Washington Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore endured a rather interesting outing on Sunday against the New York Mets. The left-hander worked 4 2/3 innings and was roughed up for eight earned runs on nine hits, including one homer, and walked two. At the same time, he racked up a whopping 10 strikeouts to give him 19 punchouts across 15 1/3 innings this spring, albeit alongside a 5.87 ERA. He had largely pitched well across his first three Grapefruit League outings but the odd outing on Sunday skyrocketed his spring ERA. The former Padres top prospect worked to a 4.42 ERA and a solid 16.2% K-BB% across 27 starts with the Nationals last season before a finger injury ended his campaign. ATC projects similar numbers for him this time around, making Gore a middling fantasy asset, albeit with solid strikeout numbers.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg doesn't foresee Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby (shoulder) opening the 2024 season in the majors. All reports this spring are that his shoulder is healthy, but the velocity isn't all the way back. Manager Pat Murphy mentioned Ashby as still in the running for one of the last starting rotation spots, but it doesn't sound like he's ahead of someone like Joe Ross. It appears that the Brewers want to keep Ashby as a starter, but a bullpen role down the line can't be ruled out. The 25-year-old southpaw had left-shoulder surgery in April of last year and didn't look good on a minor-league rehab assignment last fall. He'll most likely spend a lot of this year working his way back, but Ashby's long-term appeal is still intriguing because of his nasty slider-changeup combination.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg writes that it seems like the Milwaukee Brewers are intent on outfielder Sal Frelick being the primary third baseman against right-handers this year. Frelick hasn't seen much action at the hot corner in Cactus League games, but he's shown in drills in camp that he's gotten more comfortable at the position and is very fluid and smooth drifting to the ball. RotoBaller has Frelick ranked as the No. 65 fantasy outfielder for 2024, but he's going to become more valuable to managers when he gains third base eligibility. It's a move that will make things easier for the team given their crowded outfield picture. The former first-rounder hit .246/.341/.351 with three homers, 24 RBI and seven stolen bases in 57 games in his rookie year in 2023.

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that second baseman Matt McLain (shoulder) had an MRI exam on his left shoulder after recently being scratched from a Cactus League game. The team is looking at all of their options and next steps, and Bell said he's unsure if McLain would start the year on the active roster or on the injured list. One of the options for McLain is surgery. A report surfaced on Tuesday night that the 24-year-old would be fine, but this contradicts that news. It's unclear how long McLain might be out if he needs surgery, but fantasy managers considering him as a middle-infield option in mixed leagues after his strong rookie year in 2023 may now want to reconsider. If McLain opens the year on the IL, Jonathan India would serve as Cincy's primary second baseman.

San Francisco Giants catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol (groin) will return to Cactus League action on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels and will play left field off the bench. Sabol hasn't played in a spring training game since March 5 due to a right-adductor strain, but he's back in action now as he tries to make the club's Opening Day roster. Given how much time he's missed this spring, it's likely that the 26-year-old backstop will open the 2024 season at Triple-A Sacramento. Sabol has the versatility to both catch and play the outfield, but his bat hasn't shown enough to give him much chance to crack the Giants' lineup regularly with Patrick Bailey and Joey Bart also at catcher. In his rookie season in 2023, Sabol hit .235/.301/.394 with 13 homers and 44 RBI in 110 appearances.