MLB Player News

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado will have his knee examined Friday, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The team is scheduled to have their annual FanFest this weekend, and Machado is supposed to attend. It's unclear whether he'll discuss his status at FanFest, but he should have idea of where he's at in his recovery after his appointment. Machado hit .283/.314/.432 in 667 at-bats last year.

Indians infielder Jose Ramirez, who injured his left thumb playing in the Dominican Winter League, said he is about a week away from starting to swing a bat, according to The Plain Dealer.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado will have another follow-up exam on his surgically repaired left knee this weekend, according to MLB.com. If he passes, then he will be cleared to start baseball activities.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe said he's not worried about the competition he will face this spring from prospect Miguel Sano.

"I'm not really concerned with that," Plouffe said, per MLB.com. "I want to help the team win. That's all I really care about. Miguel is a great player, and if he comes up and helps our team, we want him. We want anyone who can help the team."

Plouffe said he spent the first two months of the offseason rehabbing a left wrist injury that sapped his power last season. However, he refused to use the injury as an excuse for his struggles last year.

His focus has been to add to his RBI total and improve on hitting with runners in scoring position after batting .208 in those situations last year.

"That's my role in the lineup, to be a run producer," Plouffe said. "I haven't been able to do that. Runners in scoring position is something we need to work on. I talked to Bruno (hitting coach Tom Brunansky), and that's something that we're going to keep working on. I think that's the most important thing to me: being able to score runs and drive in runs."

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado will be with the team when position players report to spring training in February, but he still doesn't have a return date coming off left knee surgery, according to MLB.com.

"When I'm 110 percent -- I don't know whether it's in two months or next week -- it's something I'll just have to get a feel for. And once I'm out there playing every day, I'll have more of an idea when and where I can start," he said.

Machado said he feels he's ahead of schedule from October knee surgery to repair a torn medial patellofemoral ligament. He was given a six-month recovery timetable.

"The doctor said everything's going well and according to plan, so at this point it's just seeing how healthy I am and how fast I can get out there," Machado said.

The Twins have avoided arbitration with third baseman Trevor Plouffe, according to the New York Post. 

Plouffe is set to make $2.35 million next season. He's coming off a season in which he hit .254/.309/.392 in 477 at-bats.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is approximately 6-8 weeks ahead of his recovery timetable, a source told the Baltimore Sun. Machado, who underwent left knee surgery in October, had a follow-up exam on Thursday and is expected to be cleared for baseball activities soon.

Manager Buck Showalter also recently said that he is expecting Machado to be ready by opening day. Machado owned a .283/.314/.432 slash line with 14 home runs, 71 RBI and six stolen bases in 667 at-bats for the Orioles in 2013.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, who underwent left knee surgery in October, will not attend the team's minicamp this week, according to MASNsports.com. He will instead undergo a follow-up exam in Los Angeles Thursday and could be cleared to start baseball activities.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Thursday that still expects third baseman Manny Machado to be ready on opening day, MASN Sports reports.

Machado had reconstructive surgery on his left knee in October, a procedure that has an estimated recovery time of six months. He owned a .283/.314/.432 slash line with 14 home runs, 71 RBI and six stolen bases in 667 at-bats for the Orioles in 2013.

The Royals traded outfielder David Lough to the Orioles for third baseman Danny Valencia on Wednesday, according to MASN.com.

Lough hit .286 with five home runs and 33 RBI in 96 games last season. In 52 games, Valencia batted .304 with eight home runs and 23 RBI for the Orioles.