MLB Player News

Through 11 Grapefruit League games, Freeman has gone 3-for-23 with three singles and a 6:7 BB:K.

Freeman's 24.1 percent strikeout rate so far this spring is well above his marks from any of the past four seasons, but at this point, the sample is probably too small for fantasy managers to alter expectations for him as Opening Day approaches. The 31-year-old overcame a bout with COVID-19 last summer to take home MVP honors in 2020, so he's probably deserving of some benefit of the doubt for his lackluster start to the spring. Projected to hit third in an Atlanta lineup teeming with talent, Freeman looks to be a fairly safe foundational pick in the first two rounds of fantasy drafts.

Votto (COVID-19) has returned to the Reds training camp in Arizona, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Votto has less than two weeks to ramp back up and be ready for Opening Day. According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, the 37-year-old officially remains on the COVID-19 injured list, but he can still appear in spring games before being activated. The Reds have used a wide variety of players at first base in Votto's absence, including Kyle Farmer, Cheslor Cuthbert and Alex Blandino.

Bell is slashing .367/.457/.900 through 30 Grapefruit League at-bats with a team-high four home runs and a 5:7 BB:K.

He's also added four doubles, and he's catching fire as Opening Day approaches, going yard in each of his last three games. Bell had a disappointing final year in Pittsburgh, but if he can return to his 2019 form in his first campaign with Washington, he could take a run at the 116 RBI he recorded that season with Trea Turner (career .353 OBP) and Juan Soto (career .415 OBP) ahead of him in the batting order.

Smith (wrist) will bat third and play left field Sunday against the Nationals.

Smith had been out of action since being scratched Wednesday due to wrist soreness. The issue never appeared to be particularly serious, however, and he still has plenty of time to get up to game speed by Opening Day.

Cron's contract was selected by the Rockies on Saturday.

Cron joined the Rockies on merely a minor-league deal this winter, but he always seemed likely to win the starting job at first base given the team's uninspiring alternatives. He needed to prove his health following August knee surgery, and he's done that this spring, hitting .324/.343/.618 through 12 games. Cron has averaged 27.4 homers per 600 plate appearances thus far in his career and could certainly surpass that mark this season with an everyday role in the league's most hitter-friendly park.

Smith (wrist) will start in left field during Sunday's spring game against the Nationals, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

Smith took at-bats during Saturday's simulated game, and he'll be able to play left field against Washington on Sunday. It's unlikely that Smith's brief absence will impact his availability for Opening Day.

Smith (wrist) took at-bats during Saturday's simulated game, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Smith took batting practice Friday and was able to progress to a sim game Saturday. The 25-year-old has been slowed by right wrist soreness since Wednesday but hasn't been too concerned about the issue and could return to the Grapefruit League lineup as early as Sunday.

Calhoun (knee) will take a regular batting practice Sunday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Calhoun underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus earlier in March and is expected to open the season on the injured list. While he's been unavailable, several candidates have rotated in at right field. On Friday, it was Tim Locastro's turn. Prior to that, Pavin Smith, Trayce Thompson and Daulton Varsho made starts in right field.

Walker went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base in Friday's spring game against the Brewers.

The blast was Walker's fourth in 27 spring at-bats, an encouraging sign for the first baseman who had just seven long balls over 218 at-bats in 2020. "It builds confidence," Walker told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. "Because I'm not going up there thinking, 'Got to hit the ball in the air. Got to hit a homer.' I'm trusting some adjustments I made this offseason and trusting that that's going to be the result." Walker has been durable since becoming a regular in 2019, missing just 13 games the last two seasons.

Higgins got a step closer to securing the backup catcher role with the Cubs reassigning Jose Lobaton to minor-league camp Friday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Austin Romine (knee) should eventually become the backup to Willson Contreras, but he looks questionable for Opening Day, so Higgins may get the first crack at the role. The 27-year-old has yet to appear in the majors and likely wouldn't earn enough playing time to be much of a fantasy factor if Contreras stays healthy.