Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that infielder Jonathan India (foot) won't play in Cactus League games until around March 7 or 8. India cannot reinjure his foot, but the Reds are building him back up in a controlled workload. India will be taking live batting practice, where the Reds can control his baserunning. The 27-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year recently had a setback with the plantar fasciitis in his left foot, so the team is going to play it safe with him so that he'll be ready for Opening Day in late March. Still, it's not a good sign for a player that is expected to have to bounce around at multiple positions, including outfield, to stay in the lineup regularly in 2024. In addition to India, second-year infielder Matt McLain recently had a setback with his oblique injury. If both players are healthy, McLain is expected to be the primary second baseman after impressing in his rookie season.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (elbow) is in the team's Cactus League lineup on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, batting fourth and serving as the designated hitter. Machado has been somewhat limited early in camp after October elbow surgery, but manager Mike Shildt recently said that Machado was trending toward being full-go by Opening Day. It's been expected all along that Machado would be ready for the two-game series in Korea against the Los Angeles Dodgers late in March to kick off the season, although he may begin the regular season as the DH and not at the hot corner. The 31-year-old six-time All-Star hit only .258 (140-for-543), which was down from his .279 career average, but he still managed to reach the 30-homer mark for the seventh time in his career while coming nine RBI shy of 100 for the fourth time in his 12-year career. Machado remains a high-floor, high-end third baseman in fantasy.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider is slated to make his spring debut Saturday versus the Tampa Bay Rays. The right-hander, universally known as the No. 1 pitcher in fantasy baseball, took a step back in 2023 following a dominant rookie campaign. After posting a 2.67 ERA across 30 outings (21 starts) in the 2022 season, Strider worked to a 3.86 ERA across 32 starts last season. However, while he dropped his walk rate to just 7.6% a year ago, the strikeouts kept pouring in as he posted a 36.8% K% in 2023, just below the 38.3% clip he turned in as a rookie, and in 12 more starts. While his ERA stood at 3.86 last season, his SIERA was a full run below at 2.86 as he should absolutely be the top pitching target on draft day.

The Boston Red Sox have signed reliever Joely Rodriguez to a minor-league deal. The left-hander returns to the Red Sox after being limited to just 11 outings with the club in the 2023 season due to oblique, shoulder, and hip injuries. The 32-year-old struggled in his brief work a season ago, tossing a 6.55 ERA in his 11 innings of work. Rodriguez is the owner of a 4.70 ERA across 168 career outings, although his 3.84 SIERA in that time suggests he has been better than his surface ERA might suggest. He should serve as a middle reliever for the Red Sox in the 2024 season but his fantasy relevance is at a minimum.

Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic has been moved to the 60-day injured list as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery last April. The 26-year-old was limited to just three starts before undergoing the knife last season, tossing a 3.94 ERA in that time. Bubic recently threw his first bullpen session of the spring and is likely to return to the roster somewhere in the middle of the season. He is the owner of a career 4.85 ERA across 70 appearances, 60 of which were starts. The Royals added Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo to their rotation this offseason while the emerging Cole Ragans should headline the group. Even with a healthy return, his 20.2% K% leaves him well off the fantasy radar for the 2024 campaign.