MLB Player News

Smith is expected to be the primary fill-in at shortstop this spring while Corey Seager (groin) is sidelined, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Smith and Ezequiel Duran were expected to get a ton of reps at shortstop, but third baseman Josh Jung's calf injury means Duran will cover the hot corner the next two-to-three weeks at least. Both Seager and Jung are expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Duran will fill in at third base for Josh Jung (calf) who is expected to miss multiple weeks, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

The Rangers said Jung will miss a minimum of two-to-three weeks, and they will evaluate him during that time period, although the team expects him to be ready by Opening Day. In the meantime, Duran, who was already expected to get reps at shortstop due to Corey Seager's groin injury, will slide to the hot corner for the start of the Cactus League. That means there will be a lot of Duran and Josh Smith on the left side of the infield this spring, but both Jung and Seager are expected to be ready to go for the regular season.

Soto was designated for assignment by Baltimore on Friday.

Soto was claimed off waivers from the Angels last week but didn't stick on the Orioles' 40-man roster for long. The 23-year-old appeared in four big-league games last season and had a .700 OPS over 477 plate appearances at Triple-A.

The Orioles claimed Castillo off waivers from the Phillies on Friday.

It marks the fifth organization Castillo has been in just this offseason, as he continues to bounce around via waivers. The 26-year-old utility player does have an option year remaining and seems likely to begin the year at Triple-A Norfolk, assuming he's still in the organization by Opening Day.

Baez revealed Friday that he's dealt with nagging back and core issues over the last two seasons, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Baez altered his offseason training routine in order to strengthen those areas and said he's now feeling much better. Perhaps the injury problems can partly explain Baez's dreadful .230/.273/.361 slash line during his two years in Detroit, but fantasy managers will likely need to see tangible improvement from the 31-year-old before investing.

Lopez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Friday, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

A spot on the 40-man roster was needed for Yariel Rodriguez, whose signing finally became official. Lopez saw spot action with the Blue Jays in 2021 and 2022 but spent all of 2023 at Triple-A Buffalo, posting a .656 OPS in 84 contests. The 25-year-old's bat is a little light, but he's young and can play all over the field, so there might be interest on waivers.

The Orioles claimed Soto off waivers from the Angels on Thursday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Soto was DFA'd by Los Angeles on Saturday, and he'll now head across the country to fill the opening on Baltimore's 40-man roster. The 23-year-old infielder slashed .237/.342/.358 across 477 plate appearances in the minors last season, and his ability to play multiple infield positions could increase his chances at seeing MLB action this year.

Kessinger has a chance to win the final bench spot on Houston's big-league roster out of spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Kessinger made his major-league debut in 2023, though he drew only 45 plate appearances. He's played every infield position as a pro except for catcher, a skill set that will be valuable for the Astros. Kessinger's fantasy appeal is far more limited, as he's unlikely to see regular at-bats without several significant injuries in Houston's lineup, and he offers little in the way of power or stolen base production.

Arias is expected to debut in the Florida Complex League in 2024, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Arias was signed as an amateur international free agent out of Venezuela early in 2023, then played in the Dominican Summer League. He batted .350/.440/.453 with one home run, nine doubles, one triple, 32 runs and 15 RBI over 159 plate appearances. Arias showed strong contact skills, striking out at just an 8.8 percent clip while drawing more walks (19) than strikeouts (14). The 18-year-old shortstop could fill out (he's listed at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds) and provide more pop, but right now, Arias is known for defense and contact.

Witt signed an 11-year, $288.78 million contract extension with the Royals on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Witt will have the ability to opt out after the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th years of the deal. The contract also contains a three-year, $89 million club option after the 11th season, potentially bringing the total value up to $377.78 million over the life of the deal, which would run through the 2037 campaign. The 23-year-old shortstop is coming off a breakthrough sophomore season in which he slashed .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases en route to a seventh-place finish in the American League MVP voting.