Doctors performed an arthroscopy/cleanup on Colorado Rockies right-hander Daniel Bard's left knee on Wednesday and did not need to do a meniscus repair as originally believed. The general recovery time frame is one month, which is a little less than the five to seven weeks the team originally believed he'd have to miss. It's good news for the 38-year-old reliever, but he still seems likely to open the 2024 season on the injured list. Bard could be in the mix for saves in Colorado when he's healthy, and at the very least he'll be a candidate for consideration in deep holds leagues, but the Rockies probably won't give their relievers many save chances. He had 54 saves in 2021 and 2022 but is an extremely risky reliever because of his past history with anxiety and the yips.

Miami Marlins right-hander Sixto Sanchez (shoulder) told the media on Thursday at spring training that he feels 90 to 95 percent ready to go for the 2024 season. We'll believe it when we see it. Sanchez made his first appearance since 2020 in a rehab game with Double-A Pensacola last September but was then shut down shortly after that due to more shoulder issues. The 25-year-old is trending in the right direction in spring training this year, but fantasy managers should be highly skeptical as to whether he will be able to hold up over the course of a full season again. The Dominican hurler made seven starts in his MLB debut in 2020 and went 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 11 walks and 33 strikeouts in 39 innings. Sanchez has age on his side, but he should open the year on the waiver wire in most single-year fantasy formats.

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz (lat) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday on the first day that pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. It's notable after Matz threw only 105 innings in his second year in St. Louis in 2023 because he was shut down in August due to a lat injury. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw posted a 3.86 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP while walking 32 and striking out 98 in his 25 appearances (17 starts). Matz was better last year than he was in 2022 in his first year of a four-year, $44 million deal, but he still doesn't move the needle all that much for fantasy managers, mostly because of his injury risk and below-average 22.4 percent career strikeout rate. He threw only 48 innings in 2022 due to shoulder and knee injuries and will most likely miss time at some point again in 2024.

New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (elbow) has already started throwing, and manager Aaron Boone said he'll start hitting a week from Monday. After having Tommy John surgery last year, Dominguez's target date is still this summer. The 21-year-old outfield prospect was shagging fly balls in the outfield in camp earlier this week and is now throwing, although he was already placed on the 60-day injured list and most likely won't make his 2024 season debut until after the All-Star break in July. Despite his injury, Dominguez, the man they call The Martian, is one of the most exciting young position-player prospects in the game and has 30-30 potential over a full season. Whenever he can finally play defense, he's expected to be New York's starting center fielder.

New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes (shoulder) said that he's already thrown four live batting practice sessions in spring training as he prepares for the start of the 2024 regular season. The 29-year-old southpaw made his first All-Star team in 2022 but made just 12 starts in 2023 in his third year in the Bronx due to a left rotator-cuff strain. But it appears that he has had a pretty normal offseason and should be ready for Opening Day, barring any setbacks. Cortes struggled when he was on the mound last year, going 5-2 with a 4.97 ERA (4.49 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP while walking 20 and striking out 67 in 63 1/3 innings. The crafty left-hander could bounce back with better health in 2024, but the soft-tosser has less room for error than most pitchers and relies more on deception and inducing weak contact.