MLB Player News

Ozuna went 1-for-2 with a walk, a three-run home run and a second run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.

Chi Chi Gonzalez left a pitch over the heart of the plate in the third inning and Ozuna sliced it down the right-field line, watching it carry over the fence for his first homer this spring. The veteran slugger played in only 48 games last season before spending the rest of the year on administrative leave due to domestic violence charges, but the league made his eventual suspension retroactive and he will be available for Opening Day, likely as Atlanta's designated hitter. Ozuna's .644 OPS in those 48 games might be the more immediate concern for prospective fantasy investors, but if the 31-year-old can find a middle ground between his 2020 and 2021 performances, he'll have plenty of value.

Torrens, who went 2-for-3 with a run in a Cactus League tie against the Brewers on Saturday, is hitting .500 (6-for-12) with a double, an RBI and two runs over his first five exhibitions.

Torrens signed a one-year deal to avoid arbitration on Wednesday and seems to be building plenty of momentum ahead of the fast-approaching start to the regular season. The 25-year-old made good use of his most extensive playing time in the majors yet last season, slugging 15 home runs and 33 extra-base hits overall across 378 plate appearances. With Tom Murphy and Cal Raleigh potentially set to absorb the majority of the catching opportunities, Torrens could log plenty of time at designated hitter to open the season.

Soler went 3-for-4 with two runs on Saturday during the Marlins' 9-2 win over St. Louis.

Soler was making his Marlins debut after signing a three-year, $36 million contract a week ago. The slugger hit leadoff Saturday against a lefty and should see an everyday role between left field and DH for the Marlins this season.

Winker took grounders at first base during Saturday's practice, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

A single spring drill is by no means an indication that Winker will spend a considerable amount of time at first base this season, though it would certainly benefit the Mariners if he proves capable at the position. He's not a good defender in the the outfield, an area that's full already in Seattle and will become overcrowded once Julio Rodriguez debuts and once Kyle Lewis (knee) gets healthy. At first base, Ty France is the only viable option due to Evan White's (groin) injuries and underperformance. France could shift to second or third base at times to accommodate Winker at first.

Ohtani will make his next Cactus League start Thursday against Milwaukee, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani was scratched from his scheduled start as a pitcher Saturday, but manager Joe Maddon reiterated that the move wasn't due to an injury or fatigue. Ohtani is expected to be built up to around 90 pitches by Opening Day, and he simply preferred to start Thursday as he continues his spring progression.

Ohtani will make his next start in the Cactus League on Thursday against the Brewers, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani was originally in line to pitch Saturday, though the decision for him to not take the mound is not injury or fatigue related. Manager Joe Maddon also noted that he expects Ohtani to be stretched out to 90 pitches for Opening Day, so he should be in line for a fairly typical workload.

Soler is batting first and starting in left field Saturday against the Cardinals.

Soler signed with Miami on March 19 and will appear in game action for the first time with his new team. It's particularly notable that he is leading off given left-hander Steven Matz is on the mound, in turn bumping Jazz Chisholm to the ninth spot in the order. It remains to be seen if that is the way the Marlins will operate once the regular season begins.

Ohtani will no longer serve as the starting pitcher in Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani's scratch from his scheduled start wasn't due to an injury, and he's still slated to serve as the designated hitter Saturday. It's not yet clear when the right-hander will make his next spring start on the mound, but he was officially named the team's Opening Day starter Friday.

Belt (knee) is participating in full baseball workouts and will be re-evaluated for spring training action within a week, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury Newsreports.

Belt missed just over a month with a knee injury in the middle of the 2021 campaign, though it's unclear if this is a related issue. He has yet to appear in any spring training contests. The Giants have not made any determination about his availability for Opening Day.

Miller started at third base, batted leadoff and went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a second RBI in Friday's spring training game against the Royals.

Miller is in the mix at third base as well as left field for the Rangers. The utility player is 5-for-11 with a pair of home runs, five RBI and three runs scored over three games. If he doesn't settle in at left field -- both Nick Solak and Eli White have impressed this spring -- the lefty-hitting Miller could overtake the right-handed hitting Andy Ibanez as the starting third baseman or at the very least be the strong side of a platoon.