MLB Player News
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Gunnar Henderson 3B | BAL
Orioles' Gunnar Henderson: Takes batting practice
Henderson (intercostal) took batting practice Tuesday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Recovering from a mild right intercostal muscle strain, Henderson continues to ramp up his baseball activities as he attempts to get ready in time for Opening Day. He will surely need to get some at-bats in a game setting soon in order to have a shot to be active for the opener, and it's not clear when that might happen. If Henderson has to miss some time, the Orioles would slide Jackson Holliday over to shortstop and likely use Ramon Urias at second base.
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Coby Mayo 3B | BAL
Orioles' Coby Mayo: Cut from big-league camp
The Orioles optioned Mayo to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Mayo probably wasn't going to make the Opening Day roster no matter how well he played this spring, but he didn't help himself by slashing .190/.239/.262 with a 13:2 K:BB in 46 plate appearances. The top prospect will receive everyday reps back at Norfolk while waiting for an opportunity at the big-league level.
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Blaze Jordan 3B | STL
Red Sox's Blaze Jordan: Returns to action Monday
Jordan (arm) played two innings at first base in Monday's 12-3 loss to the Orioles in Grapefruit League play.
Though he didn't make any plate appearances, Jordan's usage off the bench Monday implies that he's healthy after he was hit by a pitch and then lifted for a pinch runner in his last Grapefruit League game back on March 8. Jordan is likely to open the 2025 season at either Double-A Portland or Triple-A Worcester.
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Cam Smith 3B | HOU
Astros' Cam Smith: Conflicting reports on roster odds
Smith may not break camp as Houston's everyday right fielder, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported Monday.
Rome's dispatch contradicts a report provided Monday by Will Kunkel of Fox 26 Houston, who relayed that Smith has a "good" chance of making the roster, per a source familiar with the situation. Rome isn't completely ruling out the possibility of Smith breaking camp with the club, adding that "even if Smith isn't on the Opening Day roster, this spring has showcased that he should make his major-league debut this season." Still, Rome's report throws some cold water on the idea of Smith being promoted aggressively, while suggesting that the Astros might not want to give up on Chas McCormick as a near-everyday player just yet. Last week, manager Joe Espada left the door open for Smith to make the team, telling Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com that "it's super exciting to see young players showcasing themselves and putting us in a tough spot to make tough decisions."
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Justyn-Henry Malloy 3B | TB
Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy: Continues solid spring
Malloy went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.
While Malloy hasn't gone deep yet this spring, he is batting a solid .308 across 17 contests. Power is the 25-year-old's calling card, but after batting just .203 with a 37 percent strikeout rate as a rookie last year, the team would likely trade in a bit of his slugging ways for more consistent contact at the plate. Malloy may be a bench option for the Tigers to begin the regular season, though he has the upside to seize a larger role as the year progresses.
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Coby Mayo 3B | BAL
Orioles' Coby Mayo: Expected to be fine after HBP
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Mayo is expected to be fine after being lifted from Monday's Grapefruit League game versus the Red Sox after being hit on the right hand by a pitch, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The team will re-evaluate Mayo's hand Tuesday just to be safe, but it doesn't sound like he will miss much, if any, time. Mayo is likely to begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Norfolk.
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Coby Mayo 3B | BAL
Orioles' Coby Mayo: Leaves game after HBP on hand
Mayo was removed from Monday's Grapefruit League game versus the Red Sox in the sixth inning after being hit on the right hand/wrist by a pitch, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Mayo was struck by a 96 mile-per-hour sinker. The Orioles will likely send him in for testing and should offer an update on Mayo's condition once the results are in.
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Andre Lipcius 3B | CHW
White Sox's Andre Lipcius: Bid for Opening Day roster ends
The White Sox reassigned Lipcius to minor-league camp Monday.
Lipcius was one of 11 players cut Monday as the White Sox reduced their group at big-league camp to 42 players. The 26-year-old infielder previously played in 13 games in the majors with the Tigers in 2023 and posted an .809 OPS over 636 plate appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers organization in 2024, but he went just 3-for-22 in Cactus League play this spring to take him out of contention for an Opening Day roster spot with Chicago.
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Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: Sidelined with moderate strain
The Twins announced Monday that Lewis has been ruled out for Opening Day after an MRI confirmed that he sustained a moderate left hamstring strain during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Minnesota has yet to establish a firm timeline for Lewis' return, but since moderate hamstring strains typically entail a multi-week recovery, the 25-year-old third baseman is a safe bet to begin the season on the injured list. On a positive note, Lewis told Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune that the soft-tissue injury is "not even close" to being as severe as the quadricep injury he sustained Opening Day of last season, which resulted in him being sidelined for just over two months. Brooks Lee drew the start at third base in Monday's spring game against the Pirates and appears to be leading candidate to serve as the primary option at the hot corner until Lewis is ready to make his 2025 debut.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
Angels' Yoan Moncada: Fields grounders Monday
Moncada (thumb) fielded grounders Monday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Moncada did not hit or throw, as he's not ready for that yet since it's his right thumb that's bothering him. It's not yet clear when he'll be ready for full baseball activities and games, but Moncada still hopes to be ready to go on Opening Day. If Moncada needs time on the injured list, the Angels would likely use Luis Rengifo at third base, with Tim Anderson entering the lineup at second base.