Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa is expected to be the primary option at the position come Opening Day. Oneil Cruz has been moved to center field, so the position is now Kiner-Falefa's, and the Bucs also have Jared Triolo on hand, who can play there if needed. Kiner-Falefa is probably a better real-life ball player than a fantasy asset, though, carrying a career .262/.313/.351 slash line with no more than eight home runs in any one particular season and stolen base totals dropping from a high of 22 SB in 2022 to 11 in 2024. The 29-year-old is also projected to hit at the bottom of the Pirates' batting order, which doesn't add any appeal, however, there is some intrigue regarding his positional eligibility as the right-handed hitter is eligible on Yahoo at 2B, 3B, and SS.

New New York Mets relief pitcher Dedniel Nunez (forearm) faced live hitters in camp on Monday for the first time this spring. The 28-year-old missed most of the second half of last season with a strained right flexor tendon but had been superb before the injury. Combined with already having had Tommy John surgery in his career, the Mets are taking it slow with Nunez, but they still feel there's a chance he's ready for Opening Day. Last season, the righty posted a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and an elite 29.6 percent K-BB% in 35 innings of work. Fantasy managers in need of strikeouts and an ERA-lowering arm could give the Dominican some consideration when he's confirmed to be ready, but with Edwin Diaz locked in for now as the Mets' closer, there isn't much fantasy value here in most leagues.

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Mitch Garver blasted a two-run home run in Monday's 7-5 Cactus League loss to the Brewers, then exited the contest after being hit by a pitch in the wrist area in his next at-bat. The Mariners are still awaiting the results of X-rays but are obviously hoping for the best outcome as Garver had been having a productive spring and was expected to backup Cal Raleigh at catcher when he wasn't in the lineup as the team's designated hitter. The 34-year-old was hitting .444 (8-for-19) with three home runs, six RBI, and six runs scored in eight games so far this spring. The veteran still has some pop in his bat, as evidenced by the 15 home runs he hit in 114 games last season, but he also saw the strikeout rate soar to a career-worst of 30.9 percent (excluding 2020), 7.1 percent higher than the previous season. The former Silver Slugger award winner may be worthy of a roster spot in AL-only leagues given his power potential and eligibility at catcher, so interested managers will want to see what comes of the X-rays.

Athletics outfielder Esteury Ruiz is viewed as the "odd man out" in the outfield and not expected to make the Opening Day roster. Martin Gallegos of MLB.com noted that Miguel Andujar and Seth Brown are projected to have more significant roles as depth options. Last season, Ruiz appeared in just 29 MLB contests. During this stint, he posted a .200/.270/.382 slash line with two home runs and five stolen bases. While he generated a weak .189 xBA, he showcased elite speed as he placed in the 95th percentile in sprint speed. In 2023, Ruiz swiped an incredible 67 bags (most in the American League) and held a .254/.309/.345 slash line across 132 games. As a result, fantasy managers should expect the 26-year-old to open the campaign at the Triple-A level. He may have value in deeper category formats if he were to return to the majors later in the summer.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (side) is dealing with "left side tightness." He has not been in a spring contest since March 5. However, Hayes was seen taking ground balls on Monday and is expected to step in the batter's cage on Tuesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as a setback could put him in danger of missing Opening Day. Last season, the 28-year-old had his campaign cut short due to a back injury. Across 96 games, Hayes held a .233/.283/.290 slash line with nine doubles and four home runs. He generated a weak .279 xwOBA and a .327 xSLG which were both well below the average marks. However, he is an elite defender as he placed in the 90th percentile in Outs Above Average. If he were to miss time, Jared Triolo would likely see an uptick in playing time.