MLB Player News
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Jace Jung 2B | DET
Tigers' Jace Jung: Optioned to Triple-A
The Tigers optioned Jung to Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Jung never seemed overly likely to make Detroit's Opening Day roster, but he stuck around for the entirety of spring training while posting a .286/.405/.371 slash line in 20 games. The 25-year-old had a .342 OPS in 55 plate appearances for the Tigers last year and isn't likely to see significant playing time in the majors this year unless the club dealing with some significant infield injuries.
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Luis Garcia 2B | WAS
Nationals' Luis Garcia: Shifting to first base
Garcia could see most of his playing time at first base this season, Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie of MLB.com report.
The Nationals' decision to send Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell to Triple-A to begin the season created a domino effect that put Daylen Lile in right field, opening up regular DH at-bats for Andres Chaparro and allowing Garcia to slide from the keystone to first base-- a position he has only two games of big-league experience at. Washington is hoping the reduced defensive responsibilities will help the 25-year-old's bat find another level after he slashed just .252/.289/.412 in 2025 with 16 homers and 14 steals in 139 games.
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Mauricio Dubon 2B | ATL
Braves' Mauricio Dubon: Ready for Opening Day
Dubon went 1-for-3 in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.
Getting the start at shortstop and batting ninth, Dubon slapped a single to right field to lead off the third inning. The veteran utility player has looked comfortable during his first spring in an Atlanta uniform, slashing .302/.348/.465 over 16 Grapefruit League games with four doubles, a homer and a steal, and he'll begin the year as the starting shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim completes his recovery from January surgery to repair a torn tendon in his finger.
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Jose Fermin 2B | STL
Cardinals' Jose Fermin: Slated for playing time in LF
Fermin is among those in the mix for starts in left field while Lars Nootbaar (heels) is sidelined, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Fermin is an infielder by trade but has played a bit in the outfield in the majors and at the Triple-A level. The 26-year-old will vie for playing time in left field with Nathan Church and Thomas Saggese. Church is the lone left-handed hitter of the three and also the only traditional outfielder, so he likely enters the season at the top of the pecking order. However, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has said he does not plan to employ a strict platoon at the position.
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JJ Wetherholt 2B | STL
Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt: Likely to bat leadoff Opening Day
Wetherholt is likely to bat leadoff on Opening Day against the Rays, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Wetherholt not only won the Cardinals' second-base job, but the top prospect is also in line to receive the team's first at-bat of the season against right-hander Drew Rasmussen. The left-handed-hitting Wetherholt could hit lower in the order versus southpaws, with Masyn Winn a candidate for the leadoff spot those days. Wetherholt finished Grapefruit League play with a .386 on-base percentage thanks in large part to a 9:7 BB:K, and he added two home runs and two stolen bases.
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Michael Helman 2B | TEX
Rangers' Michael Helman: Fails to crack Opening Day roster
Helman was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Monday.
Helman flashed some promise during spring training, slashing .233/.242/.575 with one home run, four RBI and two runs scored in 14 games, but he's slated to open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A following Monday's transaction. He hit .232 with five homers, 20 RBI, four stolen bases and 18 runs scored over 38 appearances a season ago for Texas, so he figures to be a candidate for a promotion later in the year.
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Tommy Edman 2B | LAD
Dodgers' Tommy Edman: Looking at late May return
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday that he is hopeful that Edman (ankle) will be available to make his 2026 regular-season debut in late May, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
Edman continues to rehab from right ankle surgery that he underwent in mid-November. There was initial optimism that he would be ready for major-league play in late April, but that timeline has been pushed by one month. With Hyeseong Kim opening the season in Triple-A, the Dodgers will turn to Miguel Rojas, Santiago Espinal and Alex Freeland to fill the void at second base left by Edman.
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Gleyber Torres 2B | DET
Tigers' Gleyber Torres: Returns from back tightness
Torres (back) is starting at second base and batting second in Monday's exhibition game versus the Rockies.
Torres had to be scratched from the Tigers' Grapefruit League lineup Saturday due to back tightness and didn't play Sunday, but he's back in action Monday. The 29-year-old is slated to serve as the Tigers' everyday second baseman and two-hole hitter this season.
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Cooper Bowman 2B | CIN
Rays' Cooper Bowman: Sent to Tampa Bay
The Athletics traded Bowman to the Rays on Monday in exchange for Gerlin Rosario, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
Bowman was returned to the Athletics on March 12 after spending spring training with the Reds as a Rule 5 draft pick. He'll now head to Tampa Bay, where he will likely open the season with Triple-A Durham. Bowman appeared in 71 games for Triple-A Las Vegas in 2025, finishing with a .231/.323/.369 slash line with 21 steals, six home runs and 60 RBI in 297 plate appearances.
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JJ Wetherholt 2B | STL
Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt: Makes Opening Day roster
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Monday that Wetherholt will be on the team's Opening Day roster, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The Cardinals cleared a path for Wetherholt to be their Opening Day second baseman, and he's now officially won the gig after posting a .780 OPS with two home runs, two stolen bases and a 9:7 BB:K during Grapefruit League action. Wetherholt could even open the year in the leadoff spot, as he's seen lots of reps at the top of the batting order this spring and manager Oliver Marmol has acknowledged the rookie is under consideration for the slot, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.