Athletics right-handed pitcher Michel Otanez (shoulder) will go through a 10-day shutdown period and is expected to open the season on the injured list. Otanez has been dealing with a right shoulder impingement and will miss at least the first few weeks of the regular season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 27-year-old as the team has not provided a definite timetable. Last summer, Otanez made his MLB debut and logged 34 innings with the Athletics. Across this stint, Otanez held a 3.44 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP. He tallied punchouts at an elite 36.4 percent rate and generated an elite 2.49 xERA with a .150 xBA. In addition, Otanez generated an elite 4.1 percent barrel rate and 32.9 percent hard-hit rate, which suggests he should see significant positive regression during the 2025 campaign. When Otanez is cleared to return to the bump, fantasy managers should expect him to compete for a high-leverage role in the bullpen. He could be a viable target in deeper leagues that reward holds, as Mason Miller will likely see the vast majority of save opportunities.

The Cincinnati Reds have signed catcher Jose Trevino to an extension. His contract is now worth up to $15 million and will be three years in length. During the offseason, the Reds acquired Trevino from the New York Yankees in exchange for relief pitcher Fernando Cruz and Alex Jackson. Last season in New York, Trevino posted a .215/.288/.354 slash line with eight home runs and one stolen base across 74 contests. He generated a modest .267 xwOBA but was an excellent defender, placing him in the 95th percentile in framing and 88th percentile in Blocks Above Average. Fantasy managers should expect Trevino to typically operate as the No. 2 option behind in the plate. However, the top option, Tyler Stephenson (oblique), will open the season on the 10-day injured list, which will provide Trevino more opportunities early in the campaign.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Ryan Weathers (forearm) will open the season on the injured list with a left forearm strain. Weathers has been one of the most dominant pitchers during spring training. He has logged 11 1/3 innings of work with a stellar 0.79 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. During this stint, he has tallied 11 punchouts with eight walks and just three hits. Last summer, Weather logged 86 2/3 innings in the majors and held a 3.63 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. He tallied strikeouts at a modest 21.8 percent rate and showed strong control as he allowed walks at a 6.5 percent rate. With Weathers set to begin the season sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Connor Gillispie to have a clear path to a starting role. Gillispie has also enjoyed a strong spring as well, holding a 0.75 ERA and a near-perfect 0.42 WHIP across 12 frames. Gillispie is worth targeting in deeper formats as an early-season streaming option.

Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Graham Ashcraft will open the 2025 campaign in the bullpen. Ashcraft was being stretched out as a starter during camp but fell short of making the opening-day rotation. Last season, Ashcraft made all of his appearances in the rotation and logged 77 1/3 innings with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He tallied just 57 punchouts and held a modest 7.7 percent walk rate. In addition, Ashcraft generated a high 5.18 xERA with a .278 xBA, which placed him in the seventh and sixth percentile, respectively. However, he did generate an elite 49.2 percent ground-ball rate, which was well above the average mark. Fantasy managers should expect the 27-year-old to likely operate as a long-relief option, limiting his fantasy upside.

Baltimore Orioles infielder Ramon Urias (hamstring) will return to the starting lineup on Thursday against the New York Yankees. Urias is slated to bat eighth and cover the hot corner. Urias has been sidelined over the past week due to this injury. However, seeing him return to the starting nine quite quickly suggests the injury is not overly serious. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback. Last season, Urias appeared in 100 contests in Baltimore. Across this stint, he held a .254/.322/.423 slash line with nine doubles and 11 home runs. He swiped one bag and held a strong 18.3 percent strikeout rate. During the regular season, Urias will likely see time as a depth option in the infield. He could have an increased role early in the campaign if Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) is unable to play at the start of the season.