MLB Player News

Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella, who jammed his thumb on Friday, was scheduled to return to the field for the team on Sunday. 

X-rays on Giavotella's thumb came back negative on Sunday, and he was slated to play in the second half of Sunday's game, per the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher. 

Astros manager A.J. Hinch spoke Saturday about the benefits of having Jose Altuve lead off and George Springer bat second.

"I like that combo," Hinch said, per MLB.com. "Hitting after Altuve, a lot of times it's an RBI situation, even with him on first base or if he steals second or steals third. We need all of our spots to be very, very productive. The batting order, as fascinated as everybody is about it, it's one time through the order and then it's a little more random than people give credit.

"I think for [Springer] to hit in the first inning right behind Altuve, who does a pretty good job of getting on base, he's a real threat behind him to be put in a really good position. When the lineup rolls around with runners on base and the lineup flipping over, I'll take Altuve and Springer with RBI opportunities."

Angels infielder Johnny Giavotella went for X-rays on Saturday after jamming his finger sliding into third base during Friday's spring game against the Indians, per The Orange County Register. X-rays were negative and he is considered day to day.

Giavotella is batting .280 (7 for 25) with one triple, three doubles, one home run, three RBI and seven runs in 14 spring games.

White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham made one slight adjustment to his swing Wednesday, leading to great results. Beckham hit one home run and two doubles in the game and credits the success to his hard work on days off, reports MLB.com.

"I've been working pretty hard, and the other day I started working on something that gave me a little bit better feel," said Beckham. "It clearly worked out."

Beckham went just 1 for 27 to start spring training.

"I didn't feel like it was bad," Beckham said. "I'm putting the ball in play. Before today it wasn't necessarily hard-hit all the time, but I was putting the ball in play and working on some different things -- and not panicking because the results aren't there. That's the name of the game. Maybe in years past I would have done that."

Rays manager Kevin Cash doesn't appear ready to name a starting shortstop, as he said Tuesday he likes "all the guys we have" competing for the job. However, it appears Asdrubal Cabrera and Nick Franklin are the favorites over Tim Beckham, per MLB.com.

"[The candidates are] still kind of bouncing back and forth," Cash said. "But we want the guy who is going to make the routine play. And not to say that anybody's not doing that, [it] seems like they're all doing that. Cabby just has the experience factor with making that play."

Cash said a decision on who will be the starting shortstop could be made next week.

Rays infielder Nick Franklin, who is competing for the starting shortstop job, returned to the starting lineup Monday against the Yankees after leaving Saturday's spring game due to a hip strain. Franklin started at shortstop and hit leadoff Monday.

Rays infielder Nick Franklin left Saturday's game with a hip strain. The injury wasn't believed to be serious, but he'll be held out on Sunday as well. The team told the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin that Franklin is expected back on Monday. 

"Everything is good," Franklin told MLB.com's Bill Chastain. "I took everything as normal today. I didn't feel any discomfort, so I should be ready whenever."

Rays second baseman Nick Franklin was forced out of Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates with a mild left hip strain, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Franklin went 0 for 2 with a strikeout before before he was replaced by Ryan Brett in the bottom of the fourth inning. The team notified reporters that Franklin's injury is not considered to be serious, but did not reveal whether he would play on Sunday.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who is working his way back from a mild patella tendinitis in his left knee, is targeting game action at some point next week, per the Star-Telegram. Although he's scheduled to miss at least Texas' first four spring games, Andrus has been taking batting practice and working on his fielding.

"I'm still doing everything, still hitting," Andrus said. "It's a long spring training.

"I feel better," Andrus said. "If I keep feeling this way I think I'll be ready to play next week. I don't think missing four or five games is going to do something good or bad to me."

Athletics infielder Marcus Semien cannot be stopped this spring.

After going 3 for 3 with two home runs on Tuesday, Semien again reached in all his plate appearances on Wednesday. He wasted no time getting to work, singling in two runs in the first inning. Semien would walk in his next appearance before driving in another run on a single in his final at-bat. 

Semien, who has yet to make an out this spring, downplayed his success, saying "I'm just getting good pitches to hit right now." The 24-year-old hit .234/.300/.372 over 231 at-bats last season.