New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) resumed throwing two days ago, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Manaea's follow-up MRI exam came back clean, so he's essentially re-starting his spring training program after being shut down with a strained right oblique earlier in camp. It means that the 33-year-old veteran southpaw is right on schedule. He still has a ways to go as he builds his arm up for a starter's workload, but barring a setback, he could be ready to rejoin the Mets' rotation at some point in April. Nobody really expected much from Manaea in Queens in 2024, but he pitched very well thanks to a lowered arm slot and threw more strikes, too, finishing 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 184:63 K:BB in 181 2/3 regular-season innings over 32 starts. It remains to be seen if he can repeat that success in 2025, but he's at least a little cheaper now that he'll begin the year on the injured list.

New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (knee) is serving as the designated hitter and is in the two-hole for Thursday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Boston Red Sox. Nimmo appears to be past his plantar-fasciitis issues from last year, but he was brought along slowly early in camp and then dealt with right-knee soreness. As a result, this is the 31-year-old veteran's second spring training game. Nimmo still has several weeks to get ready for Opening Day and has time to work his way back onto the field in the outfield. The former first-rounder has dealt with his fair share of injuries in recent seasons, but he's remarkably still managed to play in at least 151 games in each of the last three years. He also had career-highs in home runs (23), RBI (90) and steals (15) while scoring 88 runs in 2024. The injuries are a bit worrisome, but Nimmo is still a top-50 fantasy outfielder in this lineup.

Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (hamstring) will begin the season on the injured list, according to manager Alex Cora. "We're going to be tested right away," Cora said. Giolito was pulled from his Grapefruit League start on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies with what turned out to be a low-grade left-hamstring strain. It's not a serious injury, but it means the BoSox will now open the year without Giolito, Brayan Bello (shoulder) or Kutter Crawford (knee) in their rotation. With that trio of starting-pitcher injuries, both Quinn Priester and Richard Fitts appear likely to open the year in Boston's rotation. Giolito's fantasy value continues to drop after he missed all of the 2024 campaign due to a torn right UCL that required an internal-brace procedure. The good news is his new injury isn't arm-related, but he should still be avoided in 12-team mixed leagues.

Although an MRI exam on Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford's (elbow) sore left elbow came back clean, he is going to need to start the season on the injured list, according to manager Bruce Bochy. He will be shut down from throwing for up to 10 days to try and get the soreness out. General manager Chris Young said Bradford felt pain in his elbow during his Cactus League start last Thursday. The 27-year-old southpaw had a 1.40 ERA last year when he first landed on the IL on April 14 with nagging back and rib injuries and finished the year with a 3.54 ERA in 76 1/3 innings. It's unclear how much time Bradford might miss to open the 2025 regular season, but his injury now opens up a spot in Texas' Opening Day starting rotation for one of Jack Leiter or Kumar Rocker. Either pitcher would have some appeal for strikeout upside in mixed fantasy leagues if they win a rotation spot.

Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (illness) has been scratched from his scheduled Cactus League start on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants due to a stomach virus, according to manager Bruce Bochy. Hopefully, the 36-year-old veteran will be able to get back on the mound in a few days for what will only be his second spring training game after he threw 31 pitches in his debut last weekend. The two-time Cy Young winner still has the stuff to be a fantasy ace if he's healthy, but the caveat is that he's started only nine games in the last two seasons due to arm injuries and will be eased in early in 2025 to preserve his health throughout the season. Additionally, deGrom plans to back off a bit on his velocity in order to try and preserve his health. deGrom hasn't gone over 100 innings pitched in a season since 2019 with the New York Mets.