Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (knee) will open the season on the injured list. The 28-year-old is dealing with patellar tendon soreness. This injury popped up sometime during the offseason and will now keep him sidelined for the start of the regular season. The Red Sox could also be without starting pitcher Brayan Bello (shoulder), who is still behind schedule. As a result, this will open up a spot in the rotation for Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester or Cooper Criswell. Last season, Crawford logged 183 2/3 innings (33 starts) with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He tallied 175 punchouts and held a solid 6.7 percent walk rate. He generated a 3.86 xERA and a .224 xBA, which suggests that he should see some positive regression when he returns to the bump. When cleared for action, Crawford will carry value as a depth starting pitcher in standard leagues.

Kansas City Royals right-handed pitcher Alec Marsh (shoulder) recently completed a successful bullpen session. Marsh has been dealing with tightness in his shoulder during the early part of camp. The 26-year-old has been able to throw several bullpens but has yet to make his spring training debut. Last season, Marsh was deployed primarily out of the rotation and held a 4.53 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP across 129 innings of work. He tallied 123 punchouts with a modest 7.1 percent walk rate. However, he generated a high 4,97 xERA with a .264 xBA, which placed him in the 10th and 15th percentiles among qualified pitchers. Marsh also generated groundballs at a low 38.8 percent rate. When Marsh is eventually cleared to return to games, he should compete alongside Kris Bubic for the final spot in the rotation. However, given his missed time, Bubic has been viewed as a leading candidate.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has gone deep twice over his first six spring training contests. Trout has gone 4-for-11 with a double, two long balls, and a 5:5 BB:K ratio. The 33-year-old suffered a season-ending knee injury last summer but appears to be at full strength. Last season, Trout appeared in just 29 contests and held a .220/.325/.541 slash line with 10 home runs and six stolen bases. He generated an elite .405 xwOBA, 17.1 percent barrel rate, and a 12.7 percent walk rate. In 2023, Trout appeared in 82 games and posted a strong .263/.367/.490 slash line with 18 home runs and two stolen bases. Even though Trout has battled numerous injuries throughout his career, when on the field, he is one of the most productive outfielders in the sport. If he remains healthy in spring training, Trout could be an excellent value pick in all formats.

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement (face) will cover third base and bat in the seven-hole against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday afternoon. Clement has been sidelined since Monday after being hit by a pitch. Clement avoided any significant injuries and only sustained a lip laceration and contusion. Seeing that he is back in the lineup suggests this injury was minor and he will not face any limitations by Opening Day. Last season, the 28-year-old logged a career-high 139 contests with the Blue Jays. He held a .263/.284/.408 slash line with 12 home runs and 12 stolen bases. He showed an elite eye at the plate as he only struck out at a 9.1 percent rate. However, he only generated hard contact at a 24.9 percent rate. Fantasy managers should expect Clement to continue to compete for the starting job at the hot corner alongside Addison Barger. If he does win the job, he will carry value in deeper points leagues given his excellent strikeout rate.

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Michael King tossed two shutout frames during his spring debut on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. However, King struggled with his command as he served up two walks over this start. He did tally three strikeouts. Even though King enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024, King sometimes struggled with his command. Last season, he held a high 8.7 percent walk rate which placed him in the 39th percentile. However, he generated hard-contact at an elite 30.3 percent rate and tallied strikeouts at a 27.7 percent rate which helped offset his high walk rate. Through a career-high 173 2/3 innings, the 29-year-old posted a 2.95 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. He was dominant in the second half of the season as he held a 2.15 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP in 62 innings. He is expected to open the season as the No. 2 starter in the rotation behind Dylan Cease.