MLB Player News

Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa worked exclusively on hitting right-handed this spring but batted left-handed against a right-handed reliever Saturday against the Phillies, the Washington Post reports.

Espinosa was expected to hit exclusively from the right side this season but will still hit left-handed when he feels comfortable.

"It’s a mutual decision," manager Matt Williams said. "We want him to be free of mind when he gets out there. He hit a lot right-handed in spring, so he’s got experience doing that so if he gets a match-up that he feels comfortable with, righty-righty, he can do that."

Espinosa has struggled from the left side and still managed to work on his lefty hitting this spring despite only hitting righty during games.

"Just kind of in the cages a little bit just to maintain it a little bit because we weren’t 100 percent sure if it would work so it was something that we had to maintain a little bit, and that’s what I tried to do," Espinosa said.

Espinosa went 1 for 4 with a double in Saturday's season debut.

Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte is in the starting lineup Saturday against the Giants, batting second and playing first base.

Solarte has started just once this season, playing second base and batting seventh Wednesday. His start Saturday sends Yonder Alonso to the bench. Solarte is 2 for 7 with an RBI in four games this season.

"This is an infielder by trade," Padres manager Bud Black said before the game to U-T San Diego. "He's got good hands, good feet, good arm. Now it's different angles and different responsibilities at first, but I think he had enough repetitions during spring training to give us a level of comfort. We feel good about it, and each day he plays there, he's going to get better. He's fine."

Infielder Danny Espinosa is the only Nationals position player not to appear in a game yet this season. 

Manager Matt Williams knows and plans to remedy that situation over the weekend. 

"It's a tough situation sometimes with the lineup out there that you feel good about winning games, certainly depending on matchups and all the information that we got," Williams said, per MLB.com. "We try to balance it. It's not easy."

Espinosa will likely play in Saturday's game. 

"We want to get in there more than once a week. That's for sure," Williams said. 

The Dodgers have decided to option outfielders Chris Heisey, Enrique Hernandez, pitchers Adam Liberatore, Sergio Santos, David Aardsma and David Huff to their minor league teams, according to MLB.com.

Liberatore did not allow a run in 10 1/3 innings of work this spring with nine strikeouts and three walks. Aardsma posted a 2.00 ERA with nine strikeouts in nine appearances this spring.

Nationals manager Matt Williams said Wednesday the third opinion on third baseman Anthony Rendon's injured left knee confirmed the first two opinions -- a sprained MCL.

Williams said Rendon will continue to rehab the injury, but delivered the bad news that Rendon will begin the season on the disabled list. Williams said Rendon has a week-to-week type of injury, and sources told CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman that Rendon could be back in three weeks.

General manager Mike Rizzo did not put a timetable on Rendon's return.

“It's positive news,” Rizzo told Heyman. “All three (doctors) agreed. There's nothing seriously wrong, and it should remedy itself. Some turn the corner quickly and with other guys it takes a few weeks. But he will be fine.”

Yunel Escobar is expected to fill in at third base during Rendon's absence, which means Danny Espinosa will likely replace Escobar at second base. Dan Uggla could also be an option, if he makes the Opening Day roster. Ryan Zimmerman is not expected to move back to third base with Rendon sidelined.

The Nationals' bench struggled when pressed into action a season ago, as the group only mustered a combined .143 batting average with 18 RBI. 

With stars Jayson Werth, Denard Span and Anthony Rendon likely to open the year on the disabled list, the Nationals know bench production will be key early on in the season. The Nationals bring back some guys that came off the bench a year go, including Danny Espinosa, Kevin Frandsen and Jose Lobaton. 

Their numbers will need to improve for the Nationals to sustain success offensively, especially when dealing with injuries. 

One possibility to take a bench spot is Tony Gwynn Jr., who's hitting .375 with two RBI this spring. 

"You want to set a tone for the team, especially when you are missing cogs like Rendon, Werth and Span," Gwynn said via MLB.com. "You have to be able to fill those voids. There are reasons they are paid the top money they are paid. They are not easy cogs to replace. You try to piece it together as a team and hope you can keep the ship afloat until those guys get back."

Padres utilty man Yangervis Solarte will be in the lineup most days. He just doesn't know where. 

"Every day, it's a new place," he said per MLB.com's Corey Brock. "And that's good for me. I can play everywhere. That's a good situation. I can do everything. The more positions I can play, the better it is for me. I think that it can help me and help the team."

"We feel good about Solarte in there," said manager Bud Black.

Solarate has started at three infield positions this spring and is hitting .295. 

"Overall, he's done a nice job moving around the diamond," Black said. "The versatility he brings is very advantageous for us. He brings some offense, some durability."

Padres manager Bud Black praised the versatility, defense and switch-hitting abilility of infielder Yangervis Solarte Monday, calling him a fit for the National League, U-T San Diego reports.

"We talk about that a lot," Black said. "There really is a difference between the two leagues when you try to construct your bench. He’s a guy that fits that profile. You use two or three bench guys a night in the National League. He gives you the versatility to feel good about making a double switch and lose anything on defense. He gives you the switch hitting component offensively. Mentally he’s on board, if that is the case, where if he doesn’t start a game he’s ready to come in."

Solarte is in the mix to start at third base but should see plenty of action regardless of whether he wins the job. He is 12 for 39 with two doubles and two walks this spring.

Padres manager Bud Black declared that the third base job is "still open". 

Will Middlebrooks has started more games at the hot corner, but Yangervis Solarte is still a candidate to win the job, Black said, per UT San Diego's Dennis Lin. 

The Padres acquired the 26-year-old Middlebrooks from the Red Sox in a December trade. He's hitting .333, with two home runs and five RBI in 10 games this spring. He's started all 10 at third base and also played third in a split-squad game.

The 27-year-old Solarte was acquired in a trade with the Yankees last July. He's also hitting .333 this spring. Solarte has six starts at third base and three each at second base and first base. 

"The beauty of Solarte is that he’s able to move all over the field," Black said, "and we’ve moved him all over the field. That doesn’t discount the fact that he’s still vying for the spot at third base."

Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa made his first career start at third base during Saturday's spring game against the Marlins, according to MLB.com. He never started at third base in the minors.

"My thought on it was, 'Hey, if we get in the situation where you have to play it, I just want you to have experience there,'" Williams said. "He's got great hands, great feet, plenty of arm, we all know that. It's a question of him getting used to the position a little bit in case it comes up during the season and he's got to do it. Right now, it gives him the opportunity to get out there in a non-pressure type situation and play."

Espinosa had been working at third base during workouts and made his first appearance at the hot corner Thursday against the Tigers, when he shifted over from second base in the ninth inning and played two innings at third.

"I'm going to treat it like any defense in the game, catch the ball and throw it over there," Espinosa said. "Ball comes off the bat a little different, so more of a reactionary position instead of being able to read your hop at short and second and kind of picking your hop. At third base, it's kind of do-or-die."