The Chicago Cubs officially placed right-hander Javier Assad (oblique) on the 15-day injured list on Monday before their season-opening, two-game series in Tokyo, Japan, against the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. In additional moves, the Cubs optioned right-hander Daniel Palencia to Triple-A Iowa and designated right-hander Keegan Thompson for assignment. Assad suffered a mild left-oblique strain early in spring training and didn't have enough time to get ready for the Tokyo Series, but he could be ready in early April if he can avoid any setbacks as he gets ramped back up. However, by that time, the Cubs could just use him as a long reliever out of the bullpen. The 27-year-old went 7-6 with a 3.73 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 124 strikeouts in 147 innings over 29 starts in 2024 in his first full year as a starter. Assad could take another step forward in 2025, but his lack of strikeout upside doesn't make him very attractive in mixed fantasy leagues.

Washington Nationals outfield prospect Daylen Lile was reassigned to minor league camp on Monday, along with infield prospects Cayden Wallace and Yohandy Morales. Lile is the highest-ranked prospect of the bunch, coming in as the Nats' No. 10 prospect, followed by Wallace at No. 11, and Morales at No. 13. None of them did much of note with the bat this spring, although none have gotten a taste of Triple-A pitching yet during their time in the minors. Each has an expected ETA of 2026 per MLB.com's Top 30 Prospects list for the Nationals, and we'll want to see them perform well this season at the highest level of the minors before we start considering them for fantasy.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw was officially added to the Cubs' 40-man roster and 26-man roster prior to the club's first game in Tokyo, Japan. This doesn't come as a shock, as the team announced last week that he would be making the Opening Day roster. Shaw is one of the game's top prospects, as he slashed .284/.379/.488 with 21 home runs and 31 steals in 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. He also showed off excellent plate discipline with an 11.9% walk rate and 18.2% strikeout rate. His profile looks very nice for fantasy, as he has 20/20 upside if everything breaks right for him in his rookie year.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Randall Grichuk (ankle) exited Monday's game with left-ankle soreness. Luckily, nothing is alarming and it's just something to monitor, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Grichuk is set to get part-time playing time in the outfield and as the designated hitter as part of a part-time platoon in 2025. He was productive in his role last season, slashing .291/.348/.528 with 12 home runs, 46 RBI, and 40 runs in 279 plate appearances. He did his job as a platoon man, as he delivered a .914 OPS against lefties and also put up a respectable .802 OPS against righties. He's likely to be left to that same limited role this season, barring injuries to his teammates.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki was officially added to the 40-man roster on Monday ahead of the team's Tokyo Series set to run March 18-19. This was expected all along, but the move was more of a formality. Baseball's No.1-ranked prospect tossed seven innings of scoreless ball in Cactus League action, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven batters. He's expected to start Game 2 in Japan against the Cubs, and we'll get our first chance to see him in a regular season game, but even if he pitches well, don't expect him to go deep into the contest. Looking ahead, the 23-year-old should be a solid source of wins, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts for fantasy this season, but some caution is warranted as he very well could face workload restrictions throughout the year.