New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said that the team prefers that their yet-to-debut pitching prospects like Mike Vasil, Christian Scott and Dominic Hamel pitch in the minors more before being asked to make their big-league debuts in the wake of right-hander Kodai Senga's (shoulder) injury. The rotation competition with Senga expected to open the year on the injured list will essentially be among Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, Jose Butto and Max Kranick. Adrian Houser could be another option. Megill is probably the best bet and also offers the most upside for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. However, the 28-year-old righty struggled in 2023, posting a 4.70 ERA with 105 K's and 58 walks in 126 1/3 innings pitched over 25 starts.

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (shoulder) has a mild strain of his posterior capsule in his right shoulder and will be shut down until symptoms subside, according to president of baseball operations David Stearns. Senga is expected to begin the 2024 regular season on the injured list. We don't have a specific timetable for when the 31-year-old hurler will be able to make his season debut, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he missed the first month of action. It's a big blow to Senga's fantasy value and the Mets' starting rotation to kick off the season. With Senga on the shelf, Adrian Houser, Tylor Megill, Jose Butto and Max Kranick will now compete for the right to take Senga's spot in the rotation to begin the season.

Miami Marlins infielder Jon Berti was the team's projected starting shortstop for the 2024 season before they signed shortstop Tim Anderson to a one-year, $5 million deal on Thursday. Anderson now has a clear path to everyday playing time in Miami at the 6. Berti is far better suited for a utility role. The 34-year-old played a career-high 64 games at shortstop for the Marlins last year and has seen over 400 plate appearances the last two years with the Fish at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions, so he's of much more use to the team when he's filling in around the diamond. Berti hit a career-best .294 with seven home runs, 33 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 2023, a year after he had a league-high 41 steals in 102 games. With sporadic playing time, it's going to be tough for Berti to get back to being an elite threat on the basepaths.

Free-agent shortstop Tim Anderson and the Miami Marlins agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal, pending a physical, on Thursday, according to sources. After a disastrous year with the Chicago White Sox in 2023, Anderson had to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal in order to try and get his value back up in South Beach. The hitting environment won't be the best for the 30-year-old in Miami, but he'll be guaranteed regular playing time as the Fish's primary shortstop. Anderson slashed a weak .245/.286/.296 with only one home run in 2023, but prior to that, he had posted a .318/.347/.474 slash line the previous four years in Chicago and could easily bounce back if he can stay healthy in 2024. The move to sign Anderson will move Jon Berti to a utility infield role in Miami.

Right-hander Mitch Keller and the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to a five-year, $77 million contract extension on Thursday, according to sources. After a breakout season in which he struck out a career-high 210 batters, the 27-year-old Keller will anchor Pittsburgh's starting rotation for the team that drafted him in the second round in 2014 out of high school. The new deal will buy out what would have been Keller's first two years of free agency. In addition to his career-best 210 punchouts last year, Keller went 13-9 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 55 walks in 194 1/3 innings over a career-high 32 starts to garner his first All-Star nod. He was solid in the first half but fell apart after the All-Star break with a 5.59 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 13 starts down the stretch. Still, he upped his strikeout rate and isn't a bad No. 4 rotation option for fantasy managers with upside late in drafts.