MLB Player News

Hernandez went 1-for-1 with two walks and a solo home run in Tuesday's spring game against Tampa Bay.

Hernandez served as the leadoff hitter for the second time this spring. Red Sox manager Alex Cora believes Hernandez can be a more authoritative hitter, per Ian Browne of MLB.com, and the manager is giving him a good look atop the order early in camp. "I'm going to keep pushing him, challenging him to be better. And if he's up to the challenge and he does his thing, I think he can help us [with] mixing up things and helping me build kind of like the 'perfect lineup','" said Cora. Hernandez can play multiple positions but could serve as the primary starter at second base.

Haggerty (forearm) went 0-for-2 while serving as a backup second baseman Sunday in the Mariners' 5-4 win over the Padres in Cactus League play.

Haggerty wasn't able to finish the 2020 season on the field after being placed on the injured list Sept. 7 with a left forearm strain, but he looks to have made it back to 100 percent health for the start of spring training. The 26-year-old switch-hitter will be vying for a utility role on the Mariners' Opening Day roster.

Hernandez started at shortstop, batted leadoff and went 1-for-2 in Sunday's spring game against the Twins.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora has not yet named a leadoff hitter, but he intends to give Hernandez a chance. "I'm going to challenge him," the manager told Ian Browne of MLB.com. "This is a guy, he can impact the baseball. He can hit extra-base hits. I do believe that there's more there." Hernandez is expected to be Boston's primary second baseman in 2021 but has position versatility to be utilized by Cora.

Chavis started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's spring game against the Twins.

Chavis also played third base during the game, showing off the versatility that could be of value to fantasy teams, but he does not have a roster spot locked up entering spring training. He's never adjusted to a league that caught up to him during the summer of 2019. Contact remains the primary issue and pitchers discovered he's tempted by high heat.

Barreto (shoulder) was fully cleared for baseball activities Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Barreto's 2020 campaign ended in early September due to a shoulder issue which eventually required surgery. He should have enough time to build up for Opening Day, though it's far from guaranteed he plays a significant role for the Angels this season. In 237 big-league plate appearances across the last four seasons, he's struck out 42.2 percent of the time while hitting just .175/.207/.342.

Biggio could be among the players most affected by the new ball being used in MLB this season if it does reduce flyball distance as expected, Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star reports.

The 25-year-old had the eighth-lowest average distance on his home runs last season, and over the last two years Biggio has hit nearly four more homers than predicted based on his batted-ball profile. It wouldn't take much of a change for a significant number of his flies to die on the warning track instead of just clearing the wall, but any lack of distance from the new ball could be countered by the fact that the Jays will begin the season playing in Dunedin, a stadium with a very friendly profile for left-handed power, rather than in Buffalo or across the border in Toronto.

Mayfield was acquired by the Angels for cash considerations Thursday after being designated for assignment by Atlanta the day before.

Mayfield is 30 years old and owns a career .170/.198/.283 slash line in 47 major-league games, so he's unlikely to be much more than organizational depth for the Angels this season.

Altuve spent more time hitting and on his defense during the offseason than in previous years, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Altuve was the poster child of Houston's down year in 2020. His .630 OPS ranked 134th among 142 qualified hitters, and those struggles led to him swinging at pitches outside the zone (35.2 chase percentage) more often than in previous seasons. While his bat returned for the postseason, Altuve's errors in the field gifted eight runs to the Rays. "That's one thing I have right now is motivation," Altuve said Wednesday. "I have a group of guys here that encourage each other and go out there and play. I'm taking everything to be encouragement and motivation right now." The Astros need Altuve to return to pre-2020 form, particularly now that George Springer is no longer on the team.

Manager Charlie Montoyo said Wednesday that Biggio will be the team's primary third baseman in 2021, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.

Biggio was expected to see more time at third base in 2021 after the Blue Jays acquired Marcus Semien during the offseason, and Montoyo confirmed the assumption Wednesday. However, Montoyo also said that Biggio will see some work at other positions as well, which isn't surprising given his defensive versatility. The 25-year-old appeared in 59 games during the abbreviated 2020 season, slashing .250/.375/.432 with eight home runs, 28 RBI and six stolen bases.

Lowe will get time at third base during spring training, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe is slated to begin the regular season as the starting second baseman for the Rays, but his increased reps at third base should allow for more in-game defensive flexibility for manager Kevin Cash. The 26-year-old appeared in 56 games during the abbreviated 2020 season, slashing .269/.362/.554 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI.