MLB Player News

Polanco hit and took grounders Friday in his first action since suffering a left adductor injury Tuesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

The adductor is a muscle by the groin/thigh area. It's a good sign that Polanco is already taking part in baseball activities and the Twins have said the injury isn't severe. Still, his status for Opening Day should be monitored over the next week. Luis Arraez would likely take over everyday duty at second base if Polanco is sidelined.

Lopez (undisclosed) is starting at second base and batting ninth in Friday's spring game against the Angels, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

The 26-year-old was removed from Wednesday's lineup for an unspecified reason, but he's back in the starting nine Friday. Lopez is expected to open the season starting at the keystone for the Royals.

Rengifo and Franklin Barreto are competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster in a utility role, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Both players are enjoying a productive spring, with Rengifo posting a .350/.462/.550 slash line, seven RBI and a pair of steals. Meanwhile, Barreto has slashed .368/.429/.684 while collecting four extra-base hits and one stolen base. Barreto may have the leg up because he is out of minor-league options, though Rengifo has demonstrated the ability to play all over the field.

Semien has gone 6-for-28 (.214) through 11 Grapefruit League games with a double, a home run and a 4:7 BB:K.

The former Athletic is adjusting to life with a new team and at a new position as he converts from shortstop to second base for the Jays. Semien appears to be handling the switch well from a defensive perspective, and while he's coming off a disappointing 2020 at the plate, the 30-year-old slashed .285/.369/.522 the season before with a career-high 33 homers, 92 RBI and 123 runs. In a loaded Toronto lineup, Semien won't be one of the core pieces as he was in Oakland, but he could still provide strong fantasy numbers.

Altuve went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's spring game against the Cardinals.

Altuve batted leadoff for the third time in four games, as manager Dusty Baker auditions more candidates for the top of the order. Myles Straw got most of the at-bats early in Grapefruit League play followed by Carlos Correa and now Altuve. Whether or not he bats leadoff, Altuve will slot into the top third of the order.

Haggerty, battling for a utility role on the Opening Day roster, went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, two RBI and a run in a Cactus League win over the Royals on Tuesday.

Despite hitting out of the bottom of the order, Haggerty had quite a busy night enhancing his case to stick on the Opening Day roster, providing the Mariners' only three-hit effort in an offensive barrage. Haggerty boosted his spring average to .269 with Tuesday's production, which snapped him out of the 1-for-14 slump that encompassed his previous six exhibitions.

Lowe went 1-for-2 with a double and a run in a Grapefruit League win over the Orioles on Tuesday, with the two-bagger serving as his first extra-base hit across 23 spring plate appearances.

The 2019 All-Star has been scuffling at the plate for the most part this spring, although he does have four walks and three RBI alongside three total hits. That still leaves Lowe's average at .167 through nine exhibitions, but his .270/.347/.530 slash over the last two seasons (551 PAs) supports the notion he'll eventually snap out of his doldrums.

Lopez was removed from the lineup for Wednesday's spring game against the Athletics for an unspecified reason.

It's not yet clear whether Lopez's removal from Wednesday's lineup is due to an injury, but Gabriel Cancel will now play second base and bat ninth. The 26-year-old has gone just 2-for-21 with two RBI, one run, one stolen base, four walks and nine strikeouts to begin spring training, but he should have a starting role for the Royals this year if he's fully healthy for Opening Day.

Mendick was not in Tuesday's lineup for the first time in seven games as Nick Madrigal returned to action.

Madrigal had experienced residual soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder after making his spring debut March 8. Since then, Mendick has filled in at second base but moved back to the bench in favor of Madrigal. Mendick can move around the infield from second base to third base. He's 3-for-25 with one run scored in 12 spring games.

Castro has posted a .227/.261/.318 slash line through his first 22 Grapefruit League at-bats.

Castro hasn't done much in spring training but he was also quiet last spring before posting a .347/.407/.429 line across 22 regular-season games. The 27-year-old should secure a utility role with the Tigers this year, and he has the ability to play across the infield and in the outfield, giving him some fantasy upside if he's able to secure regular playing time at some point.