MLB Player News

Buxton's absence from Grapefruit League games to this point has been by design and not related to injury, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Per Gleeman, the Twins don't see spring training games as more useful for veterans than back-field work. Buxton entered camp with no health restrictions and will play in some Grapefruit League games eventually, although it's unclear when that might happen.

Ohtani pitched four scoreless innings for Japan against China in the World Baseball Classic on Thursday, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out five batters. He also went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and two RBI as a hitter.

Ohtani unsurprisingly starred for Team Japan in the squad's 8-1 victory, as he once again demonstrated his immense talent both on the mound and at the plate. This was the second time he's started a game as a pitcher this spring, with the other being in a Cactus League contest March 1 during which he hurled 2.1 scoreless frames. Where Ohtani is being drafted in fantasy is partly dependent on how he's able to be utilized, but he's unlikely to fall out of the first round in any format.

Turner (face) visited the Red Sox' spring training complex Thursday and the team is hopeful he'll have time to get ready for Opening Day, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Turner will not resume on-field workouts until his stitches are removed, which is expected to happen in about two weeks. That gives him a pretty tight window to knock some rust off before the opener, but it seems doable since he already has six games under his belt and, as a veteran, probably doesn't need a ton of at-bats.

Alvarez (hand) is expected to resume swinging Friday or Saturday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez has yet to swing a bat this spring, though general manager Dana Brown said he is currently pain free. Alvarez's exact timetable to resume baseball activity has been a moving target, though this latest development is a positive for the slugger's outlook. Assuming he remains on track, Alvarez is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Brantley (shoulder) may not be ready to play on Opening Day, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Brantley is recovering from surgery to repair his right labrum and has been progressing slowly. He's currently away from the team due to a personal matter, but prior to that, he had not appeared in any Grapefruit League games. On Wednesday, general manager Dana Brown said Brantley's availability for Opening Day is in doubt, but the team hopes he'll be able to return to the field no later than April 10.

Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that Turner (face) will probably be out two weeks, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.

The timeline offered by Cora suggests that Turner, who was hit in the face Monday and required 16 stitches to seal the wound, will be cutting it close for Opening Day. If the veteran infielder needs to miss time, he likely won't need to spend more than the minimum 10 days on the injured list at the start of the regular season.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Stanton could play "40, 50, 60" games in the outfield this season, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Not only will putting Stanton in the outfield free up more chances for others in the designated hitter spot, but Boone also feels that the veteran slugger is more engaged and that it's good for him physically to play the field some. He's expected to play some right field when the Yankees are at home, with Aaron Judge shifting over to the roomier left field. Stanton will be used in left in places like Fenway Park, where there's not as much ground to cover. Stanton made 38 total starts in the outfield in 2022, so he should already have eligibility at the position in the majority of fantasy leagues heading into 2023.

Alvarez (hand) is hoping to resume swinging a bat next week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday he was hoping Alvarez would be ready to swing a bat by this weekend, but apparently it will take a little longer than that. It does not appear at this point that Alvarez had a setback, but the team clearly wants to make sure the slugger's nagging hand soreness is behind him before he ramps things up again. There's been no indication that the injury could affect Alvarez's Opening Day availability, but it's certainly an uneasy feeling seeing him miss so much time.

Turner (face) has left the hospital and returned home to rest, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

According to an update from his wife Kourtney Turner, Turner had to undergo 16 stitches and is dealing with a lot of swelling, but the veteran suffered no fractures and cleared all of his scans. The injury occurred when he was struck in the face during Monday's Grapefruit League contest against the Tigers. It's very positive news, but the timetable as to when Turner will return to action this spring is not yet known.

Turner (face) is being treated for soft-tissue injuries and monitored for a concussion at a hospital after exiting Monday's game when he was hit in the face by a pitch, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

The Red Sox say Turner is stable, alert and in good spirits, all things considered, which is very nice to hear. It does not appear he suffered any fractures as a result of the hit by pitch, but obviously he's far from out of the woods. Turner will be examined closely over the next few days and more should be known later this week about his status for the coming weeks and Opening Day. If he does need to miss time, it would open up some playing time in the Red Sox' designated hitter spot.