MLB Player News

Belt (heel) is starting Thursday's spring game against the Brewers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Belt has had a slow start to spring training after offseason heel surgery and various illnesses, but he'll make his first appearance at first base during Thursday's Cactus League game while batting second. The Giants haven't yet announced whether Belt will be ready for the start of the regular season in a week.

Martinez will sit for the second straight game Thursday against the Twins due to food poisoning, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Per manager Alex Cora, Martinez has been sidelined after eating some bad sushi earlier in the week. His absence shouldn't last much longer, however, as he'll be able to hit on a back field Thursday.

Jimenez will miss five to six months after being diagnosed with a ruptured left pectoral tendon, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Jimenez suffered the injury while attempting to rob a home run Wednesday. He'll undergo surgery and miss the majority of the season. The expected recovery timeline places his return date sometime between late August and late September. Leury Garcia and Adam Engel (hamstring) are the primary candidates to start in left field in his absence, though the White Sox could also look to bring in a free agent like Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig or Josh Reddick. The team is also considering trying Andrew Vaughn in left field, though he's been purely a first baseman in the minors.

Jimenez could be out for most of the year with a torn pectoral, Jim Duquette of Sirius XM Radio reports.

Jimenez was initially diagnosed with left shoulder discomfort after injuring himself while trying to rob a home run Wednesday, but it appears as though he might be dealing with a much more serious injury. The White Sox are expected to update his status Thursday afternoon. An extended absence would likely open up starts for Leury Garcia or Adam Engel in left field, though Engel is currently dealing with a strained hamstring.

Turner is noticeably slimmer this spring, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Turner has typically clocked in over 200 pounds in recent seasons, but he reportedly got down to as low as 192 pounds as the result of a diet that the veteran hopes will help make him "lighter, more mobile and more durable." Manager Dave Roberts noted that Turner has improved his defensive range as a result of the weight loss, though it remains to be seen if it will have an effect on his offense. The third baseman is slugging .278/.395/.472 with one home run and six RBI in Cactus League play.

Cabrera has impressed manager A.J. Hinch with his play at first base this spring, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Hinch has said he wants to play Cabrera at first at least one or two times per week, and the veteran has looked up to the task so far, The manager said Cabrera is "arguably the best first baseman we have," but even if that's true, the Tigers will still likely limit his time there to keep the 37-year-old fresh. Jeimer Candelario is expected to see the bulk of the time at first, and Renato Nunez could be in the mix too if he makes the team.

Belt (heel/illness) is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Wednesday against the Padres as a pinch hitter, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The 32-year-old has been playing catch-up throughout camp after undergoing heel surgery in October and then coming down with COVID-19 in January and mononucleosis in February, but he's set to make his spring debut Wednesday. There's only eight days before Opening Day, so Belt is running out of time to play the field in a spring game before the start of the season. A short trip to the injured list to open the campaign wouldn't be surprising, though the Giants have yet to indicate whether he's expected to be ready for the season opener.

The White Sox announced that Jimenez was removed from Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Athletics due to left shoulder discomfort.

The initial diagnosis doesn't provide much clarity regarding the extent of Jimenez's injury, but the White Sox should have a better idea about his condition when he's re-evaluated Thursday. The 24-year-old slugger sustained the shoulder injury while attempting to rob a home-run ball at the left-field fence.

Jimenez exited Wednesday's spring game against the Athletics in the top of the second inning with an apparent left shoulder injury, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Jimenez sustained the injury while reaching over the wall in left field to try to save a home run in the second inning. He was shaken up on the play and immediately left the game with a trainer. The exact nature and severity of the injury isn't yet known.

Choi received a second cortisone injection in his sore right knee Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The Rays remain optimistic that nothing is structurally wrong with Choi's knee, and manager Kevin Cash suggested that the first baseman could be ready to ramp up his activity as soon as Wednesday. Despite the positive news, Choi still appears unlikely to be available for Opening Day, though he'll likely only require a brief stint on the injured list to begin the season.