MLB Player News

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Tuesday that he believes Sosa can play center field, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Sosa has logged two starts in center over the last three days, and it sounds like the Phillies want to continue running him out there as a potential right-handed-hitting complement to the left-handed-hitting Brandon Marsh. Sosa can also play all around the infield and is set up to function as a highly-active super-utilityman this year for the reigning NL champs.

Groshans (shoulder) took batting practice Tuesday morning in Marlins camp, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

It's another step in the right direction for Groshans, who banged up his left shoulder earlier this month in a Grapefruit League game. The 23-year-old will seemingly be ready for the beginning of the season at Triple-A Jacksonville.

Davis is hitting .333 with four extra-base hits over 12 Cactus League games.

Davis has also struck out 12 times, but he's making enough contact to look ready for the 2023 season. The 29-year-old is expected to back up David Villar at third base, and Davis could also see time at first base and designated hitter. As a right-handed hitter, he may have to settle for a short-side platoon role if his bat goes cold once the games start counting. He's still hit well enough to make it a tough decision on a daily basis for manager Gabe Kapler to fill out his lineup card.

Mark DeRosa said after Sunday's World Baseball Classic win over Cuba that Arenado (hand) is believed to be fine, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.

Arenado was removed from Sunday's matchup after being hit by a pitch on his right hand, but he underwent X-rays that came back negative. DeRosa said Arenado would have argued to stay in the game if the game was closer, but the third baseman was removed since Team USA held a 9-2 lead at the time of his departure. Given the encouraging update, it seems possible that Arenado will be available for the World Baseball Classic championship Tuesday.

Arenado (hand) underwent X-rays that came back negative after exiting Sunday's World Baseball Classic game against Cuba, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Arenado appeared to be in good spirits in the dugout following his early exit Sunday, and the results of his X-ray are encouraging. While it's not yet clear whether he'll be available if Team USA advances to the World Baseball Classic final, it certainly seems possible he'll be available for MLB Opening Day on March 30.

Arenado exited Sunday's World Baseball Classic semifinal against Cuba in the bottom of the fifth inning after being hit by a pitch on his right hand, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Arenado got off to a hot start in Sunday's matchup, going 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs, an RBI and a strikeout. While he was removed from the game immediately after being hit by the pitch, he appeared to be in good spirits in the dugout, and his removal may have been precautionary due to the 9-2 lead that Team USA had at the time. If Team USA advances to the World Baseball Classic final, it's unclear whether Arenado will be available.

Reds manager David Bell confirmed Sunday that Reynolds (quadriceps) is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Reynolds is dealing with Grade 1 strains in both of his quads and hasn't been able to play in March. The 32-year-old was expected to compete for a bench spot with Cincinnati, but he is likely to spend the start of the year on the minor-league injured list before rehabbing at the upper levels.

Longoria went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's spring game against Cleveland.

The homer was the first of the spring for Longoria and just his second hit. The third baseman is 2-for-18 (.111) over eight Cactus League games. He's expected to serve as the Diamondbacks' primary third baseman to start the season, although remaining healthy could be an issue for the 37-year-old, who hasn't played more than 89 games since 2019.

Kieboom (shoulder) is playing catch Sunday but has yet to throw across the diamond since suffering a setback two weeks ago, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

The 25-year-old also hit in a minor-league game on the back field Saturday, though he mostly focused on nailing down his timing. Kieboom was making his return from last May's Tommy John surgery but was shut down due to shoulder discomfort, and he appears likely to open 2023 on the injured list.

Segura went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Friday's split-squad game against the Cardinals.

The Marlins have gotten a number of players back from the WBC in the last couple days, including Segura, and the veteran infielder quickly showed he hadn't lost any ground in his preparations during his time away from camp. Segura got the start at third base and hit leadoff, a spot in the batting order he might occupy when games begin to count as his on-base skills were a big reason why Miami signed him. The 33-year-old hasn't posted an OBP below .336 over a full season since 2015.