MLB Player News

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."

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 1 for 4 and hit his first home run of spring training ni Friday's 6-5 loss to the Pirates.

Howard entered the game just 6 for 30 with two doubles, three walks and 13 strikeouts, and while he did send his first ball over the outfield fence, he also struck out two more times. He has had trouble staying on the field the last two seasons.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is working on hitting to the opposite field, and thus far the results have been positive.

Entering Tuesday's spring game against the Braves, Howard has put the ball in play 13 times this spring. Nine times he hit to left or center field, per MLB.com. Only four times -- 30.8 percent -- has he pulled the baseball. Last year, according to Baseball-Reference.com, he pulled the baseball 40.3 percent of the time.

"I've never been a pull hitter. But my biggest problem was trying to pull the ball. Now I'm trying to work back to what my strength is," Howard said. "I'm trying to work the middle of the field. That's the goal. It's all about timing. It's all about rhythm."

It seems getting back to what Howard did best in the past could help him revive his career.

"He's much better when he uses the whole field," a longtime NL scout said. "When he came up, he was very good at going the other way. And it's really what made him into a top-flight player. Then he got very pull-happy. First, it makes him much easier to defend. And, secondly, it's affected his mindset. So he's getting back to his roots, basically. When he first came up, that's what he did a lot. He's getting back to that, which is good for him, and obviously good for the team."

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores will get the start at shortstop Tuesday, according to ESPN.

Flores hasn't played the position since 2011, but the team wants to give him a shot during camp. While there's a chance he could displace Ruben Tejada at the position, Flores will likely begin the year in the minors. Flores has played short in the late innings during the spring, but this will be his first start at the position.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt returned to action as a designated hitter on Saturday against the Angels.

Goldschmidt, who had been dealing with leg tightness, doubled in a run in the third inning for his only hit of the day. He finished 1 for 4 in a 5-2 win. He is hitting .238/.360/.333 with four RBI over his first 21 at-bats.