New York Yankees right-hander Luis Gil (lat) has been diagnosed with a high-grade right-lat strain and will not throw for at least six weeks, according to manager Aaron Boone. It's bad news for Gil and the depth of New York's starting rotation to begin the 2025 season. The 26-year-old will most likely miss the first couple months of the season because of this injury, which puts a big dent in his fantasy value for those with upcoming drafts. It's unclear exactly who will take Gil's spot in the starting rotation to open the year, but veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman makes the most sense. Gil won the American League Rookie of the Year in 2024 after going 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 171 strikeouts and a league-leading 77 walks in 151 2/3 innings over 29 starts after making only seven MLB starts in 2021 and 2022 combined. It was his first year back from Tommy John surgery, making his lat injury even more frustrating.

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed right-hander Justin Lawrence off waivers on Monday from the Colorado Rockies. The 30-year-old reliever finds a new home in the National League after being waived by the Rockies on Saturday. Colorado let him go after a tough 2024 campaign that saw him post a 6.49 ERA (5.63 FIP), a 1.78 WHIP, two saves, 45 strikeouts and 33 walks in 59 2/3 relief innings. The year before, he had a career-low 3.72 ERA and a career-high 11 saves in 75 innings pitched. Most of Lawrence's struggles came from a dip in velocity on both his fastball and sinker, which led to a career-low 16.1 percent strikeout rate. Lawrence will bring experience to an inexperienced Pirates bullpen, but he won't be a lock to make the Opening Day bullpen. And if Lawrence makes the team, he'll be a late-inning setup man in front of closer David Bednar, at best.

Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring a week or so into camp when he slipped during fielding practice, which caused the Reds to "slow-play" him. However, Diaz says that he feels "great" now and expects to make his Cactus League debut this weekend. There's still plenty of time for the 28-year-old right-handed reliever to get ready for the start of the 2025 regular season at the end of March, barring a setback with his hamstring injury. The Puerto Rican hurler was a first-time All-Star in 2023 in just his second year in the big leagues after recording 37 saves for the Reds, but he wasn't quite as sharp in 2024, going 2-5 with a 3.99 ERA (4.57 FIP), a 1.29 WHIP, 28 saves, 55 strikeouts and 31 walks in 56 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. A dip in velocity with a bloated 12.8% walk rate and low 22.7% strikeout rate were the culprits. Diaz is still Cincy's closer, but his leash could be shorter under new manager Terry Francona if he struggles.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt (shoulder) returned to action on Saturday as a designated hitter. Rortvedt was dealing with a sore shoulder last week but was able to see time in a DH role. In this contest, Rortvedt went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during camp as he may need additional time to be cleared to return as a defender. Currently, Rortvedt is expected to be Tampa Bay's No. 2 backstop behind Danny Jansen. Last season, Rortvedt appeared in 112 games for the Rays and posted a .228/.317/.303 slash line with 13 doubles and three home runs. He drew walks at a strong 10.4 percent rate but held a high 26.8 percent strikeout rate. If Rortvedt were to continue to be limited by this shoulder injury, Jansen could see an even larger share of the starts behind the plate at the start of the campaign.

Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Adam Macko (knee) was optioned to Triple-A on Monday. The 24-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery in February to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. As a result, the southpaw is unlikely to be cleared for action early in the season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, but he currently does not have a definite timetable. Last season, the 24-year-old spent most of the campaign with Double-A New Hampshire and held a 4.87 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP. Across 81 1/2 innings, he tallied 90 punchouts and served up 30 free passes. He received a brief look at Triple-A and logged only three innings of work. When the former seventh-round selection is cleared to return, he will likely open the season with Double-A.