MLB Player News

Mayo will get most of his reps in big-league camp at third base, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Mayo will also see time at first base and could work out in right field as well. The Orioles believe third base gives Mayo the quickest path to the majors, especially with Gunnar Henderson (oblique) limited to start the spring. That said, Mayo could require a little more time at Triple-A Norfolk before contending for a major-league spot. He slashed .267/.393/.512 with Norfolk over 62 contests after a midseason promotion in 2023.

Jung felt discomfort in his left calf while fielding groundballs Friday, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

Jung will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Corey Seager is already a question mark for Opening Day following sports hernia surgery, so the left side of the Rangers' infield could be further depleted. Jung finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 after slashing .266/.315/.467 with 23 home runs over 122 games.

Escobar signed a contract with the Blue Jays on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Escobar suffered through a miserable 2023 season, during which he posted a .267 wOBA and 66 wRC+ across 309 plate appearances split between the Mets and Angels. At 35 years old, he's not likely to see a major rebound in his results, but he could earn consistent at-bats at third base to begin the campaign.

Henderson's Grapefruit League debut will be delayed after he was diagnosed with a strained oblique, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

As things stand right now, the Orioles do not believe Henderson's availability for Opening Day is in jeopardy. That assumes he progresses from here on out without issue, of course. The reigning American League Rookie of the Year posted an .814 OPS with 28 home runs and 10 stolen bases over 150 contests for Baltimore last season.

Candelario is projected as a co-starter at third base along with Noelvi Marte (hamstring), Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Candelario, who signed a three-year contract during the offseason, is expected to play every day, whether that be at corner infield -- he has 79 career starts at first base -- or designated hitter. Marte, an elite prospect who was developed at shortstop, had a strong showing in 35 games for the Reds last season.

Moustakas signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Wednesday and received an invitation to major-league spring training.

After a solid start to the season with the Rockies in 2023, Moustakas' production fell sharply upon being traded to the Angels in late June. He slashed just .236/.256/.371 across 250 plate appearances with the Halos. The 35-year-old Moustakas will have a chance to make the White Sox's Opening Day roster, but he would likely be limited to a reserve role with the big-league club.

Machado (elbow) is swinging with 100 percent effort and playing catch to start spring training, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Machado is recovering from surgery to repair an extensor tendon injury in his elbow, leaving his status for Opening Day in question. For now, the news is positive, with general manager A.J. Preller saying that Machado has hit all expected benchmarks at this point, while also stating that he is "tracking toward" playing in the Padres' series against the Dodgers in Korea to kick off the regular season. Despite the positivity, there's still nothing definitive about Machado's status, as he is limited in the volume of his work and will be eased back into game action.

Walls (hip) is expected to take the field within two or three weeks of the start of the regular season, MLB.com reports.

Walls is recovering from hip surgery and won't be ready to take the field on Opening Day. There hasn't been much detailed information about his rehab, but he has resumed defensive work while taking swings off a tee. He's also begun running to test the range of motion in his hip. Assuming he remains on track, Walls shouldn't miss much time and will compete with Jose Caballero for the starting shortstop job once activated from the injured list.

Marte is not yet running at full speed after suffering a hamstring strain in late November in the Dominican Winter League, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

It sounds like Marte is recovered from his injury, but the Reds are having him ramp things up slowly in camp to be safe. The 22-year-old played a bit at shortstop and second base in addition to third base last season with the Reds, but he'll focus mainly on the hot corner this spring as he attempts to win that job. Marte slashed an impressive .316/.366/.456 in 35 contests for Cincinnati in 2023.

The Yankees claimed Groshans off waivers from the Marlins on Tuesday.

Groshans has fallen short of expectations as a first-round pick, most recently slashing just .244/.341/.331 in 528 plate appearances at Triple-A Jacksonville in 2023. However, he's just 24 and is capable of playing all over the infield, so the Yankees will see what he can provide.