 108 punchouts. Povich struggled over his first 79 2/3 MLB innings, holding a high 5.20 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP. However, he has begun to flash high upside in spring training, which suggests he will likely be one of the first names called when the major league team needs more pitching depth. As a result, both pitchers should only be targeted in deeper AL-only formats for the time being.