Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was officially charged with commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering following allegations that he had a relationship with a minor whose mother also faces the same charges in the Dominican Republic on Thursday after initially being arrested on Monday for failing to appear at a summons late last week. Franco will be under house arrest and prohibited from leaving the country and will be presented before a judge on Friday. The 22-year-old had a serious lapse in judgment and will face the consequences with most likely a lengthy suspension in 2024. Before his off-the-field incident, the five-tool player was quickly becoming a first-round fantasy asset with the ability to contribute elite numbers in all categories.

The San Diego Padres signed free-agent outfielder Oscar Mercado to a minor-league deal. Mercado will report to spring training in 2024 hoping to impress the coaching staff and earn a reserve outfield role on the Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old Colombian played in only 20 games at the major-league level in 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals, going 9-for-31 (.290) with no homers, five RBI and two stolen bases. He was solid on the farm with three different the Triple-A organizations of the Cardinals, Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, too, and will have a legitimate shot at earning a bench role in San Diego given their lack of outfield depth at the moment. In his five seasons in the big leagues since debuting in 2019 with the Cleveland Guardians, Mercado has slashed .237/.289/.388 with 26 home runs, 100 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 298 career games.

The New York Yankees agreed to an undisclosed major-league deal with free-agent right-hander Cody Poteet on Thursday. Poteet pitched for the Miami Marlins in 2021-22 and had a 4.45 ERA in 19 appearances (nine starts). He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2022, signed with the Kansas City Royals on a minor-league deal and only pitched in one game in the minors in late September of 2023. The 29-year-old will become depth for the Yankees' starting rotation and bullpen heading into spring training in 2024. In his 19 appearances for the Fish, Poteet also posted a 1.28 WHIP, 27 walks and 53 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings pitched. Poteet won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar for spring drafts.

The Chicago White Sox signed free-agent right-hander Chad Kuhl to a minor-league deal. The rebuilding White Sox are looking for as much pitching depth as they can get. Kuhl will hope to be better in 2024 after posting an 8.45 ERA (6.78 FIP) and 1.96 WHIP with a save, 28 walks and 31 strikeouts in 16 appearances (five starts) covering 38 1/3 innings at the major-league level for the Washington Nationals last season. The 31-year-old will most likely begin the year pitching for Triple-A Charlotte. Kuhl will not be anywhere near the fantasy radar. In his seven major-league seasons with the Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies, he has a 4.98 ERA (4.89 FIP) and 1.48 WHIP with 536 K's and 281 walks in 615 innings over 143 outings (116 starts).

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber is less likely to be traded now than he was at the start of the offseason. Bieber will become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season and plays for a team that plans on contending for division titles in upcoming seasons. The more likely scenario is that the Guardians hang onto Bieber until the trade deadline in August if Cleveland falls out of the playoff race early. The 28-year-old two-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner in 2020 missed some time with an elbow injury in 2023 and wasn't particularly effective down the stretch, ultimately finishing with his highest ERA (3.80) since his rookie season in 2018. Bieber is a solid bet to bounce back as a solid fantasy starter in 2024, but career-worsts in strikeout rate (20.1%), hard-hit rate (47.6%) and average exit velocity allowed (91.6 mph) are causes for concern.