MLB Player News

India (toe) took grounders at second and third base during the early days of spring training, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. He's also been exposed to the outfield.

India, who was Cincinnati's primary second baseman in 2023, was informed this offseason that Matt McLain (oblique) will see most of the opportunities at the keystone, leaving India to take on a utility role. That transition has begun. Reds manager David Bell said India will get opportunities at first base, second base, third base, left field and designated hitter. The 27-year-old India played third base in college, but the other fielding positions will be new.

Rengifo said Sunday that he is fully healthy after tearing his left biceps tendon last September, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Rengifo underwent surgery in mid-September last year following the biceps injury, and he was able to resume baseball activities in January. That allowed him to have a normal offseason in terms of training, and he said Sunday that he feels "really good." Rengifo is likely to fill a utility role for the Angels this year, but he should have an opportunity to play on a near-everyday basis as he looks to build upon his strong second half last season. Between the All-Star break and the biceps injury, Rengifo slashed .318/.374/.587 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI over 50 contests.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he envisions Torres batting in the 4-to-6 range in the lineup, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Boone added that Torres could also fill in at leadoff on occasion. DJ LeMahieu appears to be the heavy favorite to open the season at the top of the batting order and will likely be followed by Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

The Brewers designated Jones for assignment Wednesday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Milwaukee needed to clear a spot on its 40-man roster after announcing the re-signing of Brandon Woodruff, and Jones ended up being the casualty. Jones, 26, has a career .460 OPS in 90 plate appearances across parts of three major-league seasons. His versatility could make him appealing to some clubs once he hits waivers.

Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said Tuesday that Caballero is still expected to be the Opening Day shortstop even after the addition of Amed Rosario, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rays are viewing Rosario as more of a utility player than a regular at any one position. Acquired via trade from the Mariners in January, Caballero slashed .221/.343/.320 with four homers and 26 stolen bases over 104 games with Seattle in 2023. Taylor Walls (hip) will also eventually be in the mix for starts at shortstop, but he'll miss at least the first month of the season.

Torres said Wednesday that he's interested in signing a long-term contract extension with the Yankees, David Lennon of Newsday reports.

However, Torres added that he and his representation have yet to engage in negotiations with the club regarding a long-term deal, confirming what general manager Brian Cashman said last week. Torres is set to earn $14.2 million in 2024 in his final year under contract before reaching free agency next offseason. While it does not appear the Yankees are eager to lock him up to an extension, Torres' market figures to be fairly robust. He's posted a 120 wRC+ over the last two seasons and will be only 28 heading into free agency.

Edman (wrist) could be several weeks away from being cleared for full baseball activities, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Edman missed one workout with a stomach bug, but it's his surgically repaired right wrist that has the Cardinals slow-playing him thus far during the spring. While Edman is able to go through normal fielding drills, he's currently limited to one-handed swings designed to build strength and range of motion in his wrist. He will eventually progress to soft toss and then batting practice before being cleared for game action. The Cardinals still believe Edman has enough time to be ready for Opening Day, but he seems to be working with a tight window.

Lowe was held out of workouts again Tuesday due to illness, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

It's not clear exactly what Lowe is dealing with, but he should be fine to return to action later this week. The 29-year-old is slated to handle second base again for the Rays in 2024.

Urias has resumed workouts following a shutdown period due to right shoulder inflammation, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports.

Urias was diagnosed with inflammation after reporting to camp early a couple weeks ago. The good news is that testing came back negative and he has since been cleared for workouts. It's possible the Mariners will ease Urias into Cactus League play, but it does not appear this will interrupt his availability for the start of the season.

Westburg will primarily play at second base and third base with a little bit of shortstop mixed in this spring, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Westburg got six games of experience in the corner outfield last season with Triple-A Norfolk, but he's played 50 of his 80 major-league games at second base. There's a good chance Westburg can claim a starting role at the keystone this spring, though the Orioles are also trying top prospect Jackson Holliday there. That said, Westburg's versatility will be beneficial to him beginning the season in the majors.