Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said there have been "some discussions," but they haven't become a "negotiation" yet to re-sign outfielder Cody Bellinger. "We're just waiting, waiting for whenever he and his agent are going to engage. And it could be anytime now, or it could be a few weeks, we'll just see where it goes," Ricketts said. The Cubs have some interest in bringing the 28-year-old lefty slugger back on a cheaper, short-term deal, but it's unclear if Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, is interested in that. The former MVP bounced back in a big way for the Cubbies last year, hitting .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs, 97 RBI, 20 stolen bases and 95 runs scored despite missing a month with a knee injury. Bellinger cut his strikeout rate but had a fortunate BABIP and didn't hit the ball all that hard, pointing to potential regression in 2024.

New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is noticeably slimmer at camp and said his offseason workouts were aimed at allowing him to "be a baseball player again." Stanton said he needs to be more mobile, which is why he did more running during the offseason. In addition to focusing on his conditioning, Stanton made some slight changes to his swing over the winter in hopes of bouncing back in 2024 after hitting just .191/.275/.420 with 24 home runs, 13 doubles, 60 RBI and 43 runs scored in 415 trips to the plate over 101 games played. The 34-year-old veteran slugger's injury history is well-documented and has caused his fantasy stock to fall considerably in recent years. It will drive his draft-day cost down, but with better health in 2024, Stanton could be a nice value play for those looking for elite power.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn't have a firm timeline for when right-hander Walker Buehler (elbow) will return to a major-league mound after his delayed start on the injured list this year, but it's "unlikely" that he'll pitch in any Cactus League games in spring training. The 29-year-old will open the 2024 regular season on the injured list and could miss as much as the entire first month while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers prefer to hold Buehler back at the beginning of the season, rather than at the end. He was only able to make one rehab outing in 2023 and will not be rushed back onto a mound this spring. Buehler showed ace-like potential before his injury, but fantasy managers are going to want to temper expectations for him this year while on an innings limit.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (elbow) is planning to take live batting practice at spring training on Monday. Ohtani was initially scheduled to take live BP on Sunday, but Ohtani pushed it back a day. It will be the first time that the 29-year-old Japanese superstar will face live pitching since having his second Tommy John surgery in September. Ohtani is expected to be ready to kick off his first season in LA against the San Diego Padres in the two-game Korean series in late March. Even though he won't be available to fantasy managers as a pitcher in 2024, Ohtani, who has been the American League MVP in two of the last three seasons, will be a top-15 hitter in fantasy after leading the league in homers (44), on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.654), OPS (1.066) and total bases (325) in 2023 with the Angels.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (hernia) is doing some incline walking and riding a stationary bike and is hoping to be ready for Opening Day. Seager still isn't sure if he'll be ready for the first game of the 2024 regular season, but it's a good sign that he's doing some physical activities after undergoing sports-hernia surgery this offseason at the end of January. It's an injury that the 29-year-old World Series MVP suffered in the postseason. If he's not ready for Opening Day, Ezequiel Duran and Josh Smith would be two candidates to start at the 6 for Texas. Even if Seager isn't ready early on, the 2023 American League MVP runner-up should be considered a top-five fantasy shortstop after a fantastic season for the Rangers last year.