MLB Player News

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores (foot) plans to stretch, throw and hit on Tuesday, according to ESPN. However, he will not run.

Flores is sidelined after fouling a baseball off his left foot Sunday. While the Mets have no timetable for his return, they are expecting him to be ready by Opening Day.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is still having issues with his left foot Monday after fouling a pitch of it in Sunday's game.

"I am having problems walking," said Flores to the New York Post, who removed the protective boot he had been wearing.

Manager Terry Collins still doesn't have a timetable for Flores' return, but doesn't think he will miss the beginning of the season.

"It's one of those things, it got him right in the joint," Collins said. "It may be another two days before he is out there."

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores is not in danger of being sidelined for the regular-season opener as he recovers from a foot injury, ESPNNewYork.com reports.

Flores is suffering from a bruised foot after being hit by a foul ball Sunday, and he left the park after Sunday's game in a walking boot, though he didn't need the boot Monday. He's 13 for 38 with two home runs and seven RBI this spring and is day-to-day moving forward.

Mets' infielder Wilmer Flores fouled a ball off his foot during Sunday's game. While he was able to finish the at bat, he left the park wearing a protective boot on his left foot.

X-rays came back negative on Flores' foot and was diagnosed as bruised, according to ESPN.com.

Manager Terry Collins said that Flores would "probably be hurting tomorrow", per Newsday's Marc Carig.

With the potential injury to Daniel Murphy muddling the Mets' second base situation, general manager Sandy Alderson said the team will not shift shortstop Wilmer Flores to second if Murhpy lands on the disabled list, according to ESPN.com. 

Flores played 19 games at second base last season and 51 at shortstop for the Mets. 

"Wilmer is (our) shortstop," Aldersaon said. "It's taken us this long to convince you guys that Wilmer is the shortstop."

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is batting .414 (12 for 29) with one home run, four doubles, five RBI and five runs in nine spring games.

New hitting coach Kevin Long has only been working with Flores for a little while, but the 23-year-old infielder has already left a strong impression.

"Wilmer Flores, he just doesn’t miss," Long said, per the New York Post. "If you throw a strike, he’s going to do damage.”

The Phillies are willing to swallow a "significant sum" -- approximately $50 million of the $60 million -- remaining on first baseman Ryan Howard in order to move him in a trade this season, according to Anthony Castrovince of Sports On Earth.

Howard has struggled at the plate in recent years, and is in search of a pain-free 2015 campaign. The 35-year-old hit .223/.310/.380 with 23 home runs and 95 RBI in 569 at-bats last season. He has a career .265/.355/.526 slash line in 11 seasons. Howard has not hit 30-plus home runs in a season since 2011.

The Marlins trimmed down their roster on Wednesday, optioning Justin Bour, Derek Dietrich, Jacob Realmuto, Andre Rienzo, Miguel Rojas Triple-A New Orleans. Miami also reassigned Chris Narveson down to minor-league camp, per MLB.com.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been limited to five spring games and eight at-bats midway through March, but the limited playing time this spring isn't an issue for the team. The Reds are just happy to see Votto healthy after he missed 100 games last year due to a knee/quad injury.

"We haven't had to address his knee," Reds manager Bryan Price said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Since he got back into game activity, we haven't had to talk to him at all about health, so that's been a blessing. He looks really spry and agile out in the field. He's running the bases aggressively. There don't seem to be any limitations at all in his style of play.

"Knock on wood, He looks really good. He looks ready to go. He's wanted the workload."

The Reds were being cautious with Votto at the beginning of camp, as he was held out of early spring games. But since being cleared to play, he has had no limitations.

"I feel very normal," Votto said. "I'm fitting in with the guys like everyone else. I'm going through the work like everyone else. I haven't been thinking about my leg. I'm thinking about performing and getting ready for what hopefully is a championship season."

Phillies slugger Ryan Howard went 2 for 4 with a double and a home run in a spring game on Sunday. After the game, he told reporters his legs feel fine and pain-free leading up to the season opener, per MLB.com.

"If it seems like it's night and day to you, then it's night and day," Howard said. "I feel good. My legs feel good. My legs feel fine. I did what I needed to do. I was pretty much pain-free this offseason, so I was able to get back on my workouts to do what I need to get my legs stronger."