MLB Player News
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J.D. Davis 1B | LAA
Giants' J.D. Davis: Bat looks ready for season
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.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
White Sox's Yoan Moncada: Avoids concussion
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Monday that Moncada is still dealing with a bruised rib but didn't suffer a concussion as a result of his collision during Team Cuba's loss Sunday to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Though prior reports suggested Moncada came away from the collision with a head injury, Grifol affirmed a day later that the infielder was dealing with an injury only to his midsection. It's not clear when Moncada might be ready to play in a game, but at this stage, the rib injury isn't believed to be anything that will affect his Opening Day availability.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
White Sox's Yoan Moncada: Diagnosed with concussion
Moncada was diagnosed with a concussion in addition to his bruised rib following Team Cuba's loss Sunday to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Moncada was hurt during a collision in the bottom of the sixth inning that forced him out of the game in the subsequent frame. While his rib injury isn't believed to be particularly serious, he'll have to be monitored by the medical staff before he's cleared to return from his concussion. The 27-year-old will have a week and a half to recover before the White Sox begin the regular season against Houston on March 30. Whether he'll be available for any remaining Cactus League games remains to be seen.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | ARI
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Expected to be fine
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.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
White Sox's Yoan Moncada: Managing bruised rib
Moncada is considered day-to-day with a bruised rib after exiting Sunday's World Baseball Classic against Team USA, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Moncada was involved in a collision to close out the sixth inning Sunday and was replaced defensively in the bottom of the seventh. It's unclear whether his rib issue will impact his availability for Opening Day, but a better idea of his status should come into focus based on his usage over Chicago's final few Cactus League games.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
White Sox's Yoan Moncada: Departs WBC semifinal
Moncada exited Sunday's World Baseball Classic semifinal against Team USA following a collision in the bottom of the sixth inning, Kyle Glaser of Baseball America reports.
The exact nature of Moncada's injury isn't clear, but he was replaced defensively in the bottom of the seventh inning following his outfield collision to close out the sixth. It seems unlikely that Cuba will advance to the World Baseball Classic final due to Team USA's significant lead, but it's unclear if Moncada's injury will impact his availability for the final few games of Cactus League action.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | ARI
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: X-rays negative
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.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | ARI
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Exits WBC semifinal
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.
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Gunnar Henderson SS | BAL
Orioles' Gunnar Henderson: On base twice Sunday
Henderson went 1-for-2 with a walk in Sunday's Grapefruit League win over the Pirates.
Henderson is hitting just .160 through 10 games this spring, and just one of his hits, a triple, has gone for extra bases. It's not exactly an encouraging line for a player whose spot in the big leagues isn't guaranteed, but the bright side is that players like Ramon Urias and Jorge Mateo also haven't done much with the bat this spring. Henderson is still more on the likely side to make the Opening Day roster, but he'll need to build off of Sunday's effort to solidify his place in the Orioles' short-term plans.
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Matt Reynolds 3B | CIN
Reds' Matt Reynolds: Unlikely to be ready for season
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.