MLB Player News

Arroyo was scratched from Wednesday's Grapefruit League lineup due to right hand soreness, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

It's not believed to be a serious injury, but the hand soreness was enough to prevent Arroyo from starting at second base Wednesday. Assuming the 26-year-old has no further issues, he could return to the lineup within the next couple days.

Arraez started at second base and went 1-for-2 in Monday's spring training loss to Atlanta. With the Twins signing Carlos Correa, Arraez will split time at third base with Gio Urshela and also get time at second base and DH, manager Rocco Baldelli told MLB.com.

Despite the addition of Correa, Baldelli continued to say Arraez will not play in the outfield. Arraez could platoon with Urshela at third base, but it sounds like he may play most every day but at different positions, similar to how he was used at the start of last season.

Castro agreed to a one-year, $1.275 million contract with the Tigers on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

Castro is in his first year of arbitration eligibility after appearing in 106 games for the Tigers in 2021. He hit .283 with 37 RBI in 339 plate appearances, but he didn't provide much fantasy value with three homers and one stolen base. Castro should work in a utility role again in 2022.

Marte went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Tuesday's spring training game against the Rangers.

Marte made his spring debut after dealing with eye irritation that prevented him from working out the first few days of camp. He served as the designated hitter Tuesday but should soon line up at second base, where he's expected to be the Diamondbacks' starter.

Barreto (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Tuesday that includes an invite to big-league camp, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Barreto elected free agency after being outrighted off the Angels' 40-man roster in October, but he's now latched on with a new team. Once a highly-regarded prospect, the 26-year-old has been unable to make much of an impact since making his big-league debut in 2017, and he went 2-for-27 during his brief stint in the majors last season.

Arroyo and the Red Sox agreed Tuesday on a one-year, $1.2 million contract to avoid arbitration, Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com reports.

Arroyo will likely continue to handle a utility role in the infield heading into his third season in Boston. He saw most of his action at second base in 2021 and hit .260 with six home runs, one stolen base, 25 RBI and 22 runs across 180 plate appearances.

McNeil and the Mets agreed Tuesday on a one-year, $3 million contract to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

McNeil's 23-homer outburst in 2019 continues to look like an aberration amid a minor- and major-league career with otherwise middling power production, but his high-contact approach and disciplined eye at the plate are enough to make him useful everyday player. He's expected to serve as the Mets' primary second baseman in 2022, with Robinson Cano -- who is back from a one-year suspension -- likely to handle designated-hitter duties in most games.

Biggio and the Blue Jays avoided arbitration Tuesday by agreeing to a a one-year, $2,122,500 deal, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

Biggio will get a decent raise in arbitration despite the fact that he's coming off the worst season of his three-year career. He projects to open the season as Toronto's primary second baseman, but he'll have to hit better than the .224/.322/.356 line he produced last season if he's to keep the job.

Torres and the Yankees agreed Tuesday on a one-year, $6.25 million contract to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

He'll be getting a $2.25 million raise after a 2021 season in which he submitted a career-low .697 OPS over 516 plate appearances. Though Torres has taken major steps backward in the power department since slugging 38 home runs in 2019, he wasn't a total zero for fantasy managers last season thanks largely to the career-high 14 steals he provided. Even if Torres remains active as a runner during the upcoming season, he may not have as clear of a path to high-volume plate appearances compared to previous years. With the recent re-signing of Anthony Rizzo plus the additions of Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Torres will be battling with those three plus DJ LeMahieu for one of the four spots in the Yankees infield when all five are healthy.

Urias (quadriceps) and the Brewers agreed Tuesday on a one-year, $2.55 million contract to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

Urias was arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career following a breakthrough 2021 campaign in which he reached base at a .345 clip while supplying 23 home runs, 77 runs, 75 RBI and five stolen bases across 567 plate appearances. He played in all but 12 games last season, but Urias looks like he won't be on track to maintain that sort of durability in 2022, as he's not expected to be ready for Opening Day due to his recent shutdown caused by a left quad injury. The Brewers plan to hold Urias out for the remainder of the Cactus League slate before re-evaluating him once the team heads north at the conclusion of camp.