Based on Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May's (elbow) Instagram page, he has started a throwing program this offseason after having flexor-tendon surgery and a Tommy John revision on his right elbow in July. Because of the fact that the 26-year-old will be sidelined until at least the second half of the 2024 season, he'll be left to the waiver wire to start the year in a lot of single-year fantasy leagues. May was ready to break out before getting hurt again in 2023, ultimately finishing with a 2.63 ERA (3.23 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP while walking 16 and fanning 34 in 48 innings over nine starts. If he can ever get past the injury bug, there's a lot to like about May's long-term profile. The Dodgers will most likely ease May in for the second half of 2024, so perhaps his true breakout campaign will now come in 2025.

Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli announced on the radio on Wednesday that right-hander Pablo Lopez will be the team's Opening Day starter in 2024. It's a pretty early announcement, but it speaks to the confidence the Twins have in Lopez, who made his first All-Star team in 2023 and went 11-8 with a 3.66 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP while walking 48 and striking out a career-high 234 batters in 32 starts covering a career-high 194 innings in his first year in Minnesota. The 32-year-old has now made 64 starts in the last two seasons, but he's still never gone over 200 innings in his six years in the big leagues and is still somewhat of an injury concern. Adding a sweeper to his repertoire led to a career-high 29.2% strikeout rate. Assuming he can stay healthy all year again, Lopez is a fine target as a high-end No. 2 fantasy starter.

Free-agent catcher Sandy Leon and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a minor-league deal with an invite to 2024 spring training. The veteran split the 2023 season between the Guardians and Rangers organizations, appearing in 22 games with the world-champion Rangers. He hit just .146 without zero homers, a 2.3% walk rate, and a 45.5% strikeout rate across just 44 trips to the plate in that time. Known for his defense, Leon again posted positive defensive metrics in the small sample size. A veteran of 557 big-league games, Leon is a career .208 hitter with 31 home runs and a .587 OPS across 1,729 trips to the plate. With Salvador Perez likely to get more rest behind the plate and MJ Melendez slated for full-time outfield duty, Leon could perhaps find his way to the majors but will likely serve as Triple-A mentorship and depth in 2024.

The Chicago Cubs are looking to bolster their bullpen and are showing interest in Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. It was reported earlier in the offseason that Clase is a trade candidate and that the Guardians would be willing to move the All-Star. The Cubs are likely far from the only club interested in the 25-year-old considering his immense success through parts of four MLB seasons. Clase is coming off of a 3.22 ERA across 75 outings in the 2023 season but he also posted a 1.36 ERA or better in each of the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. His 86 saves over the past two seasons are easily the most in baseball, 14 more than the Blue Jays' Jordan Romano. He also ranks first in baseball with 152 appearances over the last two seasons, seven more than second-place A.J. Minter.

The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent pitcher Austin Voth to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. The 31-year-old worked to a 5.19 ERA across 25 relief outings with the Orioles in 2023 but elbow inflammation bothered him for much of the season and he did not pitch after Aug. 30. Voth has bounced between the rotation and bullpen in parts of six seasons in the big leagues, combining to post a 4.90 ERA across 139 career appearances, 39 of which have been starts. Voth has fared better as a starter, posting a solid 4.23 ERA across 178 2/3 innings as a starter versus a 5.89 ERA in 120 2/3 frames as a reliever. Given the Mariners' starting pitching depth, Voth is likely bullpen-bound in 2024.