MLB Player News

Mathias was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday.

Mathias got to spend some time in big-league camp but was never a candidate to open the season on the major-league roster, as he's yet to reach Triple-A. He's spent the entirety of the last two seasons stuck at Double-A, and it remains to be seen whether his .232/.338/.370 line for Akron last season will be enough for him to start this season at the next level.

Altuve (side) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals, Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Altuve had been out of the lineup for over a week while dealing with side soreness. With his return Friday, he should still have enough time to get fully up to speed by the start of the regular season.

Kemp went 0-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's game against the Marlins.

Kemp is hitting .240 (6-for-25) with two extra-base hits and three stolen bases in Grapefruit League competition. The 27-year-old Kemp has probably done enough to break camp with the Astros. His position versatility -- all three outfield spots and second base -- and that he's out of options work in his favor.

Altuve (side) will play Friday against the Braves, Alyson Footer of MLB.com reports.

Altuve has been held out of game action while recovering from soreness in his left side. He last played March 6.

Andrus went 3-for-3 with three RBI in Thursday's spring game against Kansas City.

Andrus plated a pair of runs in the third inning on a single to right field, and he drove in another during the fifth on another single to right. The 30-year-old shortstop is looking good at the plate thus far and is now 10-for-17 with a home run, eight RBI and two runs scored in spring games.

Lopez has gone 11-for-35 (.314 average) at the plate with three stolen bases in Cactus League play entering Thursday's game against the Rangers.

The excellent bat-to-ball skills Lopez has demonstrated throughout his career have again surfaced during spring training, as the 23-year-old has struck out in just five of his plate appearances. All but one of Lopez's 11 hits have gone for extra bases, however, and his lack of power will likely put a cap on his fantasy ceiling once he reaches the big leagues. Lopez has made a compelling case for the Opening Day roster, but it's most likely the Royals will send him back to Triple-A Omaha to play on an everyday basis with Whit Merrifield and Adalberto Mondesi already entrenched as the big club's starting middle-infield tandem.

Altuve (side) completed running drills Tuesday and could appear in a game this weekend, Alyson Footer of MLB.com reports.

Manager AJ Hinch said Altuve, who has not appeared in a Grapefruit League game since March 6, will likely begin baseball activities Wednesday.

Estrada was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday.

Estrada played in 11 games with the Yankees this spring and went 5-for-18 (.278) with five strikeouts. The 23-year-old missed the bulk of the 2018 season due to a back injury, making only eight appearances with the RailRiders.

The Red Sox optioned Chavis to Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

With four home runs during Grapefruit League action, Chavis bolstered his claim for being the top prospect in the organization, albeit in a Red Sox system that ranks as one of baseball's weakest. According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, Chavis' main focus at this point is improving his defense while showcasing more of an ability to play multiple positions. Chavis will see most of his action at first and third base in Pawtucket but will also get some exposure to the keystone as he looks to improve his chances of earning a callup at some point in 2019.

Mendick (wrist) entered Sunday's spring game against Oakland and went 0-for-1 with a walk and a run scored.

Mendick was drilled by a pitch in the wrist during Friday's contest, but he avoided major injury and managed to return to action Sunday.