MLB Player News
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Ramon Urias 2B | HOU
Orioles' Ramon Urias: Productive start to spring training
Urias went 1-for-2 with one double, one walk and one run scored in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, and he's now 4-for-12 with a home run as well this spring.
Urias' results in spring training are worth noting due to the uncertainty surrounding star shortstop Gunnar Henderson's (side) status for Opening Day. The Orioles could need a replacement in their lineup for Henderson in the early going, and Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com notes that Urias is one of those options. Urias may be penciled in for a utility role off Baltimore's bench at the moment, but the 30-year-old infielder is a logical candidate to fill in for Henderson if needed, as Jorge Mateo (elbow) has already been ruled out for Opening Day.
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Curtis Mead 3B | CHW
Rays' Curtis Mead: Continues hot start to spring
Mead went 4-for-4 with one walk and one run scored in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
Mead is swinging a red-hot bat this spring. He's 14-for-18 at the plate, slashing .778/.810/1.000, with one home run, two RBI and four runs scored through seven Grapefruit League contests. Mead's blistering start to the spring could pave the way for him to make the Opening Day roster as a reserve infielder for Tampa Bay. Mead appeared in 38 regular-season games for the Rays last season and posted one home run, seven RBI, 10 runs scored and two stolen bases across 132 plate appearances.
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Junior Caminero 3B | TB
Rays' Junior Caminero: Day-to-day with back tightness
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Thursday that Caminero (back) is "probably very day-to-day," Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Caminero felt his back tighten up on a swing during Thursday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Phillies. While he could be held out of action for a few days to be safe, Cash said of Caminero that they "don't expect him to miss too much time."
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Junior Caminero 3B | TB
Rays' Junior Caminero: Departs game with back tightness
Caminero was removed from Thursday's Grapefruit League game versus the Phillies due to lower-back tightness, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Caminero struck out in both of his plate appearances before exiting. The Rays should offer an update on the young third baseman's condition after the contest.
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Max Wagner 3B | BAL
Orioles' Max Wagner: Available for Spring Breakout game
The Orioles list Wagner (back) on the roster for their March 15 Spring Breakout game against Yankees prospects.
While with Double-A Bowie last season, Wagner didn't play after June 21 due to a back injury, but his inclusion on the roster for the Spring Breakout game implies that he's healthy heading into the 2025 campaign. Before being shut down with the injury, the 23-year-old infielder slashed a lowly .109/.208/.156 across 72 plate appearances with Bowie.
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DJ LeMahieu 2B | NYY
Yankees' DJ LeMahieu: MRI shows calf strain
LeMahieu underwent an MRI on Wednesday which showed a strain in his left calf, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.
LeMahieu said that he will be shut down from baseball activities for at least a couple of weeks after he strained his calf in a Grapefruit League game last weekend. A return timetable is still up in the air since LeMahieu hasn't yet talked about the results of the MRI with the team doctor, but Opening Day is off the table at this point. Oswaldo Cabrera appears to be next in line for regular starts at the hot corner.
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Gunnar Henderson 3B | BAL
Orioles' Gunnar Henderson: Opening Day availability in peril
Manager Brandon Hyde said Wednesday that Henderson's status for the Orioles' March 27 season opener in Toronto is up in the air after the shortstop was diagnosed with a mild intercostal muscle strain, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
While Henderson's condition has improved since he sustained the injury last Thursday, the Orioles plan to proceed cautiously with the 23-year-old star with the aim of avoiding a setback that could extend his recovery timeline. Hyde's comments suggest that Henderson's return to the Grapefruit League lineup isn't imminent, though the skipper remains "very, very hopeful" that Henderson will be ready for the start of the season. Even if Henderson isn't back to 100 percent in advance of Opening Day, he shouldn't be in store for an extended absence to begin the season, but the uncertainty of his status is reason enough for fantasy managers to bump him down at least a few spots on their draft boards.
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Brett Harris 3B | ATH
Athletics' Brett Harris: Battling oblique strain
The Athletics announced Tuesday that Harris is recovering from a left oblique strain, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The injury explains why Harris hasn't appeared in a Cactus League game since Wednesday. While a timeline for Harris' return to game action hasn't been established, the oblique strain could effectively spell an end to the 26-year-old's bid for winning a spot on the Opening Day roster as a reserve infielder. Harris reached the big leagues for the first time in 2024, slashing .146/.276/.262 with a 14.2 percent walk rate and 20.3 percent strikeout rate over 123 plate appearances for the Athletics.
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Rafael Devers 3B | SF
Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Not ready for spring debut yet
Devers (shoulders) will not make his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday against the Rays as initially anticipated, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Devers has been slow-played this spring following last season's shoulder issues and doesn't feel up to speed yet while taking live batting practice, so he has asked Red Sox manager Alex Cora to delay his spring debut a bit. This seems to be more about Devers wanting to get his timing down and not any kind of physical setback, but the potential red flags are starting to pile up this spring with the 28-year-old.
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Justyn-Henry Malloy 3B | TB
Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy: Inside track on roster spot?
Malloy seems well positioned to earn a roster spot coming out of camp, though he's still competing with several other players for a utility role, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Malloy's biggest selling point is probably his ability to hit lefties, and he sported an .893 OPS against southpaws across 61 regular-season plate appearances last year as a rookie. The 25-year-old is a bit limited defensively, serving mostly as a DH and occasionally playing in the corner outfield spots, though he is experimenting some at first base in camp. Spencer Torkelson profiles similarly as a lefty masher and is likely Malloy's top competition for a roster spot this spring. Ryan Kreidler is also in the mix for a utility role off the bench.