MLB Player News

Haggerty (groin) is back in the Mariners' lineup Monday for their Cactus League game against the Cubs, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Haggerty had been held out of action for a few days because of a groin injury, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go Monday. The utility player will be at third base and bat sixth versus Hayden Wesneski and the Cubs.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Vargas (finger) is expected to resume swinging the bat in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Though Vargas hasn't been cleared to hit in games since Feb. 20 due to a right pinkie finger fracture, the injury hasn't hindered him in the field. He's still been making regular starts at second base during the Cactus League slate, and despite doing little more than standing in at the dish during his plate appearances, Vargas has managed to draw four walks. He'll start at the keystone again Monday against the Padres and won't take swings, but look for Vargas to become more aggressive at the plate beginning with Wednesday's contest.

Jones (elbow) has appeared in five of the Dodgers' Cactus League games to date, going 0-for-8 with a walk and a run scored.

Jones has seen reps at second base in all five of his appearances, so he looks to have made a full recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in late May of last season. The 25-year-old was once a prospect of some repute when he was coming up through the Angels' system, but injuries and poor performance during his time in the majors in 2021 and at the Triple-A level prompted the Orioles to release him last June. Jones joined the Dodgers on a minor-league pact last August and will likely open the upcoming campaign at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Fermin is dealing with a quadriceps strain and is expected to miss some extended time, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Big-league manager Oli Marmol said Monday that Fermin is likely out multiple weeks as he nurses his injured quad. The 23-year-old was dealt from the Guardians to the Cardinals in November and had gone 1-for-8 with a double and a run scored this spring prior to getting injured. Overall, Fermin is not expected to be a large part of the team's game plan in 2023 and will likely start the year with Triple-A Memphis , though he could earn a call-up at some point this summer.

Haggerty hasn't played in a Cactus League game since Wednesday while receiving treatment for general soreness in his lower body, the team's official site reports.

Manager Scott Servais notes Haggerty, who's gone 2-for-6 in the three Cactus League games he's played thus far, is struggling to reach his top-end speed. That's led to a mutual decision between team and player to give the valuable utility asset some rest days, but the Mariners skipper noted that Haggerty is expected back "in the next day or two."

Merrifield has been out of Grapefruit League games since Friday due to right quad tightness, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Zwelling reports that the injury is considered minor, and the Blue Jays are being extra cautious. The long-time Royal did go through a full workout on Saturday, and he told reporters that he has more than enough time remaining in Florida to be ready for the regular season. It's an injury to keep an eye on for fantasy managers considering Merrifield for the 2023 campaign, but it appears that he's avoided a serious knock and should be ready for Opening Day.

Angels manager Phil Nevin indicated that Rengifo could play right field occasionally this season as well as during his time with Team Venezuela during the World Baseball Classic, Doug Padilla of The Orange County Register reports.

Rengifo started in right field in Thursday's Cactus League contest against Kansas City and was charged with a throwing error in the fourth inning. He's not a complete stranger to the position -- he logged 103 innings there between 2021 and 2022 -- but hasn't shown great acumen for the outfield thus far. The Angels' infield is much more crowded this year with the additions of Brandon Drury and Gio Urshela as well as the return to health of both Anthony Rendon and David Fletcher, so Rengifo could help himself see more at-bats if he's able to gain the team's confidence as a capable outfielder.

Bae is in a competition with Tucupita Marcano and Rodolfo Castro to begin the 2023 season as Pittsburgh's starting second baseman, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Bae is among the Pirates' better prospects, and he made his big-league debut across the last two weeks of the 2022 season. He was impressive in that span by posting a .333/.405/.424 line with three stolen bases across 37 plate appearances, though Castro had a strong second half of the campaign as well. Bae hasn't hit particularly well at the start of spring training, as he has only one hit in nine at-bats while striking out four times.

Vargas (finger) will not take swings in Saturday's exhibition game, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Vargas has already started several games and not taken a swing while in the batter's box, and that will be the case again Saturday. There was hope that he would be cleared to hit in a game at some point this weekend, but manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that he will not do so until Wednesday at the earliest.

Garcia went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and three RBI in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

His first homer of the spring wasn't a cheap one -- Garcia turned on a Max Scherzer fastball up in the zone in the third inning and drove it over the right-field wall. Garcia is coming off a mediocre season in the majors, but he's still only 22 years old and slashed .308/.366/.519 in 45 games for Triple-A Rochester in 2022. He could be poised for a big step forward this year.