MLB Player News

Arroyo (hand) is hitting seventh and playing second base Saturday against the Rays.

Arroyo was scratched from the lineup earlier in the week with a sore right hand, though the issue was always deemed minor. He remains penciled in at second base while Trevor Story (personal) is away from the team, but Arroyo will likely serve as a utility player across the infield once the regular season begins. Arroyo has also recently begun working out in right field, furthering his versatility.

Short was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday.

Short appeared in 61 major-league games last year but will begin the 2022 campaign in the minors after he went 1-for-9 with two runs, two RBI, a stolen base and a walk across seven Grapefruit League outings this year. He hit .236 with nine homers, 30 runs, 29 RBI and two stolen bases in Toledo in 2021.

Manager Dave Martinez indicated Saturday that Garcia will likely begin the season at Triple-A Rochester, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

While Martinez didn't explicitly commit to Garcia starting the regular season in the minors, he referred to the 21-year-old as the "future" middle infielder for the Nationals and said that he wants Garcia to get regular at-bats somewhere. Garcia has appeared in five spring games this year and has gone 1-for-9 with a double, a run, an RBI, a stolen base and three strikeouts. Assuming Garcia reports to the minors ahead of Opening Day, Ehire Adrianza would likely be in line to serve as one of the top utility options for Washington.

Arroyo (hand) will get reps as an outfielder, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Arroyo had been penciled in as the starter at second base until Boston signed Trevor Story earlier this week. Without a permanent home, Arroyo will go back to being a utility infielder but will add outfield to his defensive resume, and he might get playing time in right field once he's comfortable. Red Sox manager Alex Cora plans to have Arroyo somewhere in the lineup against left-handers.

Marte started at second base, batted second and went 1-for-4 in Thursday's spring training game against Milwaukee.

Marte, who had been dealing with left-eye irritation, delivered his first base hit of the Cactus League in what was his first appearance in the field. As expected, he played second base and batted in the top third of the order. Injuries have been his biggest concern in recent years, particularly the nettlesome hamstrings that limited him to 90 games in 2021. That followed back and wrist injuries the previous two seasons. Marte told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that he hopes focusing on second base, which puts less stress on his body than playing center field, will keep him healthy this season.

Garcia (illness) is starting Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

Garcia dealt with a stomach bug for several days after being removed from Monday's lineup against the Cardinals. His brief absence shouldn't impact his availability for Opening Day as he competes for a roster spot during camp.

Donovan is making a case to be a utility man on the Cardinals' Opening Day roster, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Manager Oliver Marmol has noticed Donovan not just for his bat (3-for-12 with two walks in spring training) but also his defensive versatility. The 25-year-old is a natural second baseman, but he can also play first and third base in addition to all three outfield spots. He also saw 86 innings at shortstop in the minors last season, where he enjoyed a meteoric rise through the Cardinals' farm system. Donovan played in 108 minor-league games in 2021 at the High-A (25), Double-A (50) and Triple-A (33) levels, posting a combined slash line of .304/.399/.455 with 12 home runs, 66 RBI, 73 runs scored and 19 stolen bases. It's too soon to tell if he'll get his first look at the major-league level this year, but he's got the tools to get his foot in the door.

Estrada (forearm) will start at shortstop and bat cleanup Thursday in the Giants' Cactus League game against the White Sox, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Estrada is back in the lineup for the first time since getting hurt in his spring debut Saturday, when he was hit in the right forearm by a pitch. Since he missed less than a week of action, Estrada shouldn't be too disadvantaged as he looks to break camp with the Giants as a utility man. He performed reasonably well over a sample of 132 plate appearances with San Francisco in 2021, reaching base at a .333 clip while slugging 11 extra-base hits, including seven home runs.

Marte is expected to make his on-field debut in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Brewers, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Irritation in Marte's left eye limited him at the start of camp, and his lone game appearance thus far in the Cactus League has been as a designated hitter. When Marte does hit the field, he is expected to line up at second base.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that he expects Arroyo (hand) to be out for only a couple of days, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.

Arroyo was scratched ahead of Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins with a sore right hand, but the injury looks to be only a minor concern. Assuming Cora's prediction comes to pass and Arroyo checks back into the lineup in the near future, the 26-year-old should be ready to fill a utility role on Boston's Opening Day roster.