Steer (shoulder) took swings in a batting cage Wednesday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

This was the first time Steer had a bat in his hand since getting a cortisone shot in his right shoulder March 1. He took flips in the cage before heading to the weight room. The next step is to see how the 27-year-old infielder/outfielder responds to the activity. Steer believes he can still get ready for the regular season, but in the words of manager Terry Francona, "we want his shoulder to tell us that - not Opening Day."

Mervis went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's split-squad game against the Nationals.

His second-inning shot off Mitchell Parker was the second homer of the spring in eight appearances for Mervis. The 26-year-old slugger has made some loud contact in camp, batting .292 (7-for-24) with two doubles in addition to his long balls, but his 1:9 BB:K suggests he still needs to make more frequent contact to be a trustworthy fantasy asset -- he has a career 31.7 percent strikeout rate in 126 big-league PAs.

Steer (shoulder) received positive results after being re-examined by the team's medical staff Saturday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Steer was examined for the first time since receiving a cortisone injection in his right shoulder. Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said Sunday that he'll work on range-of-motion activities and estimated Steer should progress to hitting off a tee by mid-week.

Mervis believes he has corrected some bad habits that developed in his swing mechanics and his approach last season, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports. "Last year, I think I just tried to prove that I deserved to be [in the majors] and got out of my approach, swung it some bad pitches. I would say [my struggles were] more things that I could control," Mervis said this week.

The numbers bear out that assessment, as Mervis' 55.1 percent swing rate with the Cubs in 2024 was almost five points higher than it had been the season before. The 26-year-old also dealt with a fractured hamate bone in his hand that cost him about six weeks while with Triple-A Iowa. Acquired by the Marlins this offseason in a trade, Mervis appears to be locked into a spot on the 26-man roster following Saturday's optioning of prospect Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville. Mervis should serve on the strong side of a platoon at first base with Jonah Bride while also seeing time at DH, and the confidence that comes with not feeling like he's fighting for a job could help him regain the form that saw him slash .287/.394/.555 and slug 37 homers over 157 games for Iowa in the 2022-23 seasons. He's looked good so far this spring, going 6-for-20 (.300) with two doubles and a homer in seven Grapefruit League appearances.

The Mets optioned Young to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.

Young joined the Mets on a big-league deal over the winter after he split the 2024 season between Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals organization and the Korea Baseball Organization's Doosan Bears. Though Young produced at a high level with both clubs, he struggled in his brief exposure to MLB pitching during his time with the Cubs in 2022 and 2023, slashing .210/.290/.435 with a 29 percent strikeout rate over 69 plate appearances. The 29-year-old has some experience in the corner outfield and at third base, but since he profiles best defensively at first base, he may not be in line for much action with the Mets unless Pete Alonso misses time with an injury.

Lamb (quadricep) will serve as the Giants' designated hitter and No. 5 batter in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Cubs.

Before striking out in his lone at-bat as a reserve DH in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Royals, Lamb hadn't played since Feb. 27 while managing a left quad strain. He hasn't resumed playing defense, but his presence in the starting lineup Sunday suggests the quad injury isn't anything that will make or break his chances of winning a spot on the Opening Day roster. Lamb is attending Giants camp as a non-roster invitee after signing a minor-league deal in January.

Horwitz (wrist) was cleared to begin hitting off a tee Sunday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The 27-year-old is about a month removed from undergoing surgery on his right wrist and continues ramping up his hitting program. Horwitz was given an initial recovery timeline of 6-to-8 weeks and appears likely to be sidelined for Opening Day, but he may not miss much of the regular season.

Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's spring game against Arizona.

Encarnacion-Strand took advantage of a Jordan Montgomery fastball that stayed up for his third Cactus League homer. Coming back from a wrist injury that limited him to 29 games in 2024, Encarnacion-Strand appears healthy in camp. He's mainly batted in the lower half of the order this spring, but he could provide a middle-of-the-order presence if he continues to mash. Capable of playing both corner infield spots, Encarnacion-Strand has started mostly at first base and is looking like the favorite to win the job. His cause is aided by the shoulder injury to Spencer Steer, who may open the regular season on the IL.

Naylor went 1-for-2 with a walk in Saturday's split-squad game against the Athletics.

After going hitless in his Cactus League debut, Naylor has hit in eight consecutive games and is 11-for-24 (.458) with four doubles and three RBI on the spring. He may not be able to replicate the defense of three-time Gold Glove winner Christian Walker, Arizona's starting first baseman in 2024, but Naylor's bat is expected to replace the production lost when Walker signed with Houston this offseason.

The Giants reassigned Eldridge to minor-league camp Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

He was one of a host of cuts the Giants made Wednesday. Eldridge managed to make it all the way to Triple-A Sacramento in 2024 as a 19-year-old (he's 20 now), so he's just a step away from the big leagues. However, it's not a surprise that he's a relatively early cut from major-league camp, as the top prospect could still use a little development. A debut at some point in 2025 is in play for Eldridge.