New York Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman is currently lined up to pitch the team's home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 5. Stroman will kick things off for the Yanks at home after signing a two-year, $37 million deal with the Bombers in free agency this winter. The 32-year-old veteran will be given a tough assignment in his debut in pinstripes. He made his second career All-Star team in 2023 on the back of a strong first half with the Chicago Cubs, but Stroman was hampered by hip and rib injuries after the break and had an ERA over 8.00 in just 24 innings pitched in the second half to finish with a 3.95 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 52 walks and 119 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings in total. If he's healthy, Stroman should be a solid mid-rotation starter for fantasy managers, although he'll be a risky play in his first outing against Toronto.

The Baltimore Orioles starting rotation on Opening Day is expected to be headlined by right-handers Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer, with Tyler Wells and Cole Irvin likely the front-runners for the final two spots. Prospects Chayce McDermott, Cade Povich and Justin Armbruester are all in camp, and Bruce Zimmermann is another option. Wells and Irvin could be needed early on due to injuries to Kyle Bradish (elbow) and John Means (elbow). Wells, 29, had a 3.64 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 117 K's and 34 walks in 118 2/3 innings in 2023 but had a disastrous second half with an ERA over 7.00. Irvin, 30, finished last year with a 4.42 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 68 strikeouts and 21 walks in just 77 1/3 innings pitched. Wells will be the more attractive deep-league streamer if he's in the O's rotation to kick off the season.

Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (elbow) has a right-elbow stress fracture, according to general manager Mike Elias. Basallo is catching in spring training but isn't throwing. He'll be the designated hitter in Grapefruit League action, but he probably won't catch in games until late April. The 19-year-old backstop is going to be brought along slowly and isn't going to break camp with the big-league club. He'll most likely be assigned to Double-A Bowie to kick off the 2022 season and will try to work his way up to Triple-A Norfolk later in the year after impressing with a .313/.402/.551 slash line with 20 long balls in three minor-league stops in 2023. The left-handed-hitting catcher is one of Baltimore's top prospects.

Baltimore Orioles left-hander John Means (elbow) is a month behind the other pitchers at the start of spring training and might not be ready for Opening Day this year. Unless Means makes some significant progress in the next couple of weeks, he seems destined to open the 2024 regular season on the injured list, joining fellow starter Kyle Bradish (elbow). The 30-year-old southpaw had a setback with his surgically repaired left elbow last October and is still working past it as camp begins. Means had Tommy John surgery in April of 2022 and has made only six starts in the last two years for the O's. He was an All-Star back in 2019, but given the fact that he's thrown only 31 2/3 innings in the big leagues since the start of 2022, Means is going to be on an innings limit this year whenever he gets going.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish (elbow) will go on the injured list with a UCL sprain in his right elbow. The 27-year-old has received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his arm and will begin a throwing program on Friday. This is really scary news for anyone that was hoping to target Bradish in their fantasy drafts because if rest and rehab don't work, he'll likely need to have Tommy John surgery, which would cause him to miss the entire season. He had a breakout 2023 campaign with the O's, posting a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 168 strikeouts and 44 walks in 168 2/3 innings over his 30 starts, but he's off to a bad start already in 2024. Even with no injury in the picture, Bradish was a candidate for some regression this year after having a fortunate .270 BABIP.