MLB Player News

Garcia (elbow) is starting at third base and batting leadoff in Saturday's Cactus League contest against the Dodgers.

Garcia underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow in early December, but the procedure won't affect his ability to hit or to play the field early this spring. The soon-to-be 25-year-old posted a poor .613 OPS over 157 regular-season games for Kansas City last season, though he showed some signs of growth with a career-best 16.5 percent strikeout rate and 37 stolen bases in 39 attempts. Garcia is slated to open 2025 as the Royals' starting third baseman, but it remains to be seen if he'll hit atop the lineup after registering a paltry .281 OBP last year.

Jung started at third base and went 0-for-2 in Friday's spring opener against Kansas City.

Jung had a pair of wrist surgeries in 2024 but enters Cactus League play with no limitations. He hopes this will be the first spring in four seasons in which good health is on his side. Jung was delayed last spring due to a calf strain after he tore his labrum in camp the previous year and suffered a stress fracture in his left foot the year before that. That doesn't include the fractured thumb he suffered midseason in 2023 and last year's wrist issues. He's been limited to 168 games of the 324 possible regular season games in his first full seasons in the majors. While the fractures can be chalked up to bad luck and Jung may not be considered injury prone, three significant fractures in a four-year window is an issue.

Suarez went 2-for-2 with two RBI in Friday's spring game against the Rockies.

Suarez was one of several Arizona regulars to start the Cactus League opener. He batted cleanup and delivered a two-run single in the third inning. It was a good start to spring training for Suarez, who did not hit well in the spring of 2024, which carried over into the first half of the regular season (.668 OPS).

Baty has been taking groundballs at shortstop and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza didn't rule out Baty seeing some action there during Grapefruit League play, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Baty's main focus remains on third base and second base, but it's possible he'll give shortstop a try if he looks good enough there in workouts. The Mets' four infield spots are all spoken for, so Baty's best shot at playing time will be to increase his versatility. He has started only at third base so far at the major-league level but has been used some at second base and in left field in the minors.

Schunk cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday.

The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Rockies earlier in the week but will stick in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. Schunk will remain in big-league camp as a non-roster invitee but is likely to begin the campaign at Albuquerque.

Jung (wrist) has no physical limitations to start spring training, Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Jung had a pair of wrist surgeries in 2024 and was limited to only 188 plate appearances as a result. He reported that he was fully recovered in early January, but that has now been confirmed by his participation in baseball activity early in camp as Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reported that Jung participated in batting practice this week.

While Marte is attending big-league spring training, he's taking his reps with the other prospects in camp, and not with the Reds' lineup regulars, Charlie's Chalkboard reports.

The third base job is wide open, and while Marte technically has a shot to win the job, the way the Reds are handling him to begin spring training buttresses earlier notions that he'll begin the season at Triple-A Louisville. Jeimer Candelario, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Gavin Lux and even Santiago Espinal all have better chances to win the third base job on Opening Day.

Devers has been doing separate infield and cage work away from other Red Sox players as he continues to build up strength following last year's shoulder injuries, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Devers had problems with both shoulders during the 2024 season, although his left (non-throwing) shoulder was considered to be the bigger issue. He avoided surgery but is being eased into action this spring. Devers is expected to begin regular workouts with the team next week, and if that happens as scheduled, injury concerns should dissipate. However, if he's delayed, it will be time to raise a red flag. Earlier this week, Devers expressed an unwillingness to move off third base this season to accommodate Alex Bregman, but the 28-year-old could wind up at designated hitter even if that's not his preference.

Ramos (elbow) said Wednesday that he's continued to hit and field grounders during the White Sox's full-squad workouts, but he has yet to begin a throwing program, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. "Right now I'm feeling pretty good. I've been hitting. I've been doing pretty much everything," Ramos said. "The only thing I haven't been doing is throwing for now."

Ramos is managing a sore right elbow, but at this point in spring training, the issue isn't anything that is expected to keep him from being ready to go for Opening Day. That said, his initial game action during the Cactus League is likely to come at designated hitter, and he'll need to show that he can throw across the diamond at full velocity without discomfort before he's cleared to play in the infield. Ramos reached the big leagues for the first time last season, slashing .202/.252/.333 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 107 plate appearances across two stints with the White Sox.

The Rockies designated Schunk for assignment Wednesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Scott Alexander, who was signed Wednesday. Schunk managed just a .595 OPS in 39 games with the Rockies in 2024, but he can play all over the infield and has minor-league options, so he could draw interest via trade or waivers.