MLB Player News

Marlins third baseman Ed Lucas had a bittersweet day Thursday, but the bitter outweighed the sweet.

Hours after being told he made the team, he was hit by a pitch on the left hand. It has since been diagnosed that he sustained a non-displaced fracture.

The injury will result in Donovan Solano, whom Lucas beat out for the job, returning to the major league team and serving in that role, per MLB.com.

The Marlins have dispatched outfielder Jake Marisnick and second baseman Donovan Solano to Triple-A New Orleans and sent shortstops Juan Diaz and Austin Nola, outfielder Matt Angle and pitchers Chris Hatcher and Henry Rodriguez to minor league camp.

The Braves announced Monday they optioned pitcher Ryan Buchter, outfielder Jose Constanza and outfielder Joey Terdoslavich to Triple-A Gwinnett. They also reassigned infielder Tyler Greene and infielder Tommy La Stella to minor-league camp.

The Mets optioned infielder Wilmer Flores to Triple-A Las Vegas, where he will work at shortstop.

"I felt like I played good at short," Flores said of his spring experience, per the New York Daily News. "It took me a game to get comfortable. I was thinking about the position more than just reacting at first. I feel like I got better and I will the more I play there. I will go to Vegas and play some short."

Diamondbacks third baseman Martin Prado is batting cleanup in his team's regular-season opener against the Dodgers in Australia.

Prado made 28 of his 149 starts last season in the No. 4 spot in the order, batting .296/.349/.470 in 115 at-bats from that spot in the lineup. The entire Diamondbacks lineup: CF A.J. Pollock, 2B Aaron Hill, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, 3B Prado, LF Mark Trumbo, C Miguel Montero, SS Chris Owings, RF Gerardo Parra, P Wade Miley.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went 0 for 3 in his return to the lineup Wednesday as the Braves fell to the Yankees, 7-0.

Freeman left Sunday's game early with a left thumb contusion but just needed a few days of rest to get back on the field. "It seems like I hurt that thing every year," Freeman told MLB.com before Wednesday's game. "So it just swells up easier than normal when I get hit there. It's still swelled up a little bit. But I've already gripped a bat and swung it."

Freeman is 12 for 38 with one home run this spring.

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores made his third spring appearance at shortstop Tuesday, and the experiment is expected to continue, a team source told ESPN. Flores will see ample time at short the remainder of the spring and will also get playing time there in April for Triple-A Las Vegas, as the team searches for viable options at the position.

Barring a roster move, Ruben Tejada is expected to open the season as the Mets' starting shortstop, with Omar Quintanilla expected to be the backup shortstop.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who left Sunday's game against the Yankees with a left thumb contusion, said with treatment Monday and Tuesday, he should be ready to play again Wednesday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman left Sunday's spring game against the Yankees due to a left thumb contusion. He suffered the injury after a line drive hit his hand while playing first base.

Freeman entered play Sunday batting .353 (12 for 34) with one home run, two doubles and five RBI in 13 spring games.

Saturday's spring game against the Mets in Las Vegas turned out to be a productive afternoon for Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who parked two home runs in a 9-4 split-squad loss. It was the first homers of the spring for Rizzo, who is batting .417 (10 for 24) with an .833 slugging percentage in nine spring games.

"It's nice to connect with one and run around the bases, and feel what that feels like again," Rizzo said, per MLB.com. "I've just been pleased the last week or so with the progression at the plate and my approach. It's been a good progression and where I want to be at this time."