Free-agent left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu is said to be entertaining an offer from his former Korean Baseball Organization team, the Hanwa Eagles. Ryu pitched for the Eagles from 2006 to 2012 and said that he will finish his career with the team. The 36-year-old veteran southpaw returned from Tommy John surgery last August and went 3-3 with a 3.46 ERA (4.91 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 14 walks and only 38 strikeouts in 52 innings in 11 starts down the stretch in his fourth year with the Toronto Blue Jays. His velocity was down, which shouldn't come as a huge surprise coming off Tommy John surgery, but at Ryu's age, he's no longer the strikeout artist he once was. Ryu's changeup also was much more hittable. Heading into his age-37 campaign and likely to head back to Korea, he's off the fantasy radar in 2024.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez said his goal is to play in 150-plus games in 2024 alongside Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert Jr. Injuries have been an issue for Jimenez, Moncada and Robert, but the rebuilding White Sox would be in great shape this year if all three players could stay on the field more often than not. The 27-year-old Jimenez missed some time in May due to an appendectomy, but otherwise he was mostly healthy and played in 120 games, just two shy of his career high. He hit .272/.317/.441 with 18 home runs, 64 RBI and 50 runs scored in 489 trips to the plate, which left a lot to be desired considering how many games he played. Jimenez is a risk/reward for fantasy managers willing to take a chance on him in the later rounds of drafts, but to this point in five big-league seasons, he hasn't been able to reach his potential.

Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said that outfielder Andrew Benintendi is a candidate to hit leadoff for the team this season. It sounds like Benintendi will be the favorite to hit at the top of Chicago's order regularly. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter didn't do much to move the fantasy needle in his first year in the Windy City in 2023, slashing .262/.326/.356 with five home runs, 34 doubles, two triples, 45 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 72 runs scored in 151 games and 621 plate appearances. Benintendi rarely squared the ball up at the plate and also didn't play very good defense in left field. The Pale Hose don't have many other options atop the lineup, though, so Benintendi will likely get the first crack. Outside of a decent batting average, Benintendi has a low ceiling for fantasy managers again in 2024.

Outfielder Harrison Bader is set to serve as the New York Mets' center fielder this year, with Brandon Nimmo shifting to left field, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Bader will give the Mets an upgrade in center over Nimmo. However, the 29-year-old Bader has had trouble staying healthy and took a step back offensively last year with a .232/.274/.348 slash line with seven homers, 40 RBI and 20 steals in 98 games with the Yankees and Reds. Bader hasn't played in over 100 games since 2021 and will mostly be appealing to fantasy managers for his speed in deeper mixed leagues while hitting near the bottom of the order in New York. Nimmo, meanwhile, will be a strong No. 3 outfielder in fantasy after slashing .274/.363/.466 with 24 homers, 68 RBI and 89 runs in 152 games in 2023 as the Mets' leadoff hitter.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (knee) said he's been talking with Willi Castro about how many bases they can each steal this season, and Buxton said he thinks he's got 30 in him this year. "That means I'm on a lot and running a lot. I feel good. I feel real good," Buxton said. The 30-year-old oft-injured outfielder just needs to worry about staying healthy first. He's played in over 100 games in a season just once (in 2017) in his nine-year MLB career and has gone over 20 steals just once (also in 2017), so fantasy managers would be wise not to have that high of expectations for him on the basepaths in 2024. Buxton had arthroscopic knee surgery in September and couldn't even play defense in Minnesota at all in 85 games in 2023. He did manage 17 homers last year, but his plate skills overall declined, putting him outside RotoBaller's top-100 outfielders entering the 2024 season.