MLB Player News

Smith is expected to see his first game action of the spring Thursday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The 25-year-old will ease in as the DH before taking the field defensively Saturday. Smith will likely spend most of his time in left field during Grapefruit League action, as the Mets feel the stress fracture he suffered in his foot in 2019 was a result of moving back and forth between first base and the outfield. "This time, we want him to spend more time in left," manager Luis Rojas said Wednesday. "We'll gradually put him in the spot where he can start coming into games. Doing his drills and then he's gonna get to play on the field later." Over the last two seasons, Smith has posted a dynamic .299/.366/.571 slash line through 139 games with 21 homers, so finding a regular spot for him in the lineup will be a priority for the club in camp.

Hoskins (elbow) will make his spring debut Thursday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Hoskins has not taken the field since being cleared to play in late February, but he is set to do just that Thursday. While he will serve as the designated hitter, he will get a chance to get in his first at-bats of the spring. Barring any issues, Hoskins will have plenty of time to get up to full speed before Opening Day.

Walker went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in Wednesday's spring game against the Indians.

Walker slid back slightly in 2020 after a breakout 2019 season, but he should get plenty of plate appearances in 2021 as Arizona's starter at first base.

Rizzo went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners.

Rizzo hit his first spring home run, joining Joc Pederson in slugging a two-run shot for Chicago. The 31-year-old first baseman had his $16.5 million team option picked up during the offseason, and he'll look to bounce back this year after posting a .756 OPS in 2020, his worst mark since 2013.

Calhoun underwent a successful partial medial meniscectomy surgery on his right knee Wednesday, Jody Jackson of FOX Sports Arizona reports.

Calhoun was diagnosed with a torn meniscus Tuesday after battling right knee inflammation during camp, and he had part of his meniscus removed during his successful procedure Wednesday. A timetable for his return isn't yet known, although it's unlikely the 33-year-old will be able to recover in time for Opening Day.

Calhoun will undergo a right knee medial meniscectomy Wednesday to address a torn meniscus, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

The 33-year-old has been battling inflammation in his right knee, and after undergoing an MRI on Tuesday that resulted in the torn meniscus being diagnosed, he'll quickly go under the knife. The Diamondbacks have yet to provide an official recovery timetable, but 4-to-6 weeks is a reasonable expectation until we know more. With that in mind, Calhoun likely will be sidelined for Opening Day, though the specifics may remain hazy until the team provides another update on his status.

Calhoun will have surgery on his right knee Wednesday, although the team does not yet have a public diagnosis, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

He went for an MRI on Tuesday after dealing with right knee inflammation, and the tests obviously returned something that required a procedure. This could range from a season-ender to a cleanup that may allow Calhoun to return sometime this summer. Daulton Varsho, Josh Rojas, Tim Locastro and Josh VanMeter are all options to pick up the slack in Calhoun's absence.

Calhoun has been dealing with right knee inflammation since the offseason and went for an MRI on Tuesday, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

Calhoun still has time to be ready for Opening Day if the MRI reveals nothing serious, but even a shutdown of just a week or two could threaten his readiness for the start of the season, which is now less than a month away. The veteran is coming off a strong season that saw him finish tied for seventh in the league with 16 homers, so losing him would be a blow to the Diamondbacks. Tim Locastro or Josh VanMeter could step into bigger roles if Calhoun's forced to miss time.

Freeman said Tuesday that he's tentatively planning on opening the 2021 season as the Braves' No. 3 hitter, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Freeman started out last season in the three hole, but he ultimately moved into the No. 2 spot for his final 17 starts of the abbreviated campaign. The first baseman posted a monstrous 1.202 OPS as the No. 2 hitter compared to a .982 OPS batting third, but that difference can probably be chalked up to a small sample of plate appearances more than anything else. Whatever spot he occupies, Freeman should be an elite source of counting stats in a potent Braves lineup while also giving fantasy managers a solid foundation in both batting average and on-base percentage. Like many established stars around the league, Freeman is being eased into game action this spring, with his Grapefruit League debut coming Friday against the Twins, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.

Blandino is also in the picture among those competing for the Reds' starting shortstop job, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Blandino, who remained at the Reds' alternate training site in 2020, profiles as a utility infielder if he makes the team. The 28-year old from Stanford University hasn't hit for much power as a pro, but at least has a decent batting eye. It's revealing that the Reds never turned to him as an alternative last season despite getting so little production from their shortstops.