STARTING PITCHERS

Zack Wheeler · SP · Philadelphia Phillies · Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Surgery (Sept. 23) · ETA: Mid-April · 🟢 ON TRACK
The most encouraging arm on this list. Wheeler made his first rehab start March 28 for Triple-A Lehigh Valley — three scoreless innings, three strikeouts, 38 pitches, fastball sitting 93.3 and touching 94.3 mph. Manager Rob Thomson confirmed a full three-start rehab schedule: Triple-A Durham on April 3, Double-A Reading the following week, then a decision on whether he needs a fourth. If three starts do it, he’s back as early as April 13. Four starts pushes it to April 18. The Phillies said they’re confident he’ll return not just on time but at ace-caliber form. Given that his thoracic outlet procedure involved a blood clot rather than the more damaging nerve variant, and that his velocity is already within a few ticks of normal, that confidence appears warranted.

Spencer Strider · SP · Atlanta Braves · Left Oblique Strain · ETA: Early-to-Mid April · 🟡 PROMISING BUT WATCH
Strider was placed on the IL retroactive to March 22 — eligible to return April 6, though that’s likely aggressive. Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman: “Reports continue to be promising regarding his oblique. There’s a chance he misses just a turn or two.” He’s expected to throw a live bullpen session during the Braves’ upcoming road trip as his next progression step. The good news: it’s an oblique, not his arm, which matters a great deal for a pitcher who spent 2024-25 recovering from Tommy John surgery. The bad news: obliques are notoriously slow to trust, and for a pitcher whose velocity and stuff still haven’t fully returned to pre-surgery levels, any setback here compounds an already fragile recovery arc. The Braves’ rotation is wrecked — Schwellenbach and Waldrep are out until summer — so Atlanta needs him back and healthy badly. Hold in all formats, but monitor the bullpen session reports closely.

Carlos Rodón · SP · New York Yankees · Left Elbow Surgery (loose bodies removed) · ETA: Late April / Early May · 🟡 PROGRESSING
Rodón threw a 50-pitch live bullpen session on March 29 and manager Aaron Boone said he “expects Rodón back before the end of April.” Next step: minor league rehab assignment to build pitch count back up. He had bone spurs and loose bodies removed last October after posting a career-best 3.09 ERA in 2025. This is the cleaner of the two elbow procedures — not a UCL issue, just cleanup — and his arm was healthy all of last season. The Yankees placed him on the 15-day IL rather than 60-day, signaling confidence in the timeline. With Max Fried anchoring the rotation, New York has the luxury of not rushing him. Late April feels realistic; early May is the safe floor.

Merrill Kelly · SP · Arizona Diamondbacks · Left Intercostal Nerve Inflammation · ETA: Mid-April · 🟢 ON TRACK
Kelly got a late start to his spring build-up due to nerve issues in his back but has already made two spring training appearances. His first Triple-A Reno rehab start is scheduled for this Friday (April 3), which puts him on track to rejoin the Diamondbacks rotation around mid-April — likely replacing Michael Soroka or Brandon Pfaadt when he returns. No reports of setbacks. Nerve inflammation in the intercostal area typically clears cleanly once the build-up resumes, and given Kelly’s durability track record (3.52 ERA in 2025 in 32 starts), there’s no reason for alarm here. This is a pitcher being managed carefully through a brief early absence, not a red flag situation.

Nick Lodolo · SP · Cincinnati Reds · Finger Blister · ETA: Early April · 🟢 NEARLY THERE
Lodolo’s spring tune-up was cut short after ten pitches with a blister on his left ring finger. He threw a bullpen session March 29 and is scheduled to make a rehab start with Class-A Daytona on April 2, putting him on track to return to Cincinnati’s rotation as early as April 7 in Miami — per NBC Sports. Manager Terry Francona confirmed the blister is resolved. The elevated risk here isn’t the injury itself, it’s the history: Lodolo has missed multiple weeks in each of the last two seasons with blister problems, which makes this something to note but not panic over. He had a career-best 3.33 ERA in a career-high 156 innings last year. If the blister has truly healed, he should slot back in cleanly.

Jacob deGrom · SP · Texas Rangers · Neck Stiffness · ETA: Next Start (this week) · 🟢 LIKELY A NON-ISSUE
deGrom was scratched from his scheduled March 28 start with neck stiffness after a bad night of sleep. He told reporters his neck feels “much better” the following morning, played catch from 120 feet on March 30, and threw a bullpen session that same day to determine next steps. The Rangers expect him in their Baltimore series this week barring any setback. He finished 2025 with a 2.97 ERA in 30 starts — his first fully healthy season since 2019 — and this appears to be exactly what it sounds like: a cranky neck after a bad sleep, not a structural issue. Frankly, the more relevant observation is that deGrom at 37 is still an SP1 when right. His next start will speak louder than the scratch did.

Trey Yesavage · SP · Toronto Blue Jays · Right Shoulder Impingement · ETA: Mid-to-Late April · 🟡 BUILDING BACK UP
The 22-year-old Blue Jays pitching prospect reported to camp with shoulder impingement, was held off a mound through the spring, and is now throwing in minor league games. As of March 30 he is targeting a three-inning simulated game Friday at approximately 45 pitches — his first significant step toward activation. The Jays said he’ll likely need one or two tune-up starts in the minors before joining the big-league rotation. His return became more urgent after Cody Ponce exited his first start with right knee discomfort. Mid-to-late April appears realistic. His 2025 debut with Toronto was electric and he’s been pegged as one of the AL’s better young arms — the shoulder impingement appears minor structurally, just requiring ramp-up time.

Bryce Miller · SP · Seattle Mariners · Oblique Strain · ETA: Mid-to-Late April · 🟡 WATCH THE NEXT BULLPEN
Miller threw a 30-pitch bullpen session in mid-March and was expected to open the season on the IL. Pitcher List’s analysis noted this was “a good sign for a mid-to-late April return.” No significant updates have followed, suggesting he’s progressing without setbacks — the quieter the news, the better on oblique injuries. He’ll need to ramp up pitch count before a rehab start. The Mariners have rotation depth (Logan Gilbert is their ace, Luis Castillo follows), so there’s no urgency to rush him. Mid-April is optimistic; late April is the safer window.

José Berríos · SP/RP · Toronto Blue Jays · Right Elbow Stress Fracture · ETA: Late April / May · 🟡 BULLPEN SESSION THIS WEEK
Note: Berríos is listed as a starter but Blue Jays may manage him carefully on return. He was placed on the 15-day IL with an elbow stress fracture suffered at the end of spring training. As of March 30 he and Bieber are both scheduled for bullpen sessions this week — the first meaningful step. Both will need multiple rehab assignment starts before activation. “They will need to build up their pitch counts,” per the team. Berríos has pitched through discomfort before and this is just the second IL stint of his career. Late April at the earliest; May is more likely given the need for a full rehab progression.

Shane Bieber · SP · Toronto Blue Jays · Right Elbow Inflammation (post-TJ forearm fatigue) · ETA: May · 🔴 PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY
Bieber hasn’t thrown off a mound yet after experiencing forearm fatigue throughout the offseason following his 2024 Tommy John surgery. He’s set for a bullpen session this week alongside Berríos. The concern is the forearm fatigue as a symptom — it’s the exact warning sign that preceded his original UCL tear. The Blue Jays are proceeding cautiously, which is the right call. Until he actually throws off a mound, returns to full velocity, and completes a rehab progression, May is the realistic target at best. Fantasy managers in keeper leagues should hold, but don’t count on any contribution before mid-May.

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RELIEF PITCHERS

Josh Hader · RP · Houston Astros · Left Biceps Tendinitis · ETA: Early May · 🟡 BULLPEN DONE, LIVE HITTERS NEXT
Hader threw a bullpen session March 28 and is aiming to face live hitters in mid-April. After that, the Astros will need him to complete several minor league rehab appearances before activation — the ideal timeline has him pitching for Houston by early May, per NBC Sports. Bryan Abreu is firmly locked in as the Astros’ closer in the interim and is performing well. Biceps tendinitis in a reliever can be a slow burn issue, but Hader’s stuff was elite as recently as late 2025 and there’s no structural damage reported. His fantasy value is fully intact on return. Start filling that IR slot now and hold.

Bennett Sousa · RP · Houston Astros · Grade 1 Left Oblique Strain · ETA: Mid-April · 🟢 MINIMAL CONCERN
Per Fantrax, Sousa’s oblique strain was confirmed as Grade 1 — the mildest classification — and he shouldn’t miss much more than the required 15-day IL minimum. The Astros don’t rely on him as a primary closer, so his fantasy utility is limited, but in deep leagues where leverage relievers matter, he’s worth noting as a quick return. Grade 1 obliques tend to resolve cleanly with standard rest and shouldn’t linger.

Andrew Kittredge · RP · Baltimore Orioles · Shoulder Inflammation · ETA: Mid-April · 🟡 STANDARD PROGRESS
Kittredge is targeting a mid-April return after shoulder inflammation landed him on the IL. Per TotalProSports, he is on a “similar track” to Jackson Holliday, with mid-April as the stated goal. He’s not a fantasy closer for Baltimore, but he’s a proven high-leverage arm and his return strengthens a bullpen that currently features Ryan Helsley as the primary late-inning option. Worth monitoring in deeper formats, especially if the Orioles bullpen experiences further strain.

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Sources: MLB.com, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, Fox Sports, Fantrax, Pitcher List, Yardbarker, On Pattison, New Baseball Media, Athlon Sports, Atlanta News First. All updates through March 31, 2026.