Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitcher Aaron Ashby (oblique) is set to throw a bullpen on April 11. Ashby has been sidelined due to an oblique injury he suffered in early March. The southpaw was in contention to make the starting rotation, but this injury kept him out of the competition. However, if he is able to progress well, he could compete for a starting role when he returns to action. Last season, Ashby appeared in 14 games (two starts) and logged 28 1/3 innings of work with a 2.86 ERA and a strong 1.06 WHIP. He tallied 33 punchouts and held an 8.4 percent walk rate. Ashby also generated a stellar .203 xBA. The 26-year-old missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing shoulder surgery but has flashed high-strikeout upside when on the bump. He is worth monitoring in deeper formats as he could be worth deploying if he rejoins the starting rotation.

After visiting with renowned hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham earlier this week and receiving a cortisone injection in each of his troublesome thumb ligaments, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) is hoping to resume throwing on Friday. "He was actually pretty surprised, based on what it was, that structurally we were in a pretty good spot," Scherzer said. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer is on the injured list for the sixth time since September of 2023 and also had cortisone injections in his thumb last September and October and responded well. Including spring training, Scherzer hasn't thrown more than 62 pitches in a game, and he came out last Saturday in his first start after tossing 45 pitches. Since he's likely to need at least one minor-league rehab start before rejoining Toronto's rotation, it's unlikely that Scherzer will be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible on April 14.

As of Tuesday, Milwaukee Brewers left-hander DL Hall (lat) was building up for bullpen sessions in Arizona that are tentatively scheduled for April 15 and 18 before potentially moving to a live batting practice session on April 23, according to MLB.com. Hall is on the 60-day injured list due to a left-lat strain and won't be eligible to return before late May. The 26-year-old has been throwing on flat ground at the team's spring training complex as he works his way back from a lat injury that he suffered this spring. Hall started off the 2024 season in rough fashion before injuring his knee and going on the IL. When he returned, he was decent out of the bullpen with a 3.68 ERA in relief in his final eight appearances. Given his inconsistency and struggles with injuries, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Hall return to a relief role for Milwaukee when he makes his 2025 debut.

Boston Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello (shoulder) is still on track to make another minor-league rehab start for the Triple-A Worcester WooSox on Sunday, according to MassLive's Christopher Smith. In his first rehab start for the WooSox on Tuesday, Bello struggled, allowing four earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five in 2 1/3 innings of work while throwing 47 pitches. The good news is he didn't have any setbacks with his right shoulder, and he'll look to increase his pitch count this weekend. If he emerges from Sunday's outing healthy, the 25-year-old could be activated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2025 debut late next week. When Bello does return, lefty Sean Newcomb will likely be the odd-man out of Boston's rotation. Bello won't be able to take the next step for fantasy managers until he lowers his walk rate.

Sources tell MLB insider Mike Rodriguez that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Dominican second baseman Ketel Marte are working on a long-term contract extension worth over $100 million. Marte is currently under contract through the 2028 campaign, but getting an extension done now could keep the 31-year-old veteran in the desert for the rest of his career by adding multiple years onto his current contract. He's coming off a career year in 2024 in which he hit .292/.372/.560 with 36 home runs and 95 RBI to make the All-Star team and win the National League Silver Slugger award at second base. In addition to his offensive exploits, he was great on defense at the keystone and finished third in NL MVP voting. Marte is off to a solid start in 2025, too, going 6-for-22 with two doubles in five games heading into Wednesday's contest in New York. He's a must-start in all fantasy leagues.