Basallo went 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI and two runs scored in Friday's Grapefruit League loss to the Phillies.

Basallo missed a couple days with an abdominal issue last month but has been on a tear at the plate this spring, as he's now slashing .320/.414/.560 across 29 trips to the plate. His third-inning home run Friday came off Andrew Painter and left the bat at 105.7 mph. Basallo later added a 108.7 mph bases-clearing, three-run double to center field. The 21-year-old Basallo is expected to see regular at-bats at designated hitter while spelling Adley Rutschman at catcher this season.

Manager Dave Roberts recently said that Rushing will not see playing time in the outfield this season, Aaron Coloma of Dodgers Nation reports.

After GM Brandon Gomes indicated over the winter that Rushing could get outfield reps again this season, Roberts has shut that down. "Outfield is not on the table," Roberts said. Rushing will serve as Will Smith's backup and could get some time at first base if Freddie Freeman needs a day off. It would seem Rushing may only get into a couple games a week to begin the season as a part-time player.

Herrera's (knee) return to Grapefruit League play is considered imminent, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Herrera played in a "B" game Wednesday and has been returning to full workouts as he recovers from inflammation in his knee. The Cardinals could choose to ease him back into games at designated hitter before giving him more reps a catcher, but either way it seems Herrera will be back in the lineup in a day or two. Herrera is 2-for-7 at the plate in limited action so far this spring.

Herrera (knee) got eight plate appearances in a backfields game in Cardinals camp Wednesday, Brian Walton of TheCardinalNation.com reports.

Herrera -- who homered in his first plate appearance Wednesday -- has been slowed recently by knee inflammation. He had hoped to return to Grapefruit League action by now, but his participation in a "B" game suggests that should be coming soon. Herrera is expected to open the season as the Cardinals' primary designated hitter but will also see action at catcher.

Lee could serve as the White Sox's backup catcher to begin the regular season with Kyle Teel (hamstring) sidelined, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The White Sox are planning to only carry two catchers on their Opening Day roster, which would have almost certainly left Lee on the wrong side of the roster bubble. However, with Teel set to miss the start of the regular season, Lee is the favorite to serve as the backup to Edgar Quero for the first few weeks. Drew Romo, in camp on a minor-league deal, is Lee's primary competition.

Quero will serve as the White Sox's starting catcher to begin the regular season with Kyle Teel (hamstring) sidelined, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Quero was originally slated to back up Teel behind the plate while also drawing some at-bats as DH. However, he should now see more consistent playing time at catcher for the first few weeks of the season. If Quero performs well in that span, he could force a more even playing-time split than originally anticipated once Teel returns.

Polanco went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

The 32-year-old took Mike McGreevy deep in the first inning for the Mets' only run of the afternoon. Polanco is adjusting to a new defensive position at first base, but so far it hasn't impacted him at the plate, and through five spring appearances he's gone 4-for-12 with two homers and a 2:4 BB:K.

Diaz (hand) will start at designated hitter and bat leadoff in Friday's Grapefruit League tilt versus the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Diaz missed more than a week of action while nursing a sore left hand, but he upped workouts in recent days to clear the way for his return to action. The 34-year-old is slated to serve as the Rays' primary DH this season and will also see some playing time at first base.

Mountcastle said Friday that his right hand is "all good" and that he should return to the Grapefruit League lineup Saturday against the Pirates, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The veteran first baseman departed Wednesday's contest after being hit by a pitch on the hand, but X-rays came back negative and seems set to rejoin the lineup after a couple days off. Mountcastle was limited to 89 games last season due to a hamstring strain and struggled to a .653 OPS when available. He's looking like the odd man out of Baltimore's lineup in 2026 after the club signed Pete Alonso to take over at first base.

Loftin (thumb) is starting in left field and batting third in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Padres.

Loftin has been sidelined the past couple days due to a jammed thumb, but he's ready to rejoin the lineup Thursday. The 27-year-old is expected to open 2026 in a reserve role for Kansas City after posting a .635 OPS in 67 regular-season games last year.

Olson went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

He took Nick Martinez deep in the first inning, giving Olson his third homer in nine spring games. The 31-year-old first baseman has four 30-homer campaigns in his career and three other seasons with 29, and well as six 90-RBI seasons on his resume, including five straight. While his batting average can waver, Olson remains one of the most reliable power sources in the league.

Pasquantino went 3-for-4 with three solo home runs and a walk Wednesday in Team Italy's 9-1 win over Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

Pasquantino had gone 0-for-12 through Italy's first three WBC games, but his bat woke up in the final game of Pool B. The Royals first baseman's solo blasts in the second, sixth and eighth innings were all the offense that Italy needed to dispatch Mexico and advance to the knockout round of the WBC after going a perfect 4-0 in pool play.

Schneemann was scratched from Friday's Cactus League contest against the Angels due to a right ankle sprain, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Schneemann was scheduled to bat third and start at shortstop for the Guardians. The utility man should be considered day-to-day until the team provides an update. Schneemann slashed .206/.283/.354 with 12 home runs, 41 RBI, 48 runs scored, nine stolen bases and a 38:117 BB:K across 422 plate appearances last season.

Moore is batting just .189 this spring, but he's shown increased exit velocity and less swing-and-miss, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Per Fletcher, Moore ended play Monday with the 11th-highest average exit velocity in the majors this spring, with his 96-mph mark considerably higher than the 89 mph he registered in the majors last season. Despite the lack of results in terms of hits, Moore didn't seem concerned about his bad luck, saying, "Whether it falls or not, I'm not really worried about that right now. I just want to make sure I'm making consistent contact every day and making sure I'm at least catching one barrel a day, and a legit barrel. That's kind of where my focus has been and it's been good so far." It's also promising that Moore has been making decent contact -- his strikeout rate so far this spring is at 22.5 percent after he whiffed at a 33.7 percent clip last year. Moore is battling for the Angels' starting job at second base, with light-hitting journeyman Adam Frazier possibly his greatest competition for the role.

Wagner is dealing with an oblique strain and hasn't done any baseball activity since the beginning of March, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Per Acee, Wagner will "almost certainly" start the season on the injured list. The infielder had been slated to battle for a reserve role during spring training, but he got into only five games before getting hurt, going 0-for-9 with two walks and two strikeouts. Even if Wagner was healthy, his likelihood of making the Opening Day roster had been considered slim.

Kim, who hurt his left hand March 8 while playing for Team Korea during the World Baseball Classic, doesn't seem to be dealing with a serious injury, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Kim suffered the injury while stealing a base and missed Korea's subsequent contest against Australia. However, the infielder/outfielder seems to be fine. Korea's next game takes place Friday against the Dominican Republic, so it bears monitoring whether Kim will be in the lineup for that contest.

The Red Sox placed Gonzalez (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for new lefty reliever Danny Coulombe, who was signed to a one-year deal in a corresponding move. Gonzalez has been sidelined for the entirety of spring training due to shoulder inflammation that will now require a "left shoulder arthroscopic debridement" operation, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. With Gonzalez set to miss at least the first two months of the regular season, Kristian Campbell, Nate Eaton and Andruw Monasterio will be competing for at-bats and playing time.

Ibanez started at second base and went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and an additional RBI in Wednesday's Cactus League win over the Diamondbacks.

Ibanez opened the scoring for the Athletics, driving his first homer of the Cactus League in the second inning off Ryne Nelson. The veteran has put forth strong numbers this spring, slashing .387/.441/.613 with a homer, four doubles and six RBI across 11 appearances. Max Muncy entered spring training as the presumed favorite for the third-base job, but Ibanez's impressive spring showing, coupled with his defensive versatility and track record of hitting left-handed pitching, gives him a compelling case to make the 26-man roster and see regular-season opportunities for the Athletics.

Chapman went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 3-3 Cactus League tie against the White Sox.

Chapman singled in the fourth inning before coming around to score San Francisco's first run, and he also hit an RBI single in the fifth to tie the game at 2-2. The veteran third baseman has appeared in 10 outings this spring, slashing .375/.375/.750 with five RBI, four runs scored, three doubles and two long balls across 24 plate appearances. The 32-year-old was limited to 128 regular-season games in 2025 due to a right hand injury, posting a .231/.340/.430 slash line with 76 runs scored, 61 RBI, 21 home runs and nine stolen bases across 535 plate appearances.

Chaparro went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

The 26-year-old took Tom Cosgrove deep in the fifth inning, giving Chaparro his second homer of the spring. He hasn't exactly impressed in camp, batting .263 (5-for-19) over 10 appearances, but his main competition for the starting job at first base, prospect Abimelec Ortiz, has gone just 2-for-16 with six strikeouts. The biggest threat to Chaparro's job security this season might actually come from Luis Garcia, if the Nationals decide they can no longer live with his glove at second base. Chaparro will also need to improve his own performance to stick around -- in 205 career big-league plate appearances, he's managed just a .203/.268/.358 slash line with five homers.

Monasterio has emerged as the frontrunner for a utility role with Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) placed on the 60-day injured list, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. Monasterio served as the designated hitter Thursday and went 1-for-4 in a spring game against the Twins.

Gonzalez's injury -- he underwent surgery Thursday and was placed on the 60-day IL -- has meant ample opportunity for Monasterio, who was a minor piece in the six-player trade with Milwaukee that brought Caleb Durbin to Boston. Over 10 Grapefruit League games, Monasterio has made appearances at third base, shortstop, first base and DH, going 8-for-23 (.348) with four walks, a double, a home run, five RBI and two stolen bases. Additionally, the latest roster projection from Ian Browne of MLB.com has Monasterio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa making the 26-man roster in utility roles.

Jung (groin) remained out of the Rangers' Cactus League lineup Thursday against the Athletics, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Jung had been targeting Thursday for his return to action after missing the past two weeks with a Grade 1 adductor strain, but he's not quite ready yet. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday of Jung's injury that "it wasn't just progressing like we hoped," but the third baseman could be ready for games in "a couple of days." Schumaker remains "optimistic" about Jung's availability for Opening Day, but the 28-year-old can't afford to be delayed any further.

Marte went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Wednesday's spring game against the Brewers.

Marte led off the second inning with his second Cactus League home run before stroking a two-run double an inning later. In addition to his work at the plate, Marte, who converted from infield to outfield mid-stream in 2025, made a couple of nice plays in the field. It was a promising development for the relatively new right fielder, who had misplayed a ball earlier in the week, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "He's got to be our best right fielder," Reds manager Terry Francona said Wednesday. "We certainly think he's capable. I do think there's some more to show. We've told him that." Cincinnati has a few options in the outfield beyond Marte, who is the frontrunner of a group that includes Will Benson, JJ Bleday and Dane Myers.

Mastrobuoni will return to Mariners camp after suffering a calf injury during Team Italy's win over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The severity of Mastrobuoni's injury will likely be revealed once the Mariners' medical staff gets a chance to look at him. The 30-year-old infielder had been having a strong spring before his injury, going 4-for-15 with a grand slam through seven Cactus League games, and he also went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI with Team Italy.

Lindor (hand) took batting practice on the field Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

It's the first time since Lindor underwent right hamate bone surgery at the start of Mets camp that he went through a full round of batting practice on the field. After BP, Lindor faced fellow rehabber A.J. Minter (lat) in a live batting practice session. It's not clear when Lindor might be cleared to play in games, but everything is pointing toward him being available Opening Day against the Pirates.

The Tigers announced Friday that Sweeney (shoulder) has started his throwing program, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Sweeney is working his way back from a right shoulder strain. After being cleared to start hitting again earlier this week, he's now able to start throwing. It gives Sweeney a chance to be ready for Opening Day in 13 days.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Lawlar will get some looks in the corner outfield before spring training is over, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Lawlar has seen time in center field during Cactus League action, but with Alek Thomas set to return from the World Baseball Classic after Team Mexico was eliminated, that path to playing time will dwindle. Lourdes Gurriel (knee) will be out until at least mid-April, so Lawlar could get opportunities in both center and left field when the regular season opens. He's hit well this spring, posting a .323/.432/.742 slash line with four home runs and six walks over 10 games, and he could add a speed-power dynamic to the bottom third of the order.

Turner went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Toronto.

Turner finally broke out of his spring slump a bit, but he's still gone just 4-for-24 (.167) with a trio of doubles and RBI over nine Grapefruit League contests thus far. It's not yet settled if Turner will open the season batting first or second in Philadelphia's lineup, but he's all set to reprise his role as the Phillies' everyday shortstop in 2026 either way. Last year, the All-Star recorded 36 stolen bases, his most since 2018, while hitting .304 with 15 homers, 69 RBI and 94 runs scored and over 589 regular-season at-bats.

Shaw played first base for the first time in his career during Wednesday's Cactus League contest, and he could be a contingency option there for the Cubs during the regular season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The third baseman is adding to his defensive acumen in an effort to grow into more of a super-utility role for the Cubs, though he had to borrow Carson Kelly's first baseman's glove to try out the new position Wednesday. With Tyler Austin (knee) set to miss a few months, Chicago is looking for added versatility off the bench, and Shaw would give the Cubs some depth behind starter Michael Busch if he can hold his own at first. Shaw almost exclusively played third base as a rookie last year, with a handful of appearances at second, but he's already played in right field, center field and now first so far this spring. It seems like the 24-year-old could play regularly for the Cubs across the diamond in 2026 even without a regular starting position.

Baldwin was diagnosed with right elbow inflammation Thursday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Baldwin underwent imaging after he felt soreness throwing to the bases recently, and he figures to be shut down for at least the next few days. Baldwin is expected to fill a utility role for the White Sox this season after posting a .697 OPS across 328 plate appearances during the 2025 campaign.

Dunn (knee) will start in right field and bat out of the leadoff spot for Friday's Cactus League game against the Giants, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

Dunn had been sidelined due to a low-grade knee strain, but the 27-year-old has been cleared to return to action Friday and will take Dane Myers' spot in the lineup after latter was scratched due to an illness. Across 10 spring games, Dunn has gone 3-for-17 with one home run and four RBI as he attempts to make the Reds' Opening Day roster for a second consecutive year.

Myers was scratched from the Reds' lineup against the Giants in Friday's Cactus League game due to an illness, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

With Myers removed from Friday's lineup, Noelvi Marte will shift over to center field while Blake Dunn (knee) starts in right field and bats in the leadoff spot. Myers has appeared in 10 Cactus League games for the Reds and has gone 7-for-20 with nine walks, three doubles, one home run and five RBI.

Moniak (illness) is starting at designated hitter and batting third in Friday's Cactus League game versus the Rangers.

Moniak was unavailable for a few days because he was under the weather, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go Friday. The 27-year-old has had an excellent spring for the Rockies, going 5-for-15 with two home runs, one stolen base and a 4:3 BB:K. Moniak is slated for regular work at least against right-handed pitching this season.

Cabrera (ankle) is starting in right field and batting sixth in Friday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.

Cabrera made his spring debut last week, which was his first game action since undergoing surgery to repair a fracture and ligament damage to his left ankle last May. He's gone 0-for-4 with a walk in his three Grapefruit League games thus far. Cabrera is competing for a bench role on New York's Opening Day roster.

Palacios (back) will start at third base and bat eighth in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Palacios is ready to roll after missing a week-plus of action with back tightness. The 28-year-old is 2-for-15 at the dish so far this spring and is projected for a utility role this season in Tampa Bay.

Gurriel (knee) could return to game action by mid-April, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel is pushing to be ready by Opening Day, and an appearance in a Cactus League game as a designated hitter is still on the table, per Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. While Gurriel may be hoping to play Opening Day, comments made earlier this spring by manager Torey Lovullo suggest the team will take a more cautious approach with his recovery from September knee surgery.

The Nationals optioned Parker to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

Parker lost his spot in the Nationals' rotation last season and didn't do enough this spring to get it back, collecting an uninspiring 3:5 K:BB over 3.2 innings during Grapefruit League action. The left-hander should open the season in the rotation at Rochester as he awaits another opportunity with the big club.

Woodruff (lat) said Friday that his status for Opening Day remains "up in the air," Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Woodruff threw two innings in his Cactus League debut last weekend and tossed four frames in a simulated game Friday. The right-hander has been brought along slowly in Brewers camp after ending last season with a right lat strain, and while he's considered healthy, the buildup could continue after Opening Day. Woodruff also said that "maybe the majority" of his starts this season will be on five days' rest or more, and his "main goal" remains being healthy at the end of the season.

Winn allowed one hit and struck out one across one scoreless inning in Thursday's 3-3 Cactus League tie against the White Sox.

Winn entered in the sixth inning, throwing 10 of his 12 pitches for strikes while allowing just one single. The right-hander struggled at Triple-A Sacramento last season and made only seven appearances for the Giants, recording a 4.50 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 9:2 K:BB across 10 innings in the majors. The competition for bullpen spots in San Francisco is wide open, and even if Winn doesn't make the Opening Day roster, he could emerge as a call-up candidate later in the campaign. Through five Cactus League outings this spring, he has allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out six in 6.1 innings.

Manager Joe Espada said Friday that Javier (personal) will return to the Astros on Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Javier left the team Wednesday to tend to a personal matter. The right-hander will turn 29 years old on Opening Day, and this will be his first fully healthy season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of 2024. Across eight starts last regular season, Javier logged a 4.62 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 34:15 K:BB over 37 innings. He's expected to follow Hunter Brown and Tatsuya Imai in the rotation.

Waldichuk gave up two hits and struck out six without walking anyone over 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

The 28-year-old southpaw still got to face some quality big-league hitters after he entered the game to begin the bottom of the fifth inning -- he struck out Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker back-to-back in the sixth -- and Waldichuk built up to 41 pitches (28 strikes) before exiting. Waldichuk was once a promising Yankees prospect many years and injuries ago, and after being a waiver claim by the Nationals in early February, he's posted a 1.35 ERA and 8:3 K:BB over 6.2 spring frames. Washington's Opening Day rotation seems set after the Zack Littell signing, but Waldichuk might be putting himself forward as a long relief candidate in the big-league bullpen. More likely, he'll be optioned to Triple-A Rochester and stay stretched out to be on call in case injuries hit the starting staff.

Suarez might end up beginning the season on the 26-man roster as Atlanta navigates playing 13 games in 13 days to open its schedule, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

While the team is expected to use a six-man rotation during that 13-day slog, that sixth starter -- likely to be Martin Perez, but with prospects JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes also in the mix -- could be called up early in the season rather than being on the Opening Day roster. In that scenario, Suarez could stick instead as a versatile arm capable of starting or relieving who is also out of minor-league options, with Atlanta then re-evaluating his place on the staff in early April. The 28-year-old southpaw made seven appearances (one start) for Atlanta in 2025, producing a 1.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 16:10 K:BB over 19.1 innings.

The Nationals optioned Eder to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

Eder has pitched 6.2 frames this spring in Grapefruit League play, yielding four runs (two earned) with a 6:6 K:BB. The left-hander will likely be part of Rochester's rotation to begin the season, but all nine of his big-league appearances have been out of the bullpen. He could fill either role with the Nationals when called upon.

Leclerc (lat) threw a bullpen session Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Leclerc is currently a free agent and is working his way back from shoulder surgery after being diagnosed with a lat strain last April. The 32-year-old is still tracking for a July return, according to Heyman. Leclerc was very effective in relief with the Rangers from 2022-24 and should draw interest once healthy.

Holmes struck out nine and walked one over five scoreless, no-hit innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

The right-hander built up to 64 pitches (41 strikes) as he dominated a Pittsburgh lineup that featured most of its likely Opening Day starters, including Bryan Reynolds, Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna. Holmes has yet to allow an earned run this spring, posting a 16:6 K:BB through 12.1 innings, and he's locked into an Opening Day rotation spot due to injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Hurston Waldrep (elbow) and Joey Wentz (knee).

The Rangers designated Diaz for assignment Friday.

Diaz entered spring training with a chance at winning Texas' closer job, but he was shelled this spring, allowing eight earned runs on three hits and four walks across 1.2 innings of work spanning three relief appearances. He faced 13 batters and retired just five, striking out one. With Diaz out of the picture, Robert Garcia and Chris Martin are the favorites for saves for the Rangers.

Sborz allowed two runs on three hits and one walk over one inning in Thursday's spring game against the Athletics.

Sborz allowed runs for the first time in five Cactus League relief appearances, which bodes well for the non-roster invitee's hopes of making the roster. After not pitching in 2025 following a shoulder procedure, Sborz worked hard during the offseason to re-establish the velocity he showed when pitching for the Rangers from 2021-24, when he typically sat between 95 and 97 mph. On Thursday, his four-seamer averaged 94.1 mph, the highest it's been this spring.

Hendriks (elbow) threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout Thursday and has a 2.25 ERA and 2:2 K:BB ratio in four innings this spring. He averaged 93.6 mph on the six fastballs he threw during the outing.

Hendriks has looked healthy this spring but his velocity is down from a 94.9-mph average fastball in 2025 and 95.4 mph in 2023. It's not clear if Hendriks will even make the Opening Day roster at this point, but he's still potentially in the closer mix. The signs for Hendriks are encouraging after undergoing right elbow ulnar nerve transposition with posterior interosseous nerve release surgery in September.

Ohtani threw a four-inning, 59-pitch live batting-practice session against Team Japan during the team's workout Thursday, David Adler of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani isn't expected to pitch during the World Baseball Classic, but he continues to get in work on the mound while with Japan for the tournament. Per Adler, Ohtani faced 18 hitters Thursday and struck out seven of them over his four simulated innings. Though Ohtani's time away from the Dodgers -- and concurrent break from pitching in games -- may impact his pitch counts to a small degree in the early stages of the regular season, the two-way star is fully expected to open the campaign in the Dodgers' rotation.

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a solo home run Monday in a Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates.

Stanton opened the scoring with a 424-foot cannon to left-center field in the second inning. The veteran slugger didn't make his spring debut until March 3, as the Yankees decided to ease him into action. Stanton has gone 2-for-8 with three strikeouts so far during the exhibition slate. He's probably going to spend most of his time at DH this year, but by playing 20 games in the outfield in 2025, he's eligible at that position in most fantasy leagues.

McCutchen started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Monday's spring game against San Diego.

McCutchen stepped on the field for the first time since signing a minor-league deal with the Rangers last week. The 39-year-old has a little more than two weeks to show decision-makers that he can still make an impact. The early results were hopeful, as McCutchen's two batted-ball events clocked in at more than 100 mph. Designated hitter would appear to be his best shot at hooking on with the club, as the right-handed complement to Joc Pederson.

Buxton (elbow) will start in center field and bat eighth in Monday's World Baseball Classic game versus Team Mexico.

Buxton was pulled from Friday's contest versus Team Brazil after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch. He did not play Saturday against Team Great Britain, but Buxton is fine and ready to roll for Monday's tilt.

Pederson, who will start at first base and bat second in Monday's game against the Padres, has gone 4-for-17 with one walk and four strikeouts through his first eight Cactus League contests.

Coming off a rough first season with Texas in which he posted a career-low .614 OPS over 305 plate appearances, Pederson decided against becoming a free agent over the winter and picked up his $18.5 million player option to remain with the Rangers for 2026, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. While Pederson is likely to maintain a regular spot in the lineup as the Rangers' primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching, he hasn't shown many early signs of reclaiming the power production that eluded him in 2025. All four of his hits so far in spring training have been singles.

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said Friday following his team's 15-5 win over Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic that Buxton (elbow) is "feeling fine" after being hit by a pitch in the top of the fifth inning, Ryan Kelapire of MLB.com reports.

Buxton was replaced by Pete Crow-Armstrong after the former took a pitch to his right forearm, but DeRosa relayed that Buxton's removal was precautionary. X-rays on Buxton's forearm came back negative, and while he isn't in Team USA's starting lineup for Saturday's game against Great Britain, the 32-year-old center fielder isn't expected to miss significant time.