MLB Player News

Encarnacion-Strand was reassigned Tuesday to the minor-league side of Reds camp.

Encarnacion-Strand has flashed tremendous power this spring with four home runs and 13 RBI across 27 plate appearances in the Cactus League. And he put up 32 homers and 114 RBI in 122 minor-league games last summer. Acquired from the Twins in August 2022 as part of the Tyler Mahle trade, the 23-year-old corner infielder could eventually emerge as a thundering offensive threat at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Vientos could open the season on the 26-man roster if Darin Ruf gets placed on the injured list due to his sore wrist, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

Ruf has done little in a Mets uniform since being picked up from the Giants last season, and his sore wrist has limited him to only 13 plate appearances so far this spring, in which he's managed two hits and struck out five times. Vientos, meanwhile, has gone 11-for-36 (.308) with three doubles and two homers, although his 1:14 BB:K is a giant red flag that he isn't going to maintain that kind of batting average for very long. The 23-year-old would also offer more defensive versatility in a bench role than Ruf. The veteran slugger still has some time left this spring to prove his wrist is 100 percent and re-establish himself as a right-handed platoon option, but if the Mets decide to shut him down, Vientos appears to be the most likely candidate to benefit.

Ruf's ongoing wrist issues and struggles at the plate this spring could lead to him beginning the season on the injured list, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The veteran slugger was expected to fill a role as a right-handed platoon option at DH and bench bat, but he's gone 2-for-11 this spring with five strikeouts when he's been healthy enough to play at all. Giving the Mets extra incentive to place him on IL has been the performance of some prospects in camp, notably Mark Vientos, who is slashing .306/.324/.556 with two homers and three doubles in 37 plate appearances this spring, albeit with a 1:14 BB:K. Vientos would also offer a little more defensive versatility off the bench than Ruf if he winds up on the Opening Day roster.

Lewis went 3-for-3 with a home run and five RBI in Sunday's spring game against the Rockies.

Lewis got a late start to Cactus League action due to leg issues, but he's hit in three straight and has three extra-base hits (two homers) during that stretch. He's in the mix for a bench spot along with Pavin Smith and Emmanuel Rivera.

Meneses went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in Sunday's 11-5 win for Team Mexico over Team USA.

After staking Mexico to an early 2-0 lead with a blast off Nick Martinez in the first inning, Meneses put the game out of reach with a three-run shot in the fourth off Brady Singer. Both homers came off his bat with exit velocities above 102 mph, per Jesse Borek of MLB.com. Meneses didn't do much at the plate during Grapefruit League play before the WBC began, going 4-for-20 with zero extra-base hits, but Sunday's performance is a reminder that the power he displayed at the end of the 2022 season is very real. The 30-year-old is set to fill an everyday role in the majors this year for the first time in his career, seeing most of his action at DH for the Nationals while also spotting in at first base and potentially in the outfield corners once again.

Blackmon's back stiffness is improving, but he won't be rushed back into the lineup, MLB.com reports.

Blackmon left Colorado's spring training game March 10 after just one inning due to a back injury. Manager Bud Black didn't give a specific timeline for a return, though given Blackmon's veteran status it's no surprise the team isn't rushing for him to return during the exhibition schedule. To this point, there is no indication he's in danger of missing any regular-season contests.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hasn't ruled out Martinez playing some outfield this season, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Martinez played primarily in the outfield for the first seven seasons of his career before transitioning to designated hitter in 2018. Last season with the Red Sox, he played all 139 of his games as the DH, and he hasn't played the outfield in a regular-season contest since Oct. 3, 2021. However, the veteran started in left field in Saturday's Cactus League contest against the Cubs and made a nice running catch on the first play of the game. Though Roberts' comments suggest Martinez could occasionally play defense this season, it's uncertain if he'd do so often enough to gain outfield eligibility in fantasy leagues. One reason the team may want to put Martinez in the field from time to time is that doing so could help get catcher Will Smith's bat in the lineup on days when he needs a break behind the plate.

Solak was reassigned to minor-league spring training Saturday.

Solak was acquired for cash considerations in November, but any hopes of him duplicating Brandon Drury's success from last season seems to have gone out the window with this move. Solak's career .252/.327/.372 slash line isn't good but is far from terrible, so if he does get a run of games for the Reds at some point, he could have fantasy value in at least deeper leagues. The fact that the Reds -- who don't exactly possess a roster packed with proven talent -- took him out of Opening Day consideration with nearly three weeks to go suggests his stock is quite low right now.

Beer went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Friday's spring game against the Reds.

Beer launched his first Cactus League home run in the first inning. He opened 2022 as part of the DH mix and hit well early, but a prolonged slump prompted a demotion to Triple-A Reno, where he languished with a .796 OPS in a hitter-friendly environment. The Diamondbacks have a plethora of DH candidates, and there's little room for him at first base, so Beer may have to recapture his offense at Reno in 2023.

Blackmon departed Friday's Cactus League contest versus the Giants with mid-back stiffness, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Blackmon played the top of the first inning on defense but was removed before he could take an at-bat. It's not clear at this point whether it's a day-to-day injury or possibly something more severe.