MLB Player News

In the real-world sense, Carlos Santana's move to third base full-time is a big deal. His ability to play a premium position helps him retain some of the value he loses by no longer catching every day.

But for Fantasy owners, it doesn't really change anything. He's still eligible at catcher this year and because he'll back up Yan Gomes at the position, he figures to be eligible there next year as well.

In Fantasy, anybody who's eligible at catcher should play catcher. It's as simple as that. Catchers have to sit more often than any other position players, so their Head-to-Head point production, relative to other positions, is lacking. For you Rotisserie league owners, their run and RBI totals are also lacking. Go compare the numbers. It's plainly evident.

But won't playing third base every day give him more at-bats than the average catcher? Yes, but that's all the more incentive to play him at catcher, where he'll give your team a bigger advantage over the competition.

That's not to say you can't play him at third base in an emergency situation, but slotting him there for the long haul is wasting his value. If nothing else, you should be able to trade him to a team with a need at catcher for an even better third baseman.

The Indians have named Carlos Santana the team's starting third baseman, according to MLB.com.

Santana was competing with Lonnie Chisenhall during camp, but has won the job. Santana will not be used in a platoon with Chisenhall. Instead, he will be the full-time starter. Santana will also serve as the club's backup catcher. 

Santana hit .268/.377/.455 in 541 at-bats last year.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was back in the spring lineup Monday against the Mariners after leaving Friday's game due to ankle soreness. Abreu is batting .317 (13 for 41) with two home runs and nine RBI this spring.

The Braves announced Monday they optioned pitcher Ryan Buchter, outfielder Jose Constanza and outfielder Joey Terdoslavich to Triple-A Gwinnett. They also reassigned infielder Tyler Greene and infielder Tommy La Stella to minor-league camp.

The Astros are open to acquiring a first baseman via a trade, CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports. For now, though, Houston is looking at a possible Marc Krauss/Jesus Guzman platoon, with Chris Carter also being an option at first base.

The Mets optioned infielder Wilmer Flores to Triple-A Las Vegas, where he will work at shortstop.

"I felt like I played good at short," Flores said of his spring experience, per the New York Daily News. "It took me a game to get comfortable. I was thinking about the position more than just reacting at first. I feel like I got better and I will the more I play there. I will go to Vegas and play some short."

White Sox manager Robin Ventura is leaning toward hitting Jose Abreu third in the lineup to start the season, Comcast SportsNet Chicago reports.

Abreu is 13 for 41 with two home runs this spring. He is dealing with ankle soreness, but it is not considered anything serious. He will not be back in the lineup until at least Monday, according to the report.

Diamondbacks third baseman Martin Prado is batting cleanup in his team's regular-season opener against the Dodgers in Australia.

Prado made 28 of his 149 starts last season in the No. 4 spot in the order, batting .296/.349/.470 in 115 at-bats from that spot in the lineup. The entire Diamondbacks lineup: CF A.J. Pollock, 2B Aaron Hill, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, 3B Prado, LF Mark Trumbo, C Miguel Montero, SS Chris Owings, RF Gerardo Parra, P Wade Miley.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was removed from Friday's game due to ankle soreness after going 1 for 2 at the plate.

It's an issue with which Abreu has been playing for at least a week. He should be available for opening day. Abreu is 13 for 41 with two home runs this spring.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman went 0 for 3 in his return to the lineup Wednesday as the Braves fell to the Yankees, 7-0.

Freeman left Sunday's game early with a left thumb contusion but just needed a few days of rest to get back on the field. "It seems like I hurt that thing every year," Freeman told MLB.com before Wednesday's game. "So it just swells up easier than normal when I get hit there. It's still swelled up a little bit. But I've already gripped a bat and swung it."

Freeman is 12 for 38 with one home run this spring.