MLB Player News

Ramirez feels great following offseason thumb surgery, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez recorded a respectable .766 OPS after injuring his thumb in mid-June, but his 1.039 OPS prior to the injury demonstrates what he's capable of. It will be good to see the four-time All-Star back up his words with some strong spring performances, but it looks as though there's every reason to believe he'll be fully healthy heading into the year.

Escobar was dealing with an off-field family issue last season that impacted his performance, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

"It was really hard," Escobar said this week. "I love baseball and respect my teammates. My problems are my problems. And I try to separate my problems from the job. But it was really hard throughout the season, especially when you're coming to a big team as a new player. It led to trying too much." The 34-year-old still slugged 20 home runs in 2022 for the fifth time in his career, but his .725 OPS was his lowest over a full season since 2016. The issue got dealt with in August, and Escobar's .321/.385/.596 slash line in September and October suggests he regained his focus in spades. He has extra incentive to rebound in 2023 as well -- prospect Brett Baty will be pushing for the starting job at third base this summer, and Mets owner Steve Cohen could potentially pursue free-agent-to-be Manny Machado next winter.

The Padres placed Rosario (ankle) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

The move frees up a 40-man roster spot while Rosario, aiming for a midseason return from a broken ankle, continues his recover. Rosario had only six plate appearances in his big-league debut last season and, considering San Diego's remarkable infield depth, it might take some injuries for him to find MLB playing time in 2023.

Moncada said Thursday that he probably came back too soon from an early-season oblique injury last year, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Perhaps a lingering oblique injury can at least partly explain a disastrous showing from Moncada in 2022 which saw him post just a .626 OPS with 12 home runs over 104 games. The 27-year-old said he's done "everything" differently this offseason as far as his training goes, including getting more massages. Moncada added that he hasn't been dealing with the shoulder soreness he usually experiences at the beginning of spring training. Obviously, a bounceback season from Moncada would be huge for the White Sox' 2023 outlook.

Kieboom (elbow) is expected to be limited to DH duties in the Nationals' early slate of Grapefruit League games, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Kieboom missed the entire 2022 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, and the Nats are going to ease him into action this spring. He's doing overhand throws from third base but has yet to try sidearm throws or backhand plays. The 25-year-old will likely open the season at Triple-A Rochester as he rounds out his ability to again man the hot corner.

Urias is expected to play more at second base during spring training, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

Urias won a Gold Glove at third base last season, but the Orioles seem to be planning to use Gunnar Henderson there in 2023, with Jorge Mateo at shortstop and Adam Frazier at second. It would appear to leave Urias without a set starting spot, although he should still play plenty. Urias ended last season with a knee injury but reported to camp fully healthy.

Senzel is back to full health following offseason toe surgery and will enter spring training as the frontrunner for the Reds' starting center fielder role, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "If he's healthy, he's going to play," Bell said Tuesday. "What I told Nick is get yourself ready to play center, but also as our team settles in, we are going to move him around a little bit, let him play some infield, prepare him to play corner positions in the outfield, so we have some flexibility there."

Senzel may be facing a make-or-break season with the Reds, as he could find himself off the 40-man roster if he's unable to solidify himself as the everyday center fielder or emerge as a useful bench piece. Through parts of his first four seasons in the big leagues, Senzel has managed a lowly .240/.303/.360 slash line in 1,036 plate appearances while missing extensive time with an assortment of injuries. In an effort to jumpstart his career, Senzel told Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer that he'll be experimenting with a swing change in spring training, so his results during Cactus League play may be worth keeping an eye on.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone expects LeMahieu (toe) to be ready for the start of the 2023 season, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

LeMahieu has been spotted early in the spring taking grounders at third base, and he reportedly looks to be back at full health after missing the end of the 2022 season because of a broken right toe. The infielder notably struggled while trying to play through the injury, leading to him finishing the campaign with a .261/.337/.337 slash line over 541 plate appearances. A healthy campaign could see the 34-year-old ascend back to previous levels, but there's a good chance LeMahieu is only a one-category player at this stage of his career.

De La Cruz will focus on shortstop this spring, despite playing some third base last season and in winter ball, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

The Reds have a slew of shortstop prospects acquired through the draft, via international signings like De La Cruz, and in the trade market the last two seasons, so they'll have to sort out who ultimately sticks at shortstop and who moves elsewhere. For now, De La Cruz remains at short, but due to his size, he could move over to third eventually.

Senzel (toe) told C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic on Tuesday that his surgically repaired left foot is "good."

Senzel has undergone multiple surgeries for a troublesome fracture in his left toe and is hoping to be able to put that issue fully behind him in 2023. He will be eased along in Reds camp this spring, but Rosecrans notes that the 27-year-old outfielder is "in great shape" about six weeks out from Opening Day.