MLB Player News

Valdez will get reps all over the infield this spring, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com on Thursday.

Acquired from the Astros at last year's trade deadline as part of the Christian Vazquez deal, Valdez has some experience in the minors in the corner outfield spots, but it sounds like the Red Sox plan to keep him on the dirt. Cora repeatedly extolled Valdez's virtues as a hitter Thursday while also adding that "we'll try to help him defensively," which gives you an idea how the club views him. His defensive shortcomings aside, Valdez had a .918 OPS with 28 homers and 107 RBI between Double- and Triple-A last season. He's most comfortable at second base and Boston has a clear opening there, so while Valdez might not make the Opening Day roster, he's someone to keep an eye on.

Vargas (finger) will play defense in the Dodgers' intrasquad game Thursday, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

Vargas suffered a hairline fracture to the pinky finger on his right hand while fielding grounders last week, but he can still do a lot of baseball activities without causing further damage. He hasn't been cleared yet to resume hitting, but that will hopefully come rather soon. The 23-year-old projects to open the 2023 regular season as the Dodgers' primary second baseman, assuming he is able to avoid further setbacks.

Wisely will get a long look in Giants camp this spring, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Wisely is a left-handed hitting infielder, which is a rarity among the Giants' other infielders. Only Brandon Crawford, LaMonte Wade and Isan Diaz also hit from the left side among the Giants' expected major-league options to begin the year. Wisely was traded from the Rays in November and added to the Giants' 40-man roster, so he'll have a somewhat clear path to the majors as a backup middle infielder in competition with Diaz for a spot. Even then, Wisely figures to see a lot of time with Triple-A Sacramento.

Ibanez is in the mix for a reserve role on Detroit's Opening Day roster, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Ibanez was claimed off waivers by Detroit in November and outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. The 29-year-old appeared in 40 games for the Rangers last season and slashed .218/.273/.277. He likely won't have a prominent role with the Tigers, though it sounds like he could at least break camp on the MLB roster.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Monday that Vargas suffered a hairline fracture to the pinky finger of his right hand and won't resume swinging the bat for at least a few days, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.

A diagnosis for the pinky injury Vargas suffered while fielding a grounder earlier Monday wasn't initially provided, but Roberts provided more clarity on the matter when he met with the media following the Dodgers' workout. Though the nature of the injury isn't ideal, Vargas will still be able to take part in fielding drills over the next few days, which should help him in his bid to secure an everyday role at second base heading into Opening Day. According to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register, the Dodgers don't have a precise timeline for when Vargas will resume swinging, but Roberts suggested that it may come down to a matter of pain tolerance on the part of the 23-year-old.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Vargas suffered an injury to the pinky finger on his right hand while taking grounders Monday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Roberts said the injury will keep Vargas from swinging the bat for a few days, but more importantly, X-rays were negative, and the 23-year-old will continue to take defensive reps at second base as he looks to lock down a full-time role heading into Opening Day. Assuming Vargas adapts well to the keystone after playing only 57 innings at the position (all in the minors) in 2022, he should make for an attractive late-round target in drafts, given the upside he offers as a hitter.

Wong agreed Monday with the Mariners on a minor-league contract, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Seattle marks the fourth organization for Wong, who was drafted by the Rays in 2013 before he had stints with the Giants and Angels over the past two seasons. The 27-year-old utility man saw big-league action in 2019 and 2021, but he spent the entire 2022 campaign with the Angels' Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake, slashing .260/.340/.330 with three home runs and 41 stolen bases. Wong, whose older brother Kolten Wong is set to man second base for Seattle, will likely be ticketed for Triple-A Tacoma.

Andrus signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the White Sox on Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Andrus joined the White Sox in August of 2022 after being released by Oakland, and he slashed .271/.309/.464 with nine home runs, 28 RBI, 25 runs and 11 stolen bases over 43 games with the club while mainly filling in for Tim Anderson, who missed the final two months of the season with a hand injury. Andrus will be in the mix to serve as the White Sox's starting second baseman to begin the 2023 campaign, especially since the team views Leury Garcia as a backup.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he envisions Torres serving as the team's starting second baseman this season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Though the skipper noted that Anthony Rizzo and Josh Donaldson will likely join Torres as the preferred starters at three of the infield spots, DJ LeMahieu is expected to rove between first base, second base, third base and designated hitter to maintain a near-everyday role. As a result, Torres could be subject to days off once or twice per week when the Yankees are at full strength, as was often the case in 2022. Despite the crowded infield situation, Torres still saw action in 140 games last season, slashing .257/.310/.451 with 24 home runs, 76 RBI, 73 runs and 10 stolen bases across 572 plate appearances.

Gorman will spend more time at designated hitter this year when not playing the field, despite the Cardinals' hesitance to use him there last season, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Gorman started 73 games as a rookie last season, appearing at second base 62 times while serving as the designated hitter on 11 occasions. He didn't fare particularly well at the keystone, and with the Cardinals no longer able to compensate for his deficiencies via the shift, his playing time appeared to be at risk. It's possible Gorman finds himself on the large side of a DH platoon with Juan Yepez, though the Cardinals haven't explicitly detailed their plans.