MLB Player News

Heineman is expected to begin the season as the Blue Jays' No. 2 catcher behind Alejandro Kirk, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

He's the only other catcher on the 40-man roster, so this isn't a big surprise, but NRI signing Christian Bethancourt also hasn't shown enough in camp to push Heineman for the job. The switch-hitting Heineman doesn't offer much offense and has a .212/.298/.273 slash line through 299 plate appearances in the majors, but he could end up seeing the biggest workload of his career in 2025 -- Kirk has never caught more than 99 games in a season.

Alvarez (thumb) will start at designated hitter and bat third in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Alvarez had to be scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to right thumb soreness, but it will be just a one-day absence. The slugger has yet to get going this spring, sporting a .493 OPS with one home run.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Yoshida (shoulder) threw out to 90 feet Tuesday but still has "a long way to go" before he's ready to play the corner outfield, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Coming off October surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, Yoshida is operating with no restrictions at the plate this spring, as he's made nine starts in Grapefruit League play as a designated hitter while producing a .321 average and .785 OPS over 28 plate appearances. However, because Rafael Devers (shoulders) won't be cleared to play third base before the end of the spring and appears set to open the season as Boston's primary DH, the Red Sox are unlikely to make room on the active roster for Yoshida if he's not an option in the outfield. Yoshida will likely continue to extend his throwing distance over the final week of the spring, but he appears ticketed for a stint on the injured list to begin the season. He'll presumably need to play left field in a few minor-league rehab games before the Red Sox are comfortable activating him.

Ohtani went 1-for-3 with solo home run and two walks during Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Cubs in Tokyo.

After hitting a career-high 54 homers during the regular season in his first year as a Dodger in 2024, Ohtani didn't take long to deliver his first long ball of this season. The three-time MVP reached multiple times in each of the first two games of the season and has gone 3-for-8 with two walks, a double, a homer and three runs scored.

Alvarez was scratched from Tuesday's Grapefruit League lineup versus the Nationals due to right thumb soreness, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Alvarez banged up the thumb during batting practice Sunday, and while he played in the game that day, he arrived at the park Tuesday with some discomfort. Astros manager Joe Espada expects Alvarez to be ready to play Wednesday against the Mets.

Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and a strikeout in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Cubs in Tokyo.

The Japanese superstar was unable to deliver a home run in the first official game back in his home country, but he still produced as a leadoff man in the season opener. Ohtani recently slowed his pitching progression in order to ramp up his preparations as a hitter for Opening Day, but he's still expected to join the starting rotation sometime in May. For now, the 30-year-old will continue to serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter as he works his way back from November shoulder surgery.

Winker exited Monday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Rays due to a calf cramp, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that Winker's removal was precautionary, adding that the 31-year-old "should be OK." Winker -- who was retired in his lone plate appearance Monday -- is sporting an .805 OPS this spring and projects to open the season as the Mets' primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching.

The Cardinals reassigned Pozo to minor-league camp Monday.

Pozo received a late invitation to big-league camp but never made much of a push for a spot on the Opening Day roster with the Cardinals likely to begin the season with Pedro Pages and Ivan Herrera as their catching tandem. The 27-year-old Pozo hasn't seen MLB action since 2021 with the Rangers and will likely spend the majority of the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Memphis.

The Mets reassigned Meneses to minor-league camp Monday.

Meneses has produced at a near-league-average level at the plate over parts of three seasons in the majors with the Nationals, slashing .274/.322/.408 with a 101 wRC+ across 1,210 plate appearances. The 32-year-old's power production dropped considerably in 2024, however, with Meneses slugging just three home runs in 313 plate appearances before the Nationals demoted him to Triple-A last July and kept him in the minors for the remainder of the season. He caught on with the Mets on a minor-league deal in the offseason, but Meneses' declining production and lack of defensive flexibility made it unlikely that he would win a bench role on the Opening Day roster. Meneses will likely open the season at Triple-A Syracuse, and it may take a Pete Alonso injury in order for him to get a look with the big club.

Kjerstad went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against Detroit and is now batting .257 (9-for-35) with one home run, six RBI and one stolen base this spring.

The 2020 first-rounder appears to be on track for a bench role to begin 2025, but Kjerstad's most likely pathway to regular at-bats looks to be blocked at the moment by veteran slugger Ryan O'Hearn at designated hitter. With that said, O'Hearn has gone just 4-for-30 with a lone extra-base hit during spring training, and he could start to feel Kjerstad nipping at his heels for work at some point if his struggles carry into the regular season. Kjerstad could be hard-pressed to find reps in the outfield early on, with Colton Cowser going 12-for-31 with two homers, six RBI and two steals in exhibition action.