MLB Player News

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson homered for the third time this spring and second time in three games Tuesday against the Twins. He hit a solo home run off Ricky Nolasco in the fifth inning.

Donaldson has homered off Nolasco, David Buchanan and Seth Rosin this spring. He is batting .364 (12 for 33) with six RBI in 13 spring games.

Twins utility man Eduardo Escobar, who has been said to be pushing Danny Santana for the starting shortstop role, got some extra work in the outfield Monday.

Escobar started the game at third base but was moved to the outfield in the fifth inning. Minnesota likes the options Escobar gives them, reports MLB.com.

"It's a good thing for us," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "We like versatility. [Eduardo] Nunez has also been out there, and now Escobar is out there. Versatility is important when you carry 12 pitchers because you don't have much of a bench."

Twins manager Paul Molitor isn't sure what to do with Danny Santana. 

Originally expected to be the Twins starting shortstop, Santana has been pushed in camp by Eduardo Escobar. 

One option would be to move Santana back to center field, where he started 62 games last season. But on Saturday, Molitor said he hadn't considered that as an option. 

Molitor also said he wasn't ready to name Santana the Opening Day shortstop, leaving him without a position, per Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. 

Santana is hitting .321 this spring. 

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe has worked out a couple of times at first base this week and expects to make an appearance at first base in a spring game soon, according to The Star Tribune.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, who has undergone two knee surgeries the last two years, said he feels 100 percent as the start of the 2015 season nears, per MASNsports.com.

"Feels awesome to finally be healthy and feels good to be out there part of the team," he said. "Just want to help this team do whatever we can and get back to where we need to be. I feel great. Having fun.

"I want to play 162 games and stay healthy. Want to be on the field every day."

Machado is batting just .233 (7 for 30) with no home runs and one RBI through 10 spring games. But it doesn't appear manager Buck Showalter is putting too much stock in spring numbers.

"I think Manny's primed to have a good year. You can tell how good he feels. He's playing with a certain recklessness that healthy people play with," Showalter said.

The Astros announced Friday they sent seven players to minor-league camp, including starting pitcher Alex White, who was in the running for the fifth spot in the rotation. White was technically optioned to the minors, while the remaining six were reassigned.

Also sent to minor-league camp were Colin Moran, Jason Stoffel, Nolan Fontana, Preston Tucker, Matt Duffy and Roberto Pena.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria homered for the first time this spring Wednesday against the Blue Jays. He also had a single in three at-bats, raising his spring average to .364 (8 for 22). 

Longoria also has one double, two runs and four RBI in nine spring games.

“Maybe it was me, maybe they were trying to keep me feeling good, keep my legs healthy, but I feel like it’s worked out a little bit better this year for me personally in terms of the way I feel,” Longoria said, per The Tampa Tribune. “Now it’s just trying to build on that the rest of the spring, play deeper in the game and get three or four at-bats.”

Athletics infield prospect Max Muncy is 8 for 24 with four doubles, one home run and five walks this spring after going 0 for 3 Wednesday, and manager Bob Melvin praised his work, calling him "a nice player," MLB.com reports.

"He's a little gamer," Melvin said. "He's made a couple errors, but watching him in pregame stuff and drills and so forth, he handles himself very well. He's a nice player."

Muncy hit .264/.385/.379 with seven home runs, 63 RBI and seven stolen bases in 435 at-bats with Double-A Midland last season.

"I feel like I'm seeing the ball great," Muncy said. "My biggest thing is I get myself in a good hitting position early, so timing isn't too big of an issue when you do that. I just see the ball out of the pitcher's hands is all I've been doing."

The Twins expected Danny Santana to be their starting shortstop, but Eduardo Escobar is making it a difficult choice for the team. 

Escobar was the starter last season, finishing with the second-highest doubles total among MLB shortstops. This spring, he's picked up where he left off last year. 

Escobar is 4-for-9 in the first three spring games, with a home run and a double. 

"He knows the situation, and it hasn't affected him in the least," Twins manager Paul Molitor told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. "He's had some good at-bats here early in camp. He's a little man who can drive the ball a little bit."

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria appears to be penciled in the cleanup spot in the lineup, after manager Kevin Cash revealed that he's striving to have more of an everyday lineup once the season starts, per MLB.com.

Longoria played 103 of his 162 games last season at the No. 4 spot. He hit .264/.333/.403 with 13 home runs and 64 RBI over 390 at-bats at cleanup.