MLB Player News

The Orioles announced Monday third baseman Manny Machado will hit second during Tuesday's season opener at Tampa Bay. Machado never hit second as a rookie in 2012. He hit sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth.

Machado hit .268 (15 for 56) with one triple, three doubles, one RBI and seven walks in 21 spring games.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe snapped his nine-game hitting streak on Tuesday by recording an out in his only at-bat before going hitless in three at-bats as the Twins' DH Wednesday against the Pirates. Plouffe had managed hits in 11 of his first 12 games before his 0-for-4 performance over the last two days. Even after cooling off, he's still hitting .366/.386/.439 this spring but has yet to hit a home run.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado collected his first RBI of the spring in Tuesday's Grapefruit League contest against the Twins. He singled in his first at-bat before driving in a run on an error in the fourth inning. Machado finished 1 for 3 in the 9-5 loss.

The 20-year-old is batting .261 (12 for 46) through 18 spring games with a .326 slugging percentage.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told MLB.com on Tuesday that prospect Mike Olt will concentrate on playing third base at Triple-A Round Rock.

Olt batted just .194 with two homers and five RBI in 19 Cactus League games before being optioned last week. The 24-year-old played a couple of different positions while in camp with Texas.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria hasn't hit a home run this spring, but that would be more concerning if Longoria's other numbers were lacking, which they are not. The 27-year-old third baseman is batting .395 (15 for 38) with four runs, eight doubles and 10 RBI in 14 spring games. He also owns a .605 slugging percentage and 1.034 OPS.

Longoria has dealt with his injury issues the last two seasons, but when he's been in the lineup, he's continued to post solid numbers. Longoria has a .507 slugging percentage and .867 OPS since 2011, despite being limited to 207 games. 

He continues to justify his status as the second-highest drafted third baseman in Head-to-Head and Rotisserie formats behind Miguel Cabrera.

Minnesota third baseman Trevor Plouffe returned to the lineup Friday and went 2-for-3 with a double during the Twins' 9-7 loss to the Yankees in Grapefruit League action. The outing was Plouffe's first exhibition game since March 8 as he had been nursing a lingering calf injury.

Projected to serve as the team's starting third baseman this season, Plouffe notched his fifth multi-hit performance of the spring to push his batting average to .433 after 10 games.

The Orioles optioned third baseman Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk Thursday.

Valencia was in the middle of a solid spring, hitting .323/.417/.484 in 36 plate appearances, but the 28-year-old will open the season at Triple-A after hitting .188/.199/.299 in the majors last season.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe suffered no setbacks in his minor-league action, manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB.com, and Plouffe is on track to re-join the Twins in Grapefruit League action Friday.

Plouffe has been dealing with a calf injury that has kept him out since March 10 but is expected to be ready by opening day.

Orioles utility infield candidate Danny Valencia showed some late-game heroics in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. Valencia, who had been dealing with tendinitis in his knee last week, made a pinch-hit appearance and crushed a solo home run off Terry Doyle in the ninth inning to give the Orioles an 8-7 victory. He is batting .323 with a home run and four RBI in 31 at-bats this spring.

The Rangers made another wave of roster cuts Tuesday, optioning pitchers Jeff Beliveau and Wilmer Font, outfielder Engel Beltre and first baseman Mike Olt to Triple-A Round Rock. Texas also moved first basemen Brandon Allen and Brandon Snyder, catchers Jose Felix and Juan Apodaca, pitchers Collin Balester, Neal Cotts, Evan Meek and Yoshinori Tateyama to its minor-league camp.

Olt is viewed as one of the club's top prospects, but struggled during his spring audition and hit just .194 in Cactus League play. The 24-year-old did manage two homers and should rise to the Rangers later in the year.