MLB Player News

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.

Twins manager Paul Molitor marked infielder Eduardo Escobar as "an important part" of the team in 2014 and believes he will be the same this season, the Star Tribune reports.

"He was an important part of our team last year," Molitor said. "He will be this year, too."

Escobar delivered the best performance of his career in 2014, hitting .275/.315/.406 with six home runs and 37 RBI in 433 at-bats. However, he arrived at camp to learn he was in a competition for the shortstop role with last year's center fielder, Danny Santana. Breaking the news to Escobar was a delicate conversation for the manager.

"Obviously," Molitor said. "You’ve got a guy who came in and played every day for you last year, and then you’re thinking about doing something different. I’ve tried to explain it to him the best I could. His answers, at least for now, are, 'No problem. I understand.'"

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is in the team's lineup Thursday after going 0-for-3 in his spring debut the previous day while playing in his first game since August, masnsports.com reports.

"It's great to be back out there, great to get it rolling. It's fun to go get some [at-bats] and make some plays," Machado said Wednesday. "I was just excited to be back on the field playing and trying to get back into that rhythm. It's going to take some time, but it's good we're out there playing and running around."

When asked about the last time he was this excited to play baseball, Machado said, "I can't remember. I guess the day before I got hurt, or the day I got hurt. It was just overall a great feeling to get back out there and get in the groove of things and get out there rolling. I'm excited to get out there and get my at-bats and get where I need to be."

Machado was limited to 82 games last season and underwent season-ending knee surgery for the second straight year. He's in the leadoff spot Thursday so that he can receive extra at-bats.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado struggled with an 0-for-3 day at the plate in his first game since back from an elbow injury.

Manager Buck Showalter was happy Machado finally got on the field, according to MASN.com.

"Manny needs to play in some games. He's tired of all the work. You think of all the work he's done since he was able to start going on the field after the surgery and you think about the last time he got to play a lot," Showalter said. "We'll try to get as many reps for him as we can, because physically it's not a challenge for him. He's in good shape."

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe returned to workouts Monday after missing two days due to an illness, according to the Pioneer Press.

Plouffe said he made it through Monday's workout without any issue and believes he will be back to full speed Tuesday.