MLB Player News
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Diagnosed with Grade 1 strain
Jung was diagnosed with a Grade 1 adductor strain Saturday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Jung had been expected to resume playing in Cactus League games this weekend, but he will now be shut down for roughly 10 days following the results of his tests. Assuming the Rangers don't receive any more unexpected news, the 28-year-old still could have enough time to make a full recovery before Opening Day.
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Taylor Walls 3B | TB
Rays' Taylor Walls: Starting Saturday's exhibition
Walls (oblique) will start at shortstop and bat seventh in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Walls was slated to make his spring debut last weekend before being scratched due to oblique tightness. The issue didn't set him back much, however, and Walls still has plenty of time to ramp up for Opening Day assuming no further delays. Walls' 2025 season was cut short when he underwent sports hernia surgery in September.
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Ryan McMahon 3B | NYY
Yankees' Ryan McMahon: Reworks batting stance
McMahon is using a "narrower stance" while batting this spring, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
McMahon reportedly worked with the Yankees' coaching staff to adjust his approach at the plate. The veteran third baseman expressed optimism about the reworked stance, saying, "A lot of good things happen from being a little bit closer together." McMahon added, "My hands don't drop as much, which is a super helpful thing. They travel a little bit higher, and that's something that I do when I'm swinging it well." Per Hoch, McMahon had the fourth-widest stance in MLB last season, and that didn't translate into good results -- over 54 regular-season games with the Yankees, he slashed just .208/.308/.333 with four homers, 18 RBI and 62 strikeouts across 185 plate appearances.
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Expected back in lineup Sunday
Jung (hamstring) is expected to return to Cactus League action Sunday against the Mariners, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Jung was initially expected to return to the lineup Friday against the White Sox, but the Rangers are giving him a couple extra days of rest. Luke Hanson is making the start at third base for Texas against Chicago.
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Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: MRI on side comes back negative
An MRI on Lewis' right side came back negative, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Lewis had to be scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League lineup against the Pirates due to tightness in his side, but he has managed to sidestep a serious injury. The Twins are likely to keep Lewis out of game action for at least a few days to be safe, but he should be considered day-to-day.
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Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: Scratched with right side tightness
Lewis was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League lineup against the Pirates with tightness in his right side, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Lewis suffered the injury while running the bases during pregame warmups. He was scratched "out of abundance of caution," according to the team. Consider Lewis day-to-day for now, but it's yet another injury for the third baseman. Lewis appeared in a career-high 106 regular-season games last season, slashing a disappointing .237/.283/.388 with 13 home runs, 52 RBI, 36 runs scored, 12 stolen bases and a 25:80 BB:K across 403 plate appearances.
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Day-to-day with hamstring tightness
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Jung is dealing with "a little something" in his hamstring and is day-to-day, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Schumaker said Jung would likely be back in the lineup for Friday's Cactus League matchup with the White Sox. With Jung idle Thursday, Ezequiel Duran is making the start at third base. Jung appeared in 131 regular-season games last season and slashed .251/.294/.390 with 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 53 runs scored, four stolen bases and a 27:129 BB:K across 511 trips to the plate.
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Jake Burger 3B | TEX
Rangers' Jake Burger: Swats spring homer
Burger went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's spring game against the Diamondbacks.
Burger is coming off a disappointing season in which he made three trips to the injured list for various reasons. He's healthy to start camp and looking to regain the 30-homer stroke he showed off in 2023 and 2024 when playing for the Marlins. The right-handed-hitting Burger will be part of the rotation at first base and designated hitter.
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Kazuma Okamoto 3B | TOR
Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Belts first spring homer
Okamoto went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League game against the Mets on Monday.
The 29-year-old slugger launched a Clay Holmes slow curve to straightaway center field in the second inning for his first long ball of the spring. Okamoto will leave camp soon to join Team Japan for the WBC, but he's making a good first impression this spring for the Jays. He's being counted on to fill a near-everyday role at third base during his first season in MLB.
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Maikel Garcia 3B | KC
Royals' Maikel Garcia: Pair of hits from leadoff spot
Garcia went 2-for-2 in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Cubs.
Garcia showed some pop Monday, collecting a pair of singles that both left the bat at over 100 mph in his two plate appearances before being lifted. Notably, the third baseman was slotted into the leadoff spot as manager Matt Quatraro evaluates options atop the lineup for the regular season. The 25-year-old broke out with an .800 OPS across 160 games last year while hitting most often in the cleanup spot, but a one-two combination of Garcia and Bobby Witt would give the Royals a dynamic duo to open the lineup.