Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale has been assigned the Opening Day start for the Braves to kick off the 2025 season. Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, looks to continue his dominance in 2025 for the Braves and will start the season on the road versus the San Diego Padres on Thursday, March 27. The Padres have a solid lineup, including superstars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Regardless, Sale is one of the most dominant starters in the game, and fantasy managers should start him confidently next Thursday. During the 2024 season, Sale went 18-3 with an 11.4 K/9, 2.38 ERA, a 6.4 WAR, and a 2.09 FIP. Look for him to continue to rack up the wins and strikeouts behind one of the most potent lineups in baseball.

New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (knee) will start in the outfield in Monday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Nimmo, who has been dealing with a lingering knee issue, looks to get a few innings of work in today to make sure he's ready to go for Opening Day. This is an encouraging sign for Nimmo and his fantasy managers, as reports a few days ago suggested he might get some time as the designated hitter but was unsure if he would be ready for the outfield. Nimmo is coming off a below-average season for his standards, holding a .224/.327/.399 slash line. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his knee until Opening Day, but be optimistic about him playing outfield today.

The Minnesota Twins have optioned right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews to Triple-A St. Paul. Matthews was competing for a spot during spring training but fell short. He will begin his 2025 campaign with the St. Paul Saints. In spring training, the right-hander was one of the most dominant pitchers as he tossed nine 1/3 shutout innings. He allowed just four hits and held a near-perfect 1:12 BB:K ratio. The Western Carolina product made his MLB debut last season and struggled over his brief stint as he held a 6.69 ERA with a 1.65 WHIP across 37 2/3 innings. The right-hander held a strong 2.60 ERA with a stellar 0.87 WHIP across 97 innings split between High, Double, and Triple-A before reaching the majors. Fantasy managers should expect Matthews to be the first name called when the Twins need additional depth in their rotation.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa was sent to Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday. The young right-hander was competing for the final spot in the rotation but fell short. As a result, he will open the season at the top level of the minor leagues. Last summer, Festa made his MLB debut and logged 64 1/3 innings to the tune of a 4.90 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. He tallied 77 strikeouts and served up 23 free passes. He generated a modest 4.14 xERA and a .240 xBA. During spring training, he held a high 11.91 ERA with a 1.94 WHIP across 11 1/3 innings of work. Festa flashed impressive strikeout upside at Triple-A last season as he tallied 89 punchouts across 60 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress at Triple-A as he should contend for an early return. With Festa opening the season at Triple-A, Chris Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson will operate as the No. 4 and No. 5 starters.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' right-handed pitcher, Brandon Pfaadt, was sharp in his final spring training outing against the San Diego Padres. He threw five innings, allowed two hits, and struck out seven batters. Most of the Padres' top hitters played in yesterday's game, including Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado. Pfaadt's outing was an extremely encouraging sign as he enters the 2025 season looking to cement himself as a consistent pitcher in the MLB. During the 2024 season, Pfaadt had his ups and downs but finished with a 4.71 ERA and a 10.32 K/9. Pfaadt is currently slated to be in the Diamondbacks rotation as their No. four or five starter. Fantasy Managers looking for a young arm with some upside should target Pfaadt in their fantasy drafts. He has a strong strikeout percentage and doesn't walk many batters (87th percentile).