MLB Player News

Reed went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Wednesday's game against Minnesota.

Reed got the start at first base on the day it was announced Yulieski Gurriel underwent surgery on his left hand. Reed is one of several players in competition to fill in for Gurriel, who is expected to be out until at least mid-to-late April. Being that it's a hand injury and understanding his swing could be impacted, that timeline could push into May. Reed has the body and the bat to be a first baseman, but his MLB track record is wanting. In the coming weeks, expect to see Tyler White and J.D. Davis get time at first, although when Houston breaks camp, there's a good chance Marwin Gonzalez will be the primary starter at first.

Reed could see regular playing time at first base to start the season following the news of Yulieski Gurriel's hand surgery, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic Houston reports.

Reed mashed 34 homers at Triple-A Fresno last season, but he only appeared in the majors for two games, going 0-for-6 in those contests. This could've been big news for him given the potency of the rest of Houston's lineup, but expectations should be tempered. Gurriel is only expected to miss the first couple weeks of the season, so Reed probably wouldn't even get that much extra playing time. Additionally, J.D. Davis and Tyler White are also competing for the spot, making it even tougher for Reed to make an impact.

Jimenez (knee) is expected to compete in a full capacity Thursday after spending Wednesday doing hitting drills, Daryl Van Schouwen of The Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Jimenez has been dealing with a little left knee soreness that cropped up earlier this week, but he's been able to complete field work and continue hitting over the past couple days. It doesn't appear as though the club is too concerned with this ailment and it's expected that he will be able to play in Cactus League games in the near future.

Jimenez (knee) completed some field work without issue Tuesday, James Fegan of The Athletic Chicago reports.

The top prospect seems to be progressing nicely from the knee soreness that emerged Monday, as he's hit and fielded since reports of an injury emerged. Jimenez is expected to get Wednesday off in an effort to proceed cautiously with his rehab program, but it doesn't seem like this is too serious of an issue at this point. It's worth monitoring over the course of spring training.

Vogelbach (foot) is serving as the designated hitter and batting fourth Tuesday against the Royals, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

As expected, Vogelbach is set to return to action after missing the past couple of games with a bruised foot. The issue was never thought to be anything overly serious, and he'll likely return to playing the field Wednesday.

Miller is out for a few days with a broken right pinky toe, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller was able to take some groundballs Monday but is not very mobile at the moment. The injury isn't expected to keep him out long. The 28-year-old infielder is in a battle for playing time after the Rays acquired C.J. Cron, so any lost time this spring could hurt him in his quest for regular at-bats this season.

Jimenez is dealing with minor left knee soreness, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The injury doesn't appear to be serious, but the White Sox are being cautious with their highly-touted outfield prospect. He hit Monday, and could be back in game action soon. The ailment is unlikely to have any impact on his ability to make the big-league roster, which he is very unlikely to do anyway, given that he's only played 18 games at the Double-A level.

Martinez and the Red Sox have officially signed the contract Monday, which they appeared to have agreed upon one week prior, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

The terms of the deal are reportedly unchanged. Boston was apparently extra thorough in its medical evaluation, but did not uncover anything which would cause the team to rework the deal. Both sides also worked to add extra protective contract language to the contract over the weekend, but the basic structure of the deal (five years, $110 million with opt-outs after the second and third seasons) remains the same.

Vargas will have a tougher time making the Minnesota 25-man roster after the Twins signed Logan Morrison, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Vargas is 1-for-2 this spring and says he has improved vision after being fitted for a contact lens in his left eye. "I was seeing the ball really good," he said after getting a hit Saturday. "I've never seen it that clear."

Vargas looked likely to make the 25-man roster as a reserve and part-time DH before the Twins signed Morrison. Following the signing, Vargas looks like a candidate to be traded or sent to the minors. His limited ability to play in the field hurts his chances to win a spot on the bench.

Martinez is still expected to sign with the Red Sox, despite a recent delay due to a medical matter, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

A physical revealed an undisclosed issue that could impact Martinez later in his career. Fortunately, there are no concerns that Martinez won't be able to play the upcoming season at full strength. However, due to the findings at Martinez's recent physical, certain details of the contract needed to be altered. The delay appears to be coming to an end, as Boston could formally announce the signing as early as Monday.