MLB Player News

Mateo (stomach) will start at shortstop and bat fifth in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Though Orioles manager Brandon Hyde revealed Monday that Mateo was dealing with soreness in his stomach that resulted in him being sent in for additional testing, the 26-year-old apparently checked out fine and is good to go for Baltimore's penultimate game of spring training. Hyde hasn't tipped his hand regarding which players will open the season as Baltimore's regulars on the left side of the infield, but Mateo's big spring may put him in pole position for the top job at shortstop ahead of Ramon Urias. Heading into Monday, Mateo has slashed .350/.409/.800 with one stolen base across eight Grapefruit League games.

Pena slugged his first two spring homers in Sunday's game against the Nationals, raising his line to .389/.421/.778 through 19 plate appearances.

He was already locked into the starting shortstop role, but this is going to give him some extra helium heading into the season. After hitting .287/.346/.598 with 10 homers and five steals in just 30 Triple-A games last year, Pena looks primed for success at the big-league level. He could even lead off for the Astros, which would obviously be a boon for him fantasy-wise. Despite his potential, the hype arguably hasn't caught up, so you can still snag him off the wire or late in fantasy drafts in a lot of leagues.

Bichette went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

He swiped third base off Luis Gil in the third inning, forcing a wild throw from the right-hander that allowed Bichette to trot home. The 24-year-old shortstop hasn't seen great results at the plate this spring, going 5-for-27 (.185) with only one extra-base hit, but he's stolen two bags in two attempts and his 4:8 BB:K is solid. After recording 29 homers and 25 steals in 2021, Bichette has a 30/30 campaign firmly in his sights this season.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Mateo is battling stomach soreness, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Hyde noted that the Orioles don't believe Mateo is dealing with any sort of oblique injury, but the 26-year-old will be sent in for further testing before his availability for Opening Day is determined. Mateo looks set to feature frequently at shortstop this season, though his .236/.281/.364 slash line through his first 237 career MLB plate appearances means he's no lock to keep the job.

Bogaerts (general soreness) will start at shortstop and bat third in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

He'll return to the lineup for the first time in four days after the Red Sox rested him while he dealt with general body soreness. The missed action shouldn't hinder Bogaerts too much from a readiness standpoint ahead of Opening Day; he's already logged 16 at-bats in Grapefruit League play heading into Monday's contest.

Smith, who's been competing with Sheldon Neuse for the third base job, could still make the Opening Day roster alongside his teammate, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

It's virtually inconceivable that Neuse doesn't break camp with the Athletics after yet another stellar day at the plate Sunday that included a grand slam and pushed his Cactus League average to .379. However, Smith hasn't exactly underwhelmed himself, hitting .333 (12-for-36) with three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI across 15 exhibitions. Additionally, both he and Neuse can play multiple positions in the infield, which Gallegos notes certainly ups the chances of both making the Opening Day roster.

Fletcher will be out of the lineup for a third consecutive game Sunday due to hip tightness, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Although Fletcher has been forced to miss the last few days, manager Joe Maddon said that he expects the 27-year-old to be back in the lineup for Monday's spring game against the Dodgers. In spite of his absence, Fletcher is expected to be ready for Opening Day as he prepares to serve as the Angels' everyday shortstop in 2022.

Bogaerts hasn't played in a Grapefruit League game since Wednesday due to general body soreness, Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com reports.

It's reportedly typical for Bogaerts to experience the issue late in spring training, and manager Alex Cora expects him to play in the final spring games Monday and Tuesday. There doesn't appear to much concern regarding the 29-year-old's availability for Opening Day, but with the opener only a few days away his status is worth monitoring.

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Sunday that Martinez will likely open the upcoming season at Double-A New Hampshire, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.

Following his early-August call-up from Low-A Dunedin, Martinez produced at a roughly league-average level in his 27 games at High-A Vancouver last season with a .214/.282/.491 slash line (99 wRC+). A return to Vancouver to begin the 2022 campaign wouldn't have been unexpected for the 20-year-old, but the Blue Jays may have been encouraged enough with how he looked during his workouts at big-league camp earlier this spring to hand him the Double-A assignment. The Blue Jays haven't settled on a permanent defensive home for Martinez, but his prodigious power should play at nearly any spot.

Witt has won an Opening Day roster spot, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Witt tore through the upper minors last season, hitting .290/.361/.575 with 33 homers and 29 steals split between the two highest levels. He's carried that momentum through to this spring, hitting .407/.448/.741 in 10 Cactus League games. A shortstop by trade, Witt is expected to open the year as the Royals' third baseman, with Adalberto Mondesi occupying his primary position.