New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (back) will remain behind in Tampa for the start of the 2025 regular season and throw a simulated game on March 28, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The plan is for him to start the team's sixth game of the year on April 3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Per manager Aaron Boone, Schmidt should be built up to 75-80 pitches by then. The Yankees aren't going to rush the 29-year-old along, especially since he has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game in spring training. The former first-rounder in 2017 out of the University of South Carolina showed signs of breaking out for the Yanks last year but then missed three months due to a strained right lat. Schmidt excels at limiting hard contact and had a 2.52 ERA before getting hurt in 2024. He has the skills to be fantasy relevant in all mixed leagues, but take caution early in the year as he's eased in.

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) will return to New York City for a third round of platelet-rich plasma injections in both of his elbows on Monday, according to the team. Stanton just returned to camp with the team in Florida but will now head back to New York because he's still not ready to resume baseball activities. The 35-year-old right-handed slugger has already been ruled out for Opening Day later this month and has no timetable for when he'll even resume swinging a bat. He's been dealing with tennis elbow in both of his arms since last year, although he was able to battle through it and go on a tear at the plate last postseason, mainly in the American League Championship Series against Cleveland. Stanton provides fantasy managers plenty of power but little else, and the injury concerns are mounting. His ADP is dropping daily.

Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde announced on Friday that right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge (knee) will have arthroscopic left-knee surgery, which will cause him to open the 2025 season on the injured list. Kittredge is expected to miss multiple months. The 34-year-old veteran was pulled from his Grapefruit League outing last Saturday due to soreness in his left knee. With Kittredge out for the first couple months of the year, it will make right-hander Seranthony Dominguez a little more interesting in deeper fantasy leagues as a high-leverage reliever as the Orioles look to ease closer Felix Bautista (elbow) in after he missed all of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. Relievers Gregory Soto, Yennier Cano and Cionel Perez could all have bigger roles in the back end of Baltimore's bullpen as well.

With Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) up in the air to be ready for Opening Day in late March, manager Brandon Hyde said that second baseman Jackson Holliday will be getting some repetitions at shortstop in camp. Jordan Westburg could also get some looks at the 6 as the O's start to think about contingency plans in case Henderson opens the year on the injured list. The 21-year-old Holliday came up through the minors as a shortstop as Baltimore's top prospect before making his major-league debut at the keystone last year with Henderson entrenched at shortstop. Westburg also has experience at the position, although the Orioles are probably more inclined to keep him at the hot corner. If Henderson opens the year on the IL, the most likely scenario will be Holliday at short and veteran Ramon Urias being inserted into the lineup at second base.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (elbow, triceps) will begin the 2025 season on the injured list, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Rodriguez will get second opinions on his elbow/triceps soreness, but this is obviously a big hit to his fantasy value with spring training winding down. The 25-year-old doesn't have any structural damage in his right arm, but Hyde said it's an injury that could keep him sidelined for "some time" Expecting Rodriguez to miss the first month of the regular season isn't far-fetched at all. It's a tough break for a pitcher that was having a strong sophomore season in 2024 before a lat strain he suffered in August kept him out for the rest of the year. When fully healthy, Rodriguez has the stuff to be Baltimore's staff ace. With Rodriguez sidelined, Cade Povich and Albert Suarez will battle for an Opening Day starting rotation spot.