The Athletics optioned third baseman CJ Alexander to Triple-A Las Vegas. Alexander was competing for a depth role in the infield but will instead begin his 2025 campaign in the minor leagues. Last summer, Alexander made his MLB debut and tallied one hit across four games with the Kansas City Royals. Through 20 games in spring training, the 28-year-old has held an underwhelming .194/.326/.278 slash line with a 7:9 BB:K. However, Alexander performed well at the Triple-A level last season, which suggests he could be in contention to return to the big leagues early in the season. Across 94 games, Alexander posted an impressive .302/.361/.559 slash line with 27 doubles and 19 round-trippers. Fantasy managers in deeper AL-only formats should monitor his development as he could carry value if he can take the next step in the major leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Taj Bradley was inconsistent in his spring training start on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. He went 5 innings and allowed nine hits, three earned runs, two walks, and only four strikeouts. It's not necessarily the start fantasy managers were looking for, as Opening Day is less than a week away. Bradley enters the 2025 season as the No. 4/5 starter for the Rays, and although he has shown a lot of upside in his first couple of seasons in the MLB, he has shown just enough clunkers, similar to his start on Thursday. Hopefully, he can showcase more consistency in 2025 to live up to his potential and help the Rays compete for an AL East title.

Miami Marlins right-handed pitcher Janson Junk could earn a spot in the starting rotation, with Ryan Weathers (forearm) set to miss the start of the campaign. The 29-year-old has only logged 40 innings at the MLB level throughout his career. Across this stint, the right-hander has held a high 6.75 ERA with a 1.78 WHIP. He has tallied 34 punchouts and held an 8.3 percent walk rate. During spring training, Junk has logged 10 1/3 innings to the tune of a 5.23 ERA with a solid 1.06 WHIP. Junk has struck out 10 batters and served up four free passes. Across 276 1/3 career frames at the Triple-A level, the Seattle product has held a 4.23 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Junk to operate as the No. 5 option in the rotation and carry minimal fantasy value, given his weak control and low strikeout upside.

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga struck out six batters during his start on Thursday against the Washington Nationals. During his start, he threw 3 2/3 innings, did not allow a hit, walked two batters, and allowed up one unearned run. This was an encouraging outing for the 32-year-old starter, as, during the 2024 season, he was limited to just four appearances due to a shoulder and a calf injury and only had one appearance in the regular season. The Mets and fantasy managers hope he can stay healthy this year because he has showcased ace potential stuff when healthy. Entering the 2025 season, he is expected to open at the top of the Mets rotation.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports that Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (oblique) is on track to be ready for Opening Day. Walker has been sidelined since early March with left oblique soreness and has been relegated to hitting in the cages. However, he's set to get at-bats in minor-league games this weekend and will hang back to get some more while the team returns to Houston. It's good news for the veteran, as Houston will look for him to supplement some of the production lost by the departures of third baseman Alex Bregman (Red Sox) and outfielder Kyle Tucker (Cubs). The power-hitting righty saw his home run total drop a bit in 2024, though he played in 130 games instead of the 157+ he appeared in over the prior two seasons. He's often off the boards inside the top 75 in fantasy drafts.