The Cincinnati Reds optioned infielder Noelvi Marte to Triple-A Louisville on Monday, according to the team. In addition to Marte, the Reds optioned infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan, outfielder Rece Hinds and right-handers Connor Phillips and Yosver Zulueta to Louisville and reassigned infielder Sal Stewart to minor-league camp. Marte, 23, is the biggest name of the bunch, although he should be up with the Reds sooner than later in 2025. The 23-year-old Dominican infielder served an 80-game suspension last year for performance-enhancing drugs and then hit a disappointing .210/.248/.301 with four home runs, 18 RBI, nine steals and 24 runs scored in 66 games upon his return. In 11 spring training games, he went 3-for-20 with no homers, three RBI and eight strikeouts. The former top prospect still has an intriguing power/speed profile, but for now he'll head to the minors to hopefully regain some confidence at the plate.

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to an undisclosed major-league deal with free-agent right-handed reliever Dillon Tate on Monday, sources tell Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. The deal is pending a physical. Tate returns to the Jays after they claimed him off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles last September and called him up to the big leagues later that month. The 30-year-old former fourth overall pick by the Texas Rangers in 2015 out of the University of California -- Santa Barbara made four relief appearances for the Blue Jays and allowed two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings before being non-tendered last November. Tate will most likely open the year at Triple-A Buffalo as relief depth for Toronto. He has not lived up to his draft stock whatsoever and has posted a 4.09 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, nine saves, 170 strikeouts and 65 walks in 215 2/3 relief innings in his five big-league seasons.

Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Erik Swanson (elbow, forearm), who has been dealing with elbow and forearm discomfort in camp, has an in-person meeting with Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Thursday. Manager John Schneider said Swanson is going to see Meister due to the issues "being a little bit of a recurring theme. Wanting to nail down exactly what's going on and get that opinion on it." The team will have more information on Swanson later this week, but as things currently stand, it would be a surprise if the 31-year-old veteran was ready or Opening Day in a few weeks. Swanson was sent to the minors at one point last season and finished with an ugly 5.03 ERA (6.06 FIP), 1.27 WHIP, 37 strikeouts and 14 walks in 39 1/3 relief innings for Toronto in his second season with the team. He should be able to rebound in 2025, but he's going to need to get healthy first.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider played catch with outfielder Daulton Varsho (shoulder) in camp on Sunday at 90 to 100 feet and called it "probably the best he's felt." "The next step is feeling that way when he's back to 120, 150, 175. We'll see when he gets there," Schneider said. Opening Day is a possibility for Varsho, but he's day-to-day for now. The 28-year-old is working his way back from right-shoulder surgery and the Blue Jays aren't going to push him just so that he can be out there on Opening Day, so fantasy managers shouldn't be all that surprised if he opens the year on the injured list. In addition to his shoulder injury, there are other reasons to be skeptical of him in fantasy after he was a below-average hitter in 2024. His shoulder injury could have been to blame, but Varsho just didn't hit the ball hard enough or consistently enough. RotoBaller has Varsho ranked as the No. 90 fantasy outfielder.

New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (back) is set to make his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees have been slow-playing Schmidt in spring training due to a minor back injury, but as long as he avoids any setbacks once he gets into game action, he'll have a shot to be part of New York's Opening Day starting rotation. The Yankees need the 29-year-old even more now, too, with the possibility that ace Gerrit Cole (elbow) needs season-ending Tommy John surgery. If he's good to go by the start of the regular season, Schmidt's first start of the year could be on April 3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. If not for a right-lat strain that caused him to miss three months in 2024, Schmidt could have easily had a breakout campaign in the Bronx. He mixes his pitches well and induces a lot of weak contact. Schmidt is a nice deep-league target for rotation depth.