MLB Player News

Smith will only play first base this spring, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Smith played 13 games in left field last season as the Mets attempted to find ways to get him playing time. At the moment, though, his bat isn't good enough to play anywhere, let alone first base, as he's hit just .210/.259/.406 in 105 major-league games. With Peter Alonso about to arrive, Smith doesn't appear to have an obvious place in the short term or long term with the Mets.

Votto spent the offseason analyzing his swing to find out why his power dropped off, and believes that the issue was mechanical and not a matter of physical strength, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "I thought there was something in my swing, the angle as it came through the zone," Votto said. "A lot of my hard-hit balls were poorly directed. I think it was very much a mechanics thing and not a physical thing."

Votto has a reputation for having a sterling work ethic and an ability to diagnose his swing issues. He's gotten off to slow starts in recent years and is redoubling his efforts to overcome that shortcoming. With an NFBC ADP of 73, he's as affordable as ever this season.

Alonso will be given a chance to earn an Opening Day roster spot, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Alonso looked big-league ready last season after hitting .285/.395/.579 across the two highest levels of the minors, but the Mets didn't give him a September call-up, presumably to secure an extra year of team control. To follow through on such a move would require the team to keep him down for at least a couple weeks at the start of the season. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen wasn't in charge last year, though, so it's possible he has different ideas and wants his best players on the roster on Opening Day. Manager Mickey Callaway hinted at that Saturday, calling Van Wagenen "a player's guy," though it would be an unconventional (if commendable) move for the Mets to open with Alonso on the roster.

Blandino (knee) has been hitting and taking groundballs at the Reds' spring training facility, and expects to be ready by Opening Day, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Blandino had surgery to reconstruct both a torn ACL and MCL, and he might not be ready for the start of full-squad workouts next week. When he is ready, he's far from guaranteed a roster spot.

The Diamondbacks are expected to deploy Flores as their primary second baseman this season, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

Barring any major additions to the roster before the end of spring training, Flores, who inked a one-year, $4.25 million deal earlier this month, will have the best opportunity of his career to claim a full-time gig. Flores never exceeded 500 plate appearances during any of his six seasons with the Mets, despite providing near league-average production (.262/.303/.424 slash line, 99 wRC+) over his 2,011 plate appearances. Though the keystone is the one infield spot where Flores has seen his least MLB action to date, the Diamondbacks are apparently confident that with some further instruction during the spring, he can be a passable defender at the position. Arizona's addition of Flores likely means that Ketel Marte will vie for the team's top job in center field after logging most of his starts at second base in 2018.

Solano signed a minor-league contract with the Giants earlier in January, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports.

Solano owns a .257/.306/.331 slash line over 1,168 career big-league plate appearances. The 31-year-old infielder hasn't surfaced in the majors since 2016, however, and is most likely ticketed for Triple-A Sacramento once spring training ends.

Bell, who will be looking to rebound from a disappointing 2018 campaign, changed his offseason routine and also met with new hitting coach, Rick Eckstein, in December.

He hit 26 home runs with 90 RBI as a rookie in 2017, but slumped to 12 homers and 62 RBI last year. The first baseman believes he's rediscovered what made him successful two seasons ago. "It was just going back to that mentality in Triple-A, using that left-center-field gap to my advantage instead of thinking of that short porch there in right field," Bell said. The switch hitter slashed .301/.427/.534 with four homers in his final 89 plate appearances in 2018. With David Freese no longer around to take starts away from him at first base, Pittsburgh will give Bell every chance to prove his rookie season wasn't a fluke.

Flores agreed to a one-year deal with a club option with the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Flores is unlikely to be an everyday starter in Arizona but will have the opportunity for frequent at-bats in an infield which includes a number of similar players. None of Jake Lamb, Ketel Marte, Eduardo Escobar or Nick Ahmed will be confused with a star player, but all can provide competent performances, so Flores isn't there to plug any particular hole. His best shot for frequent playing time could come at second base if Arizona elects to try Marte out in center field. With a respectable .262/.303/.424 career slash line (good for a 99 wRC+) and the ability to play second and third base, the 27-year-old Flores won't hurt the Diamondbacks or fantasy owners, but he also doesn't provide a whole lot of reason to get excited.

Hiura was invited to the Brewers' major-league spring training camp Wednesday.

Hiura has yet to reach Triple-A, and he has no real shot at making the Opening Day roster. He should open the season at the highest level of the minors but may be up midseason if he builds off of his MVP-winning performance at the Arizona Fall League. Milwaukee's current best alternatives at the keystone are Cory Spangenberg and Hernan Perez.

Cooper (wrist) took batting practice Monday, Andre Fernandez of The Athletic reports.

Cooper is slowly working his way back from season-ending wrist surgery that he underwent in August of 2018. The 28-year-old appeared in just 14 games with the Marlins last season, slashing .212/.316/.242 in those appearances. Assuming he's fully healthy for spring training, Cooper will compete for an Opening Day roster spot, likely as a reserve first baseman/outfielder.