The Atlanta Braves have signed outfielder Alex Verdugo to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. Verdugo has been linked to several suitors throughout camp. Fantasy managers should expect Verdugo to have a depth role in the Atlanta outfield. Last season, the 28-year-old posted a .233/.291/.356 slash line across 149 contests with the New York Yankees. He showed a strong eye at the plate, holding a 15.0 percent strikeout rate, but struggled to generate offense with his bat as he posted a modest .302 xwOBA. In addition, Verdugo was an elite defender, as he placed in the 94th percentile in arm strength and 96th percentile in arm value. Fantasy managers should expect Verdugo to compete for starting opportunities in right field while Ronald Acuna Jr.'s (knee) remains sidelined. He will likely operate on the strong side of a platoon in right field alongside Bryan De La Cruz. Verdugo will likely limit the opportunities for Jarred Kelenic, who is also a left-handed bat who posted a low .231 AVG last season.

New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) threw around 30 pitches during a live batting practice session in camp on Thursday against the likes of Austin Wells, Dominic Smith, Pablo Reyes and Paul Goldschmidt, according to NJ Advance Media's Max Goodman. It's a positive step for Schmidt, but manager Aaron Boone already admitted that he won't be built up to 75-80 pitches for the start of the regular season next week. Especially after Schmidt missed three months in 2024 due to injury, the Yankees will likely play it safe and put him on the injured list to open the season. It means that the 29-year-old most likely won't make his first scheduled start of the year on April 3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, Schmidt should be ready to make his 2025 debut in April, and he'll have a rotation spot waiting for him after a promising 2024 campaign, outside of his injuries.

MLB.com's Anne Rogers writes that it appears to be shaping up as though Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic will earn the final rotation spot out of spring training behind Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen. It means that Daniel Lynch could open the 2025 season out of the bullpen or as a starter at Triple-A Omaha. But the fact that Lynch has come out of the bullpen in Cactus League games this week gives insight to where the Royals might be leaning. Bubic has had a strong spring and most recently struck out five in 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. He emerged as a high-leverage reliever late last year after having Tommy John surgery in 2023. His workload will surely be managed, but if he can transfer any of his strikeout stuff from last year to the rotation, he'll be useful in deep-mixed and AL-only affairs.

The Cincinnati Reds have told left-hander Andrew Abbott (shoulder) that he will begin the regular season on the injured list. As a result, right-hander Carson Spiers will serve as the team's fifth starter early on. Abbott's 2024 season came to an early end due to a left-shoulder injury, and he was still dealing with shoulder issues early in spring training, which put him behind the eight ball. The 25-year-old southpaw made his Cactus League debut earlier this week, but he simply ran out of time to get stretched out before Opening Day. If Abbott eventually can put his shoulder issues in the past for good, he should eventually return to their starting rotation in 2025. In the meantime, Spiers will be an option for NL-only fantasy managers after he posted a 5.46 ERA and 1.53 WHIP with 80 K's and 27 walks in 90 2/3 innings over 22 outings (10 starts) for Cincy in 2024.

Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro reports that there has been recent interest from a few teams in trading for Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Jordan Montgomery. There could be even more interest from teams after Montgomery threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his Cactus League outing on Wednesday versus the division-rival Colorado Rockies. The New York Yankees come to mind as a team that might have serious interest in a reunion with Montgomery after injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow), Luis Gil (lat) and Clarke Schmidt (shoulder). The 32-year-old southpaw is looking to bounce back after a rough first year in Arizona in 2024 in which he went 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 83 strikeouts and 44 walks in 117 innings over 25 outings (21 starts). If he earns one of the final rotation spots for the D-backs to start the season, his workload could be limited after missing the early portion of spring training with a finger strain.