Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda (finger) has been placed on the 10-day injured list. As expected, Aranda is going to miss some time after suffering a broken finger last week. The expectation is that Aranda should return around late April or early May. As a result, infielder Austin Shenton has been recalled from the minors. He'll likely be in the mix with Curtis Mead, and Harold Ramirez for more playing time with Aranda sidelined.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) continues making progress from his offseason back surgery and was able to play catch on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander won't be ready for Opening Day, but might not miss too much time. Rangers manager Chris Young doesn't believe that Scherzer will need to be placed on the 60-day injured list. Instead, Young suggested that Scherzer could be back as early as May. The Rangers are likely going to be cautious with the 39-year-old. His injury might push him back into the later rounds of fantasy drafts.

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Jordan Lawlar (thumb) tore a ligament in his right thumb while trying to pick up a ball off the ground during a minor-league spring training game on Sunday and will need surgery, which will sideline him for at least the first two months of the season. It's bad news for the team's top prospect, who is slated to open the year at Triple-A Reno. He will have surgery on Thursday and could have a "full return to baseball activity in eight to 10 weeks," farm director Shaun Larkin said. The 21-year-old is the future at the shortstop position for the D-backs, but this injury news makes it very hard to recommend stashing the young infielder in single-year fantasy leagues because of the fact that if he does join the Snakes in the big league in 2024, it probably won't be until the tail end of the season now.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Will Smith are finalizing a 10-year, $140 million contract extension. The 28-year-old has been one of the most productive offensive catchers since entering the big leagues in the 2019 season, putting together a career .263 average with 91 home runs and an .842 OPS across 486 games played. Most recently, he hit .261 with 19 home runs, 80 runs, 76 RBI, and a .797 OPS across 554 trips to the plate in the 2023 season. ATC projects Smith to club 21 home runs along with 74 RBI and an .823 OPS in 124 games in the 2024 season as he is every bit worthy of his 80.46 ADP as the fourth catcher off the draft board this spring.

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt from the New York Yankees on Wednesday in a three-team deal that also included the Miami Marlins, according to a source. The Marlins landed prospect Shane Sasaki from the Rays and prospect John Cruz from the Yankees. Rortvedt, 26, was out of minor-league options and wasn't going to make New York's Opening Day roster as a third catcher, so he now moves to Tampa, where he's expected to be the backup to starter Rene Pinto. He is more of a defense-first catcher and has hit just .146/.234/.255 with five home runs and 11 RBI in 71 major-league games in two seasons with the Yankees and Minnesota Twins. Rortvedt will be off the fantasy radar in two-catcher and AL-only leagues unless Pinto gets hurt and misses time.