Mayer is expected to open the regular season as the primary second baseman, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

While Boston manager Alex Cora hasn't said Mayer will be part of the Opening Day roster, all signs point to that being the case. On Thursday, the manager named Caleb Durbin the starter at third base, and the club optioned Nick Sogard to Triple-A Worcester, which clears a path to second base for Mayer. All that's left is for Cora, who has lauded Mayer's play during Grapefruit League games, to tell the player face-to-face before announcing it to the public.

Neto was removed from Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after being hit by a pitch, but he is OK, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The 25-year-old shortstop was plunked to lead off the bottom of the first inning, but it never seemed to be a serious issue as he remained in to run the bases and recorded a steal. Neto was then replaced by a pinch hitter in a precautionary move, which makes sense given that he recently returned from a wrist sprain that sidelined him for a couple days.

Holliday (hand) took live batting practice Thursday with no issues and is doing so again Friday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

The 22-year-old continues working his way back from surgery to repair a fractured hamate bone in his right hand, which he underwent in mid-February. Holliday won't be ready to join Baltimore for Opening Day, but he could begin a rehab assignment at the start of the Triple-A season.

Rocchio is projected to be the Guardians' Opening Day starter at second base, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

This comes as no surprise, as Rocchio was pegged all along to be the team's starting second baseman. He and Gabriel Arias will form the double-play combo for Cleveland. Rocchio's strong second half in 2025 carried over into the Cactus League, as he's slashed .313/.389/.531 with four doubles, one home run, four RBI, two steals and three runs scored over 12 contests. The job may not be his for the whole season, however, as prospect Travis Bazzana, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is expected to make his debut some time this summer.

The Guardians optioned Brito to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Brito logged an .820 OPS over 24 Triple-A games last year, but his attempt at making Cleveland's Opening Day roster will fall short after he slashed just .154/.313/.269 over 32 plate appearances in the Cactus League. The 24-year-old utility man has yet to make his MLB debut, though his defensive versatility figures to help his chances of receiving a midseason promotion.

The Red Sox optioned Sogard to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

The 28-year-old Sogard was competing for a super-utility role for Boston but hit just .081 across 43 plate appearances this spring. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio appear to have the upper hand on that gig for Boston.

The Red Sox optioned Cheng to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Boston claimed Cheng off waivers from the Nationals last month, and he'll open the 2026 season in the minors. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut last season with the Pirates but failed to record a hit across seven plate appearances.

Williams is back with the Rays in big-league camp Thursday and could begin the season as the club's primary shortstop since Taylor Walls is out with an oblique injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Williams was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Tuesday but is back in Tampa Bay's Grapefruit League lineup Thursday following Walls' injury, which has an undisclosed recovery timeline. The 22-year-old Williams is now the favorite to begin the season as the Rays' starting shortstop, though he still needs to be added back to the big-league roster. The club could consider some outside options, but it's a tight window to do so with Opening Day just one week away.

Witt went 6-for-24 with two doubles, three stolen bases, three runs scored and six walks across six games for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.

Witt was a fixture atop the United States lineup, starting at shortstop and leading off in six of seven WBC contests. He didn't dominate at the plate or flash much power, but he still reached base at a .400 clip and showcased his speed with three stolen bases. After a monster 2024 in which he hit .332 with a .977 OPS, the 25-year-old followed up by slashing .295/.351/.501 with 47 doubles, 23 homers, 88 RBI, 99 runs scored and 38 stolen bases across 157 appearances in 2025. Witt has firmly established himself as a legitimate all-around superstar and enters 2026 with lofty expectations.

DeJong doesn't plan to opt out of his minor-league contract with the Yankees, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

DeJong will have the right to opt out of his deal Thursday, but he instead plans to stick with the Pinstripes through the end of spring training in an effort to make the Opening Day roster. If he doesn't make the cut, he is also willing to open the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and work his way back into the majors or wait for another opt-out date. The 32-year-old owns a .757 OPS with two homers, three RBI and seven runs scored this spring, but he's batting just .194 and has struck out 11 times in 31 at-bats.