MLB Player News

X-rays on Lewis' injured finger came back negative, but he won't swing a bat for a few days as an extra precaution, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

The outfield prospect dislocated his pinky finger sliding into second base Wednesday, but there's little concern about the injury moving forward. The Mariners are simply being extra careful with Lewis given his injury history, so he figures to be full-go once he's allowed to swing again.

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.

Lewis' finger injury was nothing worse than a jammed finger, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Lewis hurt his finger while sliding head first into second base during baserunning drills. He initially left practice for an X-ray but evidently did not suffer any serious injury.

Lewis dislocated his finger during baserunning drills Wednesday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

A team doctor pulled the finger back into place, and Lewis claims to be fine, but the Mariners will have him undergo X-rays just to be safe. The young outfielder hit an unimpressive .220/.309/.371 in 37 games for Double-A Arkansas last season but still has some prospect shine left after being taken 11th overall in the 2016 draft.

Vogelbach reported to camp noticeably trimmer Monday and will compete with Ryon Healy for starting first-base duties during camp, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Vogelbach didn't provide a number for his weight loss, but manager Scott Servais came away impressed with the 26-year-old's body transformation while he faces an important battle this spring. In addition to vying for the top spot on the depth chart at first base -- for which he enters camp as the underdog -- Vogelbach may need to perform well this spring just to keep his spot on the 40-man roster. Vogelbach is out of minor-league options and the lack of defensive versatility he provides may make it difficult for the Mariners to justify keeping him around as a bench piece.

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.

The Rays expect Choi to serve as their top designated hitter and an occasional first baseman in 2019, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Choi was quietly one of baseball's most productive hitters in the second half last season, supplying a .275/.382/.523 batting line and 149 wRC+, which ranked 17th among all hitters with at least 150 plate appearances after the break. That late-season surge should keep his spot atop the depth chart secure, though Choi will most likely have to settle for a platoon role at DH with Avisail Garcia or at first base with Yandy Diaz. The lefty-hitting Choi should at least benefit from earning the larger side of any timeshare, as Garcia and Diaz are both right-handed hitters.

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.

Ohtani (elbow) hopes to progress to hitting off a tee during the coming week, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The two-way phenom appears to be progressing through his rehab program nicely, as he had only been cleared to take dry swings last week. Ohtani still appears to be on track for a return in May, though a firmer date will likely take shape as he advances further in his rehab program.