MLB Player News
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Cleared for baseball work
Manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday that Jung (calf) has been cleared to resume baseball activities, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
The 26-year-old has been sidelined since he suffered a left calf strain in mid-February, but he's now ready for baseball work and is taking swings in the batting cage Sunday. Jung should ramp up his activities over the next week and could make his spring debut before too long if he has no further issues with his calf.
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Warming Bernabel 3B | WAS
Rockies' Warming Bernabel: Sent to minors
The Rockies optioned Bernabel to Double-A Hartford on Sunday.
Though Bernabel is on the Rockies' 40-man roster and was attending big-league spring training, he wasn't a serious threat to win an Opening Day spot for the big club. He'll instead return to Hartford for a repeat season after he slashed .225/.270/.338 over 322 plate appearances with the affiliate in 2023.
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Brett Baty 3B | NYM
Mets' Brett Baty: Smacks first spring homer
Baty went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.
The 24-year-old third baseman took minor-league arm Roddery Munoz deep in the seventh inning for his first long ball of the spring. Baty established himself as one of the Mets' top prospects while coming up through the system but fell on his face in his first extended big-league action in 2023, stumbling to a .212/.275/.323 slash line over 386 plate appearances. A strong showing this spring would help reassure fantasy investors, but he'd likely need to be a complete disaster to lose the starting job at the hot corner for Opening Day.
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Gunnar Henderson 3B | BAL
Orioles' Gunnar Henderson: Should play Monday
Manager Brandon Hyde said Henderson (oblique) is expected to play in Monday's spring game against the Twins, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
The 22-year-old has yet to see the field in Grapefruit League play due to the oblique injury, but it appears he'll be making his spring debut Monday. Assuming he avoids any setbacks, Henderson will have plenty of time to ramp up his workload ahead of Opening Day.
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Makes spring debut
Marte started at third base and went 1-for-2 in Saturday's spring game against the Rockies.
Marte made his spring debut after coping with a hamstring injury that delayed his participation in game action. He hit a couple of balls hard and told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com that he felt comfortable before he was removed in the fourth inning. "It was good to have Marte back, he looked good," manager David Bell said. "We didn't want to do anything crazy on the bases, but he was 100 percent. He's completely freed up to play his normal game next time out." Marte should have enough time to build up for Opening Day and is projected to be the Reds' primary third baseman.
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Kyle Farmer 3B | ATL
Twins' Kyle Farmer: Set to platoon at 2B
Farmer looks set to platoon with Edouard Julien at second base and serve as the primary backup at shortstop, MLB.com reports. He's gone 1-for-9 in three games this spring.
Julien could get more playing time if he improves against left-handed pitching, but Farmer should get steady starts at second base against lefties to begin the season. Farmer is a plus glove at second base, but his lack of premium power and lower contact rate (74.4%) exposes his deficiences with everyday duty.
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J.D. Davis 1B | LAA
Giants' J.D. Davis: Loses starting role to Chapman
Davis told reporters he's willing to do "whatever the team needs," following the Giants' signing of Matt Chapman on Friday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Prior to the deal, Davis was lined up for the starting job at third base. Davis now is likely to either be a reserve or trade option, as the Giants also have Wilmer Flores available for an infield utility role and LaMonte Wade expected to handle a strong-side platoon role at first base. Davis batted. 248 with 18 home runs and a career-high 69 RBI over 144 contests last season and was awarded a $6.9 million contract in arbitration in February.
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Maikel Garcia 3B | KC
Royals' Maikel Garcia: Could be leadoff hitter
Garcia is projected as the Royals' starting third baseman and a potential leadoff hitter, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Garcia has gone 4-for-9 with a stolen base over his first three Cactus League games. He enjoyed a solid first major-league campaign, batting .272 with a .681 OPS while adding 23 stolen bases, 50 RBI and 59 runs scored. The Royals' lineup looks a little beefed up compared to 2023, and another year of growth from the prospects could help Garcia be a valuable contact hitter and speed threat if he can remain atop the lineup.
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Patrick Wisdom 3B | SEA
Cubs' Patrick Wisdom: Expected back Tuesday
Wisdom (quad) is expected to play in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Royals, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Wisdom was scratched from Thursday's game against the Rockies due to right quadriceps tightness. It was a precautionary measure, and the infielder is expected to only miss a few days. In 302 plate appearances last season, Wisdom slashed .205/.289/.500 with 23 home runs and 46 RBI.
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Max Muncy 3B | LAD
Dodgers' Max Muncy: Returns to lineup
Muncy (hand) is starting at third base and batting fourth for the Dodgers' spring training game against the Cubs on Saturday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Muncy had been held out for the past couple of games after getting hit in the hand by a pitch during Wednesday's contest against Texas. He resumed swinging a bat Friday and was never expected to miss much time. Muncy tied a career high with 36 homers last season and has already hit one out in six at-bats this spring.