Baltimore Orioles right-hander Dillon Tate (forearm) faced live hitters in batting practice at spring training on Monday. Tate appeared in 13 minor-league rehab games last year while recovering from a right-forearm injury, but he never made it up to the big leagues. The good news is that the 29-year-old doesn't have any limitations in camp this year and should be in line for high-leverage duties out of Baltimore's bullpen in 2024. Veteran Craig Kimbrel will close games out for the O's with Felix Bautista (elbow) out for the entire season, but Tate could become useful in deep holds leagues if he can stay healthy. In his four seasons in the majors with Baltimore, Tate has a 3.97 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with eight saves, 53 walks and 143 strikeouts in 179 relief innings.

Free-agent first baseman Dominic Smith (hand) and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor-league deal on Monday, according to a source familiar with the deal. The contract includes incentives and can max out at $3.5 million. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter had hamate-bone surgery in early January but should be full-go by the end of spring training. The Cubs added both Smith and veteran outfielder David Peralta on Monday. Smith is going to be a bench bat for the Cubs if he sticks around with the organization through the 2024 season, giving the team depth at first base mainly along with Michael Busch, Matt Mervis and Patrick Wisdom. After six years with the Mets, Smith hit .254/.326/.366 with a career-high 12 home runs, 46 RBI and 57 runs scored in 153 games for the Nationals in 2023. You can avoid him in mixed fantasy leagues.

Kansas City Royals left-hander Jake Brentz (lat) threw his first live batting practice session in camp on Saturday and sat around 95-96 mph with his fastball. It's been nearly two years since he last took the mound in the big leagues in April of 2022 and it's been a year and a half since he had Tommy John surgery in July of 2022. Brentz suffered a lat strain that ended his 2023 season when he was coming back from elbow surgery last year. The 29-year-old southpaw is competing for a spot in the Royals' bullpen in spring training and would offer a high-powered lefty arm for earlier in the game while lefty closer William Smith handles the ninth. If he makes the team, Brentz will most likely be pitching in a low-leverage relief role for KC, which won't give him any fantasy appeal.

Kansas City Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch IV (shoulder), who was held to 52 1/3 innings in 2023 due to a left-shoulder injury that first popped up in spring training, is healthy in camp and is building up as a starter to compete for a spot in the rotation. Lynch has also moved slightly on the rubber toward the first base side, which has allowed him to create different angles with his pitches to "maximize my arsenal." The 27-year-old southpaw is far from a guarantee to win a rotation job, though, and isn't fantasy relevant in single-year leagues. "It's probably the best I've felt in two years," Lynch said. He said he's put on 25 pounds as part of his rehab process, and he was able to throw two innings of live batting practice on Sunday afternoon. At best, Lynch will probably be a streaming option in AL-only leagues in 2024 if he's making starts.

Free-agent outfielder David Peralta (elbow) and the Chicago Cubs agreed to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to sources familiar with the deal. Peralta joins the Cubs after hitting .259/.294/.381 with seven home runs, 25 doubles, a triple, 55 RBI, four stolen bases and 47 runs scored in 422 plate appearances over 133 games in 2023 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 36-year-old left-handed hitter had a disastrous second half of the season, though, and then had flexor-tendon surgery on his left elbow in late October. It remains to be seen if Peralta will be ready by Opening Day, but if he is, the veteran outfielder will mostly likely serve as a reserve outfielder for the Cubbies in 2024. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues shouldn't have him on their radars.