Toronto Blue Jays reliever Jordan Romano (elbow) is slated to get back off a mound on Tuesday as he continues to recover from an elbow issue. While the ailment isn't expected to keep the closer out long, it still cost him an injured list stint to begin the season. The 30-year-old has been one of the top closers in baseball over the last three seasons, recording a 2.90 ERA or better in each of those campaigns while recording 72 saves over the last two seasons, good for second-most in all of baseball behind Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase's 86. The right-hander will immediately be re-inserted as the team's full-time closer when he comes off the injured list, which should be sooner rather than later.

Detroit Tigers outfielders Parker Meadows and Kerry Carpenter are both on the bench on Monday with the team facing a left-hander. With Meadows and Carpenter on the bench, Matt Vierling will start in center field and bat leadoff, while Mark Canha will start in left field and hit fifth against New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea. The 24-year-old Meadows started in all three of the team's first three games and went 1-for-10 with a triple and one run scored. Carpenter has been on the bench now for both games that the team has faced a southpaw, which will limit his fantasy appeal in mixed leagues after he impressed in 2023 with the Tigers. Jake Rogers is serving as Detroit's designated hitter on Monday in the series opener against New York.

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson (forearm) threw a bullpen session on Monday and felt good, according to manager John Schneider. Swanson has been sidelined by a forearm issue recently that forced him to the injured list to begin the season. The injury is a tough blow, as Swanson could have been in line for closing duties with Jordan Romano sidelined by an elbow ailment. The 30-year-old has been fantastic of late, working to a 2.97 ERA across 69 appearances with the Blue Jays in 2023, his first season with the club, after dominating to the tune of a 1.68 ERA and a 29.1% K-BB% in 57 outings with the Seattle Mariners in 2022. He should be in line for closing duties if he can beat Romano back off the injured list.

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Jordan Montgomery threw three innings and 50 pitches in a simulated game at Salt River Fields. Montgomery is scheduled to make a Triple-A start for Reno on Sunday and is aiming to make his D-backs debut on April 16 after making four Triple-A starts. It was a career year for the 6-foot-6 hurler in 2023 as he tossed a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts between the Cardinals and Rangers, including a 2.79 ERA across 11 starts with the Rangers following a trade-deadline swap with St. Louis. He also tossed a 2.90 ERA in six outings (five starts) in the postseason en route to a World Series title. He has been the model of consistency and is an upper-tier fantasy starter for the 2024 campaign.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Alec Burleson will be on the bench when his club kicks off a series with the Padres and right-hander Matt Waldron. The 25-year-old wnt 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Sunday's series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers while Matt Carpenter will re-enter the lineup and take designated hitter duties from Burleson. It wasn't a great rookie year for Burleson in 2023 as he hit .244 with eight home runs, three steals, and a .690 OPS across 107 appearances, production that graded out 11% below the league average, as per his 89 wRC+. He is 2-for-14 with a double to begin this season but has also struck out in five of his 14 plate appearances, good for an elevated 35.7% K% but he also posted a tiny 13% K% in the 2023 campaign.