The Los Angeles Dodgers officially announced on Tuesday that right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the first game of the 2025 regular season on March 18 against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan. It was always expected that Yamamoto would start the first game in his native Japan, and now it's official. The 26-year-old second-year hurler allowed just a run on four hits while walking one and striking out seven in five innings in his final Cactus League start on Monday. In his three spring starts, he went eight innings and gave up five earned runs while walking two and striking out seven. For DFS purposes, the Cubs aren't the best season-opening matchup, but most fantasy managers that take Yamamoto as a low-end fantasy ace/high-end No. 2 will be throwing him out there to kick things off given his strikeout upside.

The Colorado Rockies optioned outfield prospect Yanquiel Fernandez to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday. The 22-year-old went 7-for-26 (.269) in Cactus League action with one home run and a 2:8 BB:K. Rockies fans will have to wait a bit longer to see how the left-handed hitter's power will play at Coors Field, which, according to MLB.com's Top Prospects list, should be sometime in 2025. The Cuban hit well at Double-A in 2024, slashing .283/.339/.439 with 10 home runs in 89 games, but stumbled when he got his first dose of Triple-A pitching, slashing .211/.268/.313 with two home runs in 33 games. If the Rockies' sixth-ranked prospect can get off to a good start at Triple-A, he could be one of the earlier call-ups this season, and redraft managers should be alert for any news on that front, as his power stroke would get an instant boost in the thin air of Colorado.

The New York Yankees optioned outfield prospect Everson Pereira to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday despite having a strong showing this spring. Through eight Grapefruit League games, the Yankees' 14th-overall prospect was 6-for-17 (.353) with a pair of home runs, but there is no spot for him in the outfield at the moment, although he had been working as New York's designated hitter as he works his way back from UCL surgery that he underwent last year. As a result, the 23-year-old will fully recover and get regular at-bats with the Triple-A affiliate. There is a high probability we'll see him in the majors this season, but he struggled in his 2023 debut, slashing just .151/.233/.194 with no home runs in 103 plate appearances. After hitting 20 home runs in 2021 as a 20-year-old in only 49 games and another 18 in just 81 games in 2023, the right-handed hitter clearly has some pop, but the 23-year-old still strikes out too much, logging a 32.4 percent K% last season at Triple-A and 33.3 percent this spring. Power-needy managers might give him a shot when he gets the call again, though, and next time, hopefully he'll stick.

The New York Yankees reassigned outfield prospect Spencer Jones to minor-league camp on Tuesday. Jones' first spring training with the Yankees ended with mixed results. On a positive note, the 6-foot-6 slugger finished 6-for-20 (.300) with two home runs, six RBI, and a stolen base over nine games, but on the downside, the left-handed hitter struck out in almost half of his plate appearances (45.5 percent). If it wasn't already a problem, then there wouldn't be much concern, but the former first-rounder struck out 36.8 percent of the time at Double-A last season. If he can continue to hit home runs and drive runs in, then it may not matter, but this season should be a good litmus test to see whether he's ready for the big time or not. Dynasty managers can't ignore the power, but if he struggles when he sees Triple-A pitching for the first time, then there may not be a reason to believe he'll be in the majors at any point in 2025.

The Athletic's Dan Hayes writes that if all of the Minnesota Twins options at second base -- a group that includes Willi Castro, Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee and Mickey Gasper -- are healthy going into the 2025 regular season, the team would likely give the bulk of their plate appearances at the keystone to Castro, the club's reigning MVP. However, due to a potential injury to another position player, Castro could be needed elsewhere, and the Twins are leaving their options open. The 27-year-old has been a super-utility man in Minnesota, playing every position except for catcher and first base while hitting .251/.334/.395 with 47 steals since 2023. Gasper, Lee and Julien have all impressed this spring, but Castro is the biggest lock for consistent playing time over the course of the entire season. Castro offers modest power and speed but is most useful in fantasy for his eligibility at second, third, shortstop and outfield.