MLB Player News

Turner did not practice Wednesday while resting his knee after an annual spring knee lubrication injection, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

The injection doesn't appear to be of any concern, as Turner undergoes the procedure every spring. He's expected to be back on the field Thursday.

Reds manager David Bell said Monday that he expects Winker to get 500-plus at-bats, the John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "Not so much does he need it. . ." Bell said. "He does need to continue to develop, but we want him to contribute at that level and as an everyday player. Again, it's challenging having a lot of guys that can contribute, but I'm confident that it will work out. I really am. He's going to be a big part of what we're doing."

The Reds have a crowded outfield, but they are committed to playing Winker regularly. And why wouldn't they, after seeing him post a .299/.405/.431 line last year? The primary obstacle for him is health, not competition.

Manager Mike Shildt said Ozuna (shoulder) has been cleared for all baseball activities, FOX Sports Midwest reports. "We're in a good spot with his timetable," the manager added.

Shildt noted that Ozuna is still limited in some of his throwing, though he's progressing nicely through his throwing program. The Cardinals are expected to ease the outfielder into game action during spring training, starting him out at DH before allowing him to play the field, likely sometime in March. Barring any setbacks, Ozuna is on track to be ready for the start of the season.

Manager Bud Black said Blackmon will start in right field for the Rockies, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

It was originally thought that Blackmon would shift to left field in 2019 with Ian Desmond set to take over primary center field duties, but the Rockies prefer Dahl and his range in left field, leaving Blackmon to man the right side of the outfield. Regardless of where he plays, the veteran outfielder figures to be a staple in Colorado's lineup after hitting .291/.358/.502 with 29 homers and 12 stolen bases in 156 games last season.

Cespedes (heel) believes he will return at some point this season, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The Mets have been vague about the outfielder's timeline, and Cespedes hasn't been able to offer up anything more concrete either, stating that he doesn't know if he'll be back in one month or three months. He doesn't intend to return until he's 100 percent healthy after playing a total of just 119 games over the last two seasons. Cespedes will start throwing next week, Tim Healey of Newsday reports, though he doesn't know when he'll return to hitting.

Blackmon is expected to move to left field for the 2019 season, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The 32-year-old has been a staple in center field for Colorado, playing exclusively at that position the last three years. However, the Rockies want to reduce some wear and tear on his body, so they plan to move him to a less taxing outfield position. Ideally, less strenuous fielding will help Blackmon produce more at the plate, though anything near the .860 OPS with 29 home runs and 119 runs atop the Rockies batting order is still welcome. To accommodate the change, Ian Desmond is expected to handle primary center field duties in 2019.

Pederson and Alex Verdugo will compete for the starting gig in left field during camp, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

A.J. Pollock and Cody Bellinger are slated to spend most of their time in center field and right field, respectively, leaving Pederson and Verdugo to battle for the final outfield spot. Pederson likely has the upper hand, as he made 88 starts in the outfield last season and hit .248/.321/.522 with 25 homers across 443 plate appearances (148 total games). That said, even if he does beat out Verdugo, Pederson's continued struggles against left-handed pitching make a platoon situation likely.

Reyes (knee) will enter spring training with no restrictions, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. "I don't anticipate we hold him back at all," manager Andy Green said.

Reyes has been cleared for full activity, though Green noted that the Padres may hold him out of some running drills early in camp as they ease him back into action following offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus. The 23-year-old, who hit .280/.340/.498 with 16 homers in 87 games as a rookie in 2018, will be fighting for a starting gig in San Diego's crowded outfield this spring.

President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Ozuna (shoulder) will begin his throwing program in early February, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

Ozuna was dogged by shoulder injuries throughout the 2018 campaign, though he still appeared in 148 games and hit a fine .280/.325/.433 with 23 homers. He opted for surgery at the end of October, and the Cardinals are apparently encouraged by the outfielder's progress thus far. Ozuna recently began taking batting practice and playing catch in the Dominican Republic, and Mozeliak noted that he's "looking strong." Barring any setbacks, the 28-year-old is on track to be 100 percent healthy heading into spring training.

Pederson agreed to a one-year contract with the Dodgers on Friday, avoiding arbitration, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

It seems like just yesterday that Pederson was breaking into the majors, but this is already his second year of arb eligibility. While he hasn't blossomed into a superstar, Pederson had a really good 2018 season by most measures. The one big problem is that he continued to struggle in a major way against lefties, making a platoon situation likely even after the Dodgers moved both Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp.