Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) looked good during his live batting practice session on Friday and could be getting close to appearing in a Grapefruit League game this spring. MLB.com's Mark Bowman writes that it looks like Strider could rejoin the team's starting rotation by the end of April, a little more than a year after he had the UCL in his right elbow fixed via an internal-brace procedure. Strider will throw at least on more batting practice session before possibly being cleared for a spring training game. The 26-year-old hasn't had any physical setbacks in his recovery from elbow surgery. It's a great sign for a pitcher that led the majors in strikeouts (483) from the start of the 2022 season through 2023. While fantasy managers should still temper expectations for Strider after made only two starts in 2024, his good progress certainly makes him more attractive as a low-end No.3 /high-end No. 4 fantasy starter.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar's (wrist) CT scan revealed that he's dealing with a bone in his left wrist, and the expectation is that he will be ready for Opening Day later this month, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. It's great news for the Braves and for any fantasy managers that may have selected Profar in drafts already after his career year with the San Diego Padres in 2024 in which he hit .280/.380/.459 with an .839 OPS, a career-high 24 home runs, 85 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 94 runs scored in 668 trips to the plate and 158 regular-season games. It landed him a three-year, $42 million deal in Atlanta, where he'll be their starting left fielder in 2025. Can Profar even come close to repeating that performance with the Braves? It's debatable, but his lack of speed and high-end power make him vulnerable, which is why he shouldn't be considered anything more than a No. 3 fantasy outfielder.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (illness) returned to camp on Sunday. The 25-year-old was dealing with an illness. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but he should have plenty of time to increase his workload by Opening Day. Last season, the 25-year-old only appeared in 63 contests as he missed most of the season due to a rib injury. During this stint, he held a disappointing .241/.337/.462 slash line with eight doubles and 13 long balls. He showed a strong eye at the plate as he drew walks at a 12.3 percent rate and generated an elite 13.3 percent barrel rate. During the 2023 campaign, Casas logged a career-high 132 contests and posted a .263/.347/.490 line with 21 doubles and 24 long balls. When healthy, he should be the everyday first baseman in Boston.

Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (back) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session in camp on Tuesday and then will hopefully be able to make his Cactus League debut next Friday, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Estevez has slowly been ramping up in spring training due to lower-back tightness, but if he doesn't suffer any setbacks from here on out, the 32-year-old veteran could be ready for Opening Day in late March. At the very least, Estevez should be competing for saves with the Royals in his first year in KC with right-hander Lucas Erceg. The Dominican pitcher was solid in 2024 with a 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 26 saves, 50 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 55 innings with the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies. Estevez is more of a No. 2 closer in fantasy because of the fact he's not a lock for full-time closing duties, but he does have 82 career saves in eight big-league seasons.

Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that "no innings limit is set on Sandy Alcantara." There have been various reports floating around this spring that Alcantara will be on an innings limit in 2025 after he missed all of last year due to Tommy John surgery. However, Alcantara said on Saturday night that he wasn't aware of any innings limits, and now the team's new skipper has confirmed that. While fantasy managers may still want to temper expectations for the 29-year-old after the long layoff, the news that he won't be held back at all will surely cause his ADP to rise before your league's draft day. That is especially true after the Dominican hurler has looked electric this spring, allowing no runs in his three starts (5 2/3 innings) while striking out five and walking two. The two-time All-Star has ace potential and won the National League Cy Young in 2022 with a 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 207 K's.