Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (hand) is starting at first base and batting cleanup on Opening Day. Casas suffered a minor hand injury after fielding a ground ball earlier this week. The X-rays came back negative and did not inhibit him from playing on Opening Day. This is an excellent sign for the 25-year-old as he battled injuries last season, which limited him to just 63 contests. Across this limited stint, Casas posted an underwhelming .241/.337/.462 slash line with eight doubles and 13 long balls. He generated a strong 13.3 percent barrel rate and drew walks at a 12.3 percent rate. In 2023, Casas enjoyed a breakout campaign as he posted a .263/.367/.490 slash line with 24 round-trippers. Fantasy managers should view Casas as a solid No. 1 first baseman in all formats. He is also strong play in DFS this afternoon, facing Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) is targeting a return "in the middle of the month." The Yankees placed Schmidt on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday due to rotator cuff tendinitis. However, it appears Schmidt will not be sidelined for long. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he may only miss a few turns in the rotation. While he is sidelined, Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco will see starting opportunities. Schmidt is eligible to come off the injured list on April 8. Last season, the South Carolina product posted a 2.85 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. He tallied 93 punchouts across 85 1/3 innings while holding a modest 8.5 percent walk rate. He also generated an impressive 5.9 percent barrel rate and a .225 xBA. He is worth holding in an IL spot on your roster as he carries decent strikeout upside when he returns to action.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (side) is set to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Friday. Henderson was placed on the 10-day injured list on Thursday, but it appears the star infielder will not miss much time in the regular season. Henderson has been sidelined throughout March due to an intercostal strain. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during his rehab assignment, as he would be eligible to return to action on April 4. While he remains sidelined, Jackson Holliday will likely see most of the opportunities at shortstop, which will shift Jordan Westburg to the keystone and Ramon Urias to the hot corner. Last season, Henderson enjoyed the best season of his young career as he posted a .281/.364/.529 slash line with a stellar .374 xwOBA. When he is cleared to return, he should be viewed as a must-start option in all formats.

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday will get the starting nod at shortstop and bat ninth on Opening Day. He will face Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios. Holliday was considered the best prospect in baseball entering the 2024 campaign. After being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Holliday made his MLB debut last summer. However, across 60 games, the 21-year-old struggled as he posted a .189/.255/.311 slash line with five home runs and four stolen bases. He generated a modest .258 xwOBA but flashed elite speed as he placed in the 95th percentile in sprint speed. At the Triple-A level, Holliday posted a strong .271/.431/.477 slash line with 25 doubles and 10 home runs across 73 games. With Gunnar Henderson (side) on the injured list, fantasy managers should expect Holliday to be deployed as the everyday shortstop during the early part of the campaign. Given his struggles last season, he is best left on your bench in this contest.

The Seattle Mariners are signing left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz to a minor-league contract. Pomeranz spent time in Seattle earlier in camp but will return to them on a minor league deal. Fantasy managers should expect Pomeranz to begin the campaign with Triple-A Tacoma. Pomeranz has not appeared in an MLB contest since the 2021 campaign. Last summer, the southpaw spent time in Triple-A with the Oklahoma City Baseball Club. He logged just eight innings of work and allowed six earned runs. Over the past few seasons, he has dealt with several injuries. He underwent left elbow flexor tendon surgery during the 2023 campaign. Across 858 career frames in the majors, the 36-year-old posted a 3.91 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He will likely face an uphill battle to return to the big leagues this season.