MLB Player News

Rizzo went 2-for-2 with a home run and an additional run scored Saturday in a Grapefruit League win over the Braves.

Rizzo left the yard for the first time this spring when he belted a solo shot to right field in the third inning. The veteran first baseman has seen action in nine exhibition games, slashing .333/.429/.500 with three RBI and two stolen bases over 28 plate appearances.

Rivas has been playing well this spring and could make the Opening Day roster, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Through 11 games of Cactus League action, Rivas is batting .391 with a 1.109 OPS. The 25-year-old is on the Cubs' 40-man roster, so the team could more easily keep him around as a reserve infielder to begin the season. Rivas also has options remaining, so Chicago could move him between the majors and Triple-A Iowa as needed. Right now, it doesn't look like Rivas will play enough to have much fantasy appeal, but he could be intriguing if his role expands.

Vaughn (hip) will bat ninth as the White Sox's designated hitter in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Rockies.

Vaughn will check back into the spring lineup for the first time in a week, after he was forced to exit early in the White Sox's March 27 game against the Dodgers due to a right hip pointer. Though the injury no longer looks like it affects Vaughn at the plate, it's unclear if he'll receive full clearance to play the outfield (or first base) ahead of the White Sox's season opener Friday in Detroit. Regardless, the fact that Vaughn is available as a DH will likely be enough for him to avoid a stint on the injured list to begin the campaign.

Hiura went 1-for-3 with a double, a run and a walk in Saturday's spring game against Seattle.

Hiura is coming off a couple trying seasons, including a 2021 campaign in which he posted just a .557 OPS over 197 plate appearances and struck out 77 times in 173 at-bats. However, the once-hyped prospect has gotten back on track this spring, going 10-for-25 (.400) with four homers, three doubles, 10 RBI and a 1.500 OPS. Strikeouts remain an issue, as he has fanned in 10 of his 30 PA, and he is slated to open the season in a reserve role. However, Hiura is still just 25 years old, and the door has not been closed on him as of yet.

Naylor will begin the 2022 campaign on the 10-day injured list, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Naylor had a slow start to spring training while recovering from his significant leg injury that he sustained in June of 2021, but he made his Cactus League debut Tuesday against the Dodgers. While the 24-year-old will be unavailable to begin the regular season, manager Terry Francona is hopeful that Naylor will be back in action following a relatively short stay on the injured list. While Naylor is sidelined, Bradley Zimmer and Oscar Mercado should see additional playing time in right field.

Kiriloff left Saturday's game against the Rays with mild left knee soreness, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The fact that the Twins are calling the issue mild and his removal precautionary seemingly indicates that Kiriloff has a chance to be ready for Opening Day against the Mariners on Thursday. If the issue turns out to be something that can't be solved with a few days of rest, Brent Rooker or Luis Arraez could spend time in left field. A longer absence could also give non-roster invitees Jake Cave and Kyle Garlick the chance to make the team.

Santana has gone 10-for-26 with two doubles, six RBI and three runs scored through nine Cactus League games.

Santana's always been a bit questionable from a batting average standpoint -- he's only hit at or above .260 in three of his 12 major-league campaigns. He's usually more solid with plate discipline, but he faltered there in 2021 as well with career-low marks in walk rate (13.2 percent) and on-base percentage (.319) in 158 games. He added 19 home runs, 69 RBI, 66 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. He'll turn 36 a day after Opening Day, so it's tough to bet on a bounce-back campaign here. If Santana declines further, Hunter Dozier, Ryan O'Hearn or prospect Nick Pratto could get a longer look at first base.

Mountcastle went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Friday's 3-2 win over the Phillies.

Mountcastle is in fine form in spring training, going 7-for-20 with two home runs, a double, four RBI and four runs scored through eight games. He's seen time at first base and left field in his two MLB seasons, though he's expected to get the majority of his playing time at first base going forward. Mountcastle and Trey Mancini may alternate at designated hitter as well, but both should be expected to play nearly every day. Mountcastle emerged as a solid power bat with 33 home runs, 89 RBI, 77 runs scored, four stolen bases and a .255/.309/.487 slash line in 144 contests in 2021.

Torkelson has made the Tigers' Opening Day roster, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

The Tigers seemed open to the idea of breaking camp with the 2020 first-overall pick on their roster, and that's now been officially confirmed by GM Al Avila. Torkelson cruised through the minors last season, hitting .267/.383/.552 with 30 homers in 121 games. He's continued to swing a hot bat this spring, posting an .846 OPS in 12 games while striking out just four times.

Calhoun started in right field and went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in Friday's spring training game against the Giants.

Coming off a subpar 2021, the 33-year-old Calhoun has done little to improve his appeal entering 2022. The outfielder has four singles in 19 at-bats. He was limited to just 51 games for the Diamondbacks in 2021 due to a hamstring injury and didn't contribute much when on the field (.670 OPS). Calhoun's slated to start in right field for Texas this season, but the Rangers will keep options open if he repeats last season's performance.