Free-agent veteran outfielder Avisail Garcia (back) had successful surgery on Thursday to fix a fracture and a disc issue in his lower back at the hospital for special surgery in New York. The procedure was performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi. Garcia now has all offseason to recover from the surgery, but it remains to be seen if he'll be fully ready to go for the start of spring training next year in February. However, barring a setback once he begins ramping up his baseball activities, the 33-year-old Venezuelan outfielder should have a good chance to be ready for Opening Day in 2025 for any team that wants to take a chance on the aging outfielder. Garcia probably won't have a strong market due to his injury and the fact he slashed a very mediocre .240/.255/.380 with a .635 OPS, two home runs and two RBI in 18 games in Miami before his injury.

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The Athletic's David O'Brien writes that the Atlanta Braves are unlikely to get into a bidding war to retain impending free-agent left-hander Max Fried. The Braves exceeded luxury-tax thresholds each of the last two seasons and will be returning Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider. Fried will be 31 in January, a little on the old side for a free-agent starter, but he is 71-31 with a 3.06 ERA in 145 regular-season games since the start of 2019 and figures to attract multiple suitors. His age and multiple injuries in his career could keep his cost low enough for Atlanta to consider re-signing him. Fried has been a three-time Gold Glove winner, two-time All-Star and finished in the top five in Cy Young voting twice. If Fried leaves and Charlie Morton retires, Atlanta has options to fill out their rotation in Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed reliever Alex Vesia (ribs) said he threw 15 pitches during a simulated game on Wednesday and felt good on Thursday morning. Vesia said his fastball velocity might have been down one mph but that adrenaline should be able to get him by. "When the lights come on Friday, I'll be ready to go," Vesia said. The 28-year-old southpaw injured his rib cage while warming up in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres and wasn't on the roster for the NL Championship Series versus the New York Mets. However, after bouncing back nicely after facing live hitters this week, it seems likely he'll be back on the roster for the World Series, where he'll operate in a late-inning role out of the bullpen. Vesia tossed three shutout innings in the NLDS in his three appearances with one walk and four K's.

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New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt will start Game 3 of the World Series on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Right-hander Gerrit Cole and lefty Carlos Rodon will start Game 1 and Game 2, respectively, at Dodger Stadium on Friday and Saturday. Due to injury, Schmidt made 16 starts during the regular season and was great, going 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA (3.58 FIP), a 1.18 WHIP and a 93:30 K:BB in 85 1/3 innings pitched. He hasn't stood out in either of his two postseason starts this year against the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians, allowing four earned runs on nine hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out six in 9 1/3 frames. Schmidt did not face the potent Dodgers lineup during the regular season and will have a tough task ahead of him in the Bronx and will likely be on a short leash if he struggles.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that shortstop Miguel Rojas (groin) is trending in the right direction and there's a good chance that he'll be included on the roster for the World Series before Game 1 on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees. Rojas, who suffered a torn adductor muscle in his groin in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, did not play in the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets but has put himself in the best position to be ready for the World Series. With the 35-year-old veteran defensive stalwart likely to be on the roster, veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier will likely be the odd man out. Rojas will need offseason surgery on his groin and may just be used as an option off the bench in the World Series after starting regularly at the 6 before his injury.

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New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon said he will make the start for Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right-hander Gerrit Cole will kick things off in Game 1 on Friday, while right-hander Clarke Schmidt is scheduled to toe the rubber for Game 3 on Monday back at Yankee Stadium. The 31-year-old Rodon could be the X-factor in this series as the Yankees look to neutralize the Dodgers' power-hitting left-handed bats, most notably Shohei Ohtani. In three postseason starts this October, Rodon has a 4.40 ERA (seven earned runs allowed in 14 1/3 innings) while giving up 15 hits (two homers), walking only one and striking out 22. He did not face the Dodgers during the regular season and will need to continue missing bats to avoid a rough outing against the high-scoring Dodgers offense.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow) will not pitch in the World Series against the New York Yankees, which starts on Friday at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani was never expected to pitch in 2024 after having right-elbow surgery, even after starting a throwing program before the regular season ended. The 30-year-old Japanese All-Star will be a part of LA's starting rotation in 2025, but we won't see him on the mound during the Fall Classic. At the plate, Ohtani has been a revelation in his first year with the Blue, becoming the first-ever player in MLB history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. In addition to that impressive feat, he hit .310/.390/.646 with a 1.036 OPS, 130 RBI and 134 runs in 159 regular-season games. In his first taste of the playoffs, he's gone 12-for-42 (.286) with three homers, 10 RBI, 11 walks and 12 runs scored in 11 games played.

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New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes (elbow) expects to be on the roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, even though he knows there's long-term injury risk if he comes back a month after being diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left elbow. "We have weighed in the consequences this can lead up to," Cortes said, "but if I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, then so be it." The 29-year-old southpaw continues to ramp up and threw a 28-pitch live batting practice session on Tuesday. Manager Aaron Boone said on Monday there was a "good chance" Cortes would be added to the World Series roster. Since he has not pitched in a big-league game since Sept. 18, he is most likely to be used in a relief role out of the Yankees' bullpen against LA. Cortes would join lefties Tim Hill and Tim Mayza out of the bullpen.

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New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said that right-handed reliever Dedniel Nunez (forearm) is progressing well in his recovery from a right-forearm injury that caused him to miss most of the second half of the 2024 season. The Mets are hoping to get Nunez back on the mound in November, and if that goes well, he could have a very normal offseason. Before his injury, the 28-year-old was excellent in his first taste of the big leagues, going 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA (2.22 FIP), a 0.91 WHIP, his first career save, 48 strikeouts and only eight walks in 35 innings pitched in 25 appearances out of the Mets' bullpen. It's great news for the Mets' bullpen that he could be ready in time for the start of spring training in mid-February and for the start of the 2025 regular season.

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New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Wednesday that the rehab for infield prospect Ronny Mauricio (knee) has gone slower than anticipated and he has yet to resume baseball activities in October. It's concerning news for Mauricio, who initially had surgery in December of 2023 to fix a torn right ACL. The 23-year-old also need another operation this past August to remove scar tissue. There's still plenty of time this offseason for Mauricio to ramp up his activities, but having him be ready for the start of spring training in February may not be a lock now. The Dominican switch-hitter was hitting the ball very hard in 2023 before his injury and made his big-league debut, slashing .248/.296/.347 with two homers, nine RBI and seven stolen bases in 26 games. With Mark Vientos breaking out in 2024, Mauricio's best path to playing time in 2025 might be at second base.

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New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (fingers) said the days off this week before the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers have been valuable in helping his broken fingers heal. "The biggest thing is getting the swelling out between games. It really blows up from the pressure. The bones are still broken, but to be able to get the swelling out has been key," Rizzo said. The 35-year-old left-handed slugger fractured two fingers on his right hand in the second-to-last game of the regular season and was held out of the American League Division Series before going 6-for-14 with a double, two walks and a run scored in five games (four starts) in the AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians. He should be good to go to start in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers, and the Yankees will need Rizzo's bat to keep up with LA's high-powered offense in the series.

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Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfielder/designated hitter David Fry (elbow) is scheduled to meet with Dr. Keith Meister next week about his right elbow. Surgery could be on the table for Fry after he injured his right elbow in late June, after which he played just one game on defense (at catcher) the rest of the regular season and playoffs. If the 28-year-old requires surgery, he could be in danger of missing the start of the 2025 campaign, depending on the exact nature of the operation. The former seventh-rounder by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 out of Northwestern State University of Louisiana was a first-time All-Star in 2024 in his second year in the majors after slashing .263/.356/.448 with 14 homers and 51 RBI in 122 regular-season games. Fry went 8-for-28 (.286) with two homers, a double, and four runs scored in 10 games in October.

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New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back) is expected to miss four to five months after undergoing a cerebrospinal fluid leak repair on his back on Oct. 11, according to the team. While there's enough time for Blackburn to get ready before the start of the 2025 regular season, the Mets probably aren't going to rush him in spring training, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the veteran hurler isn't an option to begin the regular season in New York's starting rotation. The 30-year-old began 2024 with the Oakland Athletics before getting traded to the Big Apple in late July. He was slightly more effective in his nine starts with the A's before the trade, as he went 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA (4.69 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in his five starts over 24 1/3 innings with the Mets while missing time with multiple injuries.

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St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (forearm) is expected to have a regular offseason after he ended the 2024 regular season on the 15-day injured list due to right-forearm flexor tendinitis. The injury only caused Gray to miss his final start of the year. The 34-year-old veteran and three-time All-Star finished his first season with the Cardinals with a 13-9 record, 3.84 ERA (3.12 FIP), a 1.09 WHIP and a 203:39 K:BB in 166 1/3 innings over his 28 starts. It was only the second time in Gray's career that he had 200-plus strikeouts. He was the runner-up for the American League Cy Young in 2023 while pitching with the Minnesota Twins, but he improved to a 30.3% strikeout rate and a career-best 5.8% walk rate in St. Louis. Gray has above-average control, but fantasy managers shouldn't be banking on another 30% strikeout rate in 2025.

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St. Louis Cardinals left-handed reliever JoJo Romero (forearm) is scheduled to start a throwing program this week. Romero was placed on the 15-day injured list in the last week of the regular season due to left-forearm inflammation. With the 28-year-old southpaw already starting a throwing program before the start of the World Series, he'll have plenty of time to rehab this offseason in order to be ready to go for the start of spring training in mid-February. The former fourth-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016 out of Yavapai College made a career-high 65 appearances out of St. Louis' bullpen in 2024 and posted a career-best 3.36 ERA (4.27 FIP), a 1.15 WHIP, one save, a career-high 51 strikeouts and 16 walks in 59 innings pitched. If healthy, he could have another workhorse role in the Cards' bullpen next year.

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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (hand) had surgery to remove a cyst from his hand at the end of the 2024 regular season at the end of September, and it isn't expected to impact his offseason training. Winn is heading into his third MLB season in 2025 after slashing .267/.314/.416 with a .730 OPS, 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 85 runs scored in 637 plate appearances over 150 games played in his first full big-league campaign. The 22-year-old is the future at the position in St. Louis and is a superior athlete with strong bat-to-ball contact skills and a strong arm at shortstop. Winn has superior bat speed as well, but so far early in his career it hasn't led to a ton of power. As he matures, hopefully Winn can provide more power and speed for fantasy managers as he heads into his second full season in MLB.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees, following right-hander Jack Flaherty in Game 1 on Friday. Yamamoto was welcomed rudely to the postseason by the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Oct. 5, when he allowed five earned runs while walking two and striking out one in three innings. But the Japanese hurler bounced back nicely, giving up two earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10 over his next two starts (9 1/3 innings) against the Padres and New York Mets. The 26-year-old tossed seven shutout innings with seven K's against the Yankees in the Bronx back on June 7, but he won't come without some risk against a potent Yankees lineup that is heating up heading into the World Series.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-handed reliever Alex Vesia (ribs) was scheduled to throw to live hitters either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Both Vesia and right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) will be last-minute decisions as far as being included on the World Series roster for Game 1 this Friday at Dodger Stadium. Vesia injured his rib cage warming up in Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres and was removed from the roster for the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets as a result. The 28-year-old southpaw threw three scoreless innings with a walk and four strikeouts in his three playoff appearances before getting hurt. Graterol has been on the injured list since Sept. 26 and is more of a long shot to make the World Series roster than Vesia.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) is confident that he'll be ready to go for Game 1 of the World Series on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees and right-hander Gerrit Cole. Freeman has been held out of several games during the postseason, including the series-clinching Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Sunday, due to an ankle injury that he suffered during the final week of the regular season. The 35-year-old All-Star hasn't played since Game 5 of the NLCS on Oct. 18, so he'll be well-rested for the start of the World Series this weekend. Freeman has hit .219 (7-for-32) with an RBI, walk, steal, one run and six strikeouts in eight playoff starts this October. He's handled Cole well in his career, going 7-for-20 (.350) with a homer, three doubles, two RBI, one walk and seven K's.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty will get the nod to start Game 1 of the World Series on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees. Flaherty will be on a full six days of rest to kick off the World Series against Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole. The 29-year-old has been hit or miss in his three postseason starts for LA this year, tossing seven shutout innings with six strikeouts in the Game 1 win over the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. But in his other two starts, he surrendered 12 earned runs on 13 hits (three homers) while walking five and striking out only two in 8 1/3 innings against the Padres and Mets. Flaherty did not face the Dodgers during the regular season and will be hoping to miss more bats against New York's potent lineup of sluggers. He'll be a high-risk, high-reward DFS play on Friday.

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