MLB Player News

Downs was held out of the Nationals' Grapefruit League lineup Thursday due to a contusion on his left hand, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Downs suffered the injury when he was struck by a pitch earlier this week, but he should be fine within the next day or two after X-rays came back negative for any fractures. The former Red Sox prospect is fighting for the final spot on Washington's bench.

Edman is expected to receive starts in the leadoff spot for the Cardinals this season, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Denton lists Edman, Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar as options for the leadoff spot. The switch-hitting Edman has dramatic splits with a career .829 OPS versus lefties and .701 OPS against righties. He could wind up batting leadoff when a southpaw is on the mound and drop to the No. 9 spot against right-handers.

Crawford (knee) is starting at shortstop and batting third Wednesday versus the Rangers, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford appears like he'll be ready to go for Opening Day after he makes his return to the lineup Wednesday following a multi-game absence due to a sore left knee. The 36-year-old is set to play in his 13th season with the Giants and will remain their everyday shortstop in 2023.

Turner hit a solo homer in Tuesday's loss to Japan in the World Baseball Classic final.

Turner gave USA a 1-0 lead with a blast over the left-field wall. The shortstop homered five times in the tournament and was arguably the best player in the loaded USA lineup. Turner now returns to camp for the Phillies to get ready for his first season as a member of the Philadelphia roster.

Crawford (knee) is set to return to Cactus League action this week, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Crawford received a cortisone injection in his troublesome left knee early last week, but he was able to resume baseball activities over the weekend and is aiming to be ready for Opening Day. The veteran shortstop has logged only 13 plate appearances this spring and has recorded just one hit.

Grissom will see action at both shortstop and second base for Triple-A Gwinnett, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Atlanta wants Grissom to keep working on his defense at shortstop but also wants Braden Shewmake to show that his improved hitting in camp wasn't a small-sample fluke, so the solution will be for both to start every day at Gwinnett but rotate where they play out in the field. Orlando Arcia's starting assignment at shortstop in the majors seems fairly tenuous, so if either prospect gets off to a hot start at Triple-A and seems ready to handle a full-time gig in the majors, a quick promotion remains very possible. Grissom did display progress with his glove in camp under the tutelage of Ron Washington and went 13-for-35 (.371) at the plate with a 2:4 BB:K, and he remains the most likely long-term solution for the club at shortstop.

Shewmake will see action at both shortstop and second base for Triple-A Gwinnett, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Atlanta wants Shewmake to keep working on his hitting but also wants Vaughn Grissom to keep working on his defense at shortstop, so the solution will be for both to start every day at Gwinnett but rotate where they play out in the field. Orlando Arcia's starting assignment at shortstop in the majors seems fairly tenuous, so if either prospect gets off to a hot start at Triple-A and seems ready to handle a full-time gig in the majors, a quick promotion remains very possible. Shewmake opened some eyes in spring training by going 10-for-31 (.323) during Grapefruit League play while flashing strong glovework at short, but his career numbers at the plate coming into 2023 suggest his ceiling might be that of a big-league utility player.

Adrianza will begin the season as Atlanta's primary utility infielder.

The decision to send both Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake to Triple-A Gwinnett was in part prompted by the team's desire to have maximum middle infield depth, which means (eventually) adding Adrianza to the 40-man roster and keeping him on the big-league bench rather than letting him go. The 33-year-old switch hitter saw time at second base, third base, shortstop and left field in 2022, but his .470 OPS over 110 plate appearances between Atlanta and the Nationals -- the second time in the last three seasons he's posted a sub-.600 OPS -- doesn't exactly suggest he would have been hard to replace. If Orlando Arcia gets replaced as the starting shortstop by either Shewmake or Grissom, he would presumably take Adrianza's utility role and bump him to the waiver wire.

Arcia is in line to open the season as Atlanta's starting shortstop, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Barring an addition at the position via trade in the days leading up to Opening Day, Arcia has won the shortstop gig over Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake, both of whom were optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. Arcia received the appointment atop the depth chart despite mediocre results at the plate in Grapefruit League play (.247/.367/.360 slash line over 30 plate appearances), but he impressed with his glove. Shewmake and Grissom both have a great chance of taking the job from Arcia if the 28-year-old struggles once the season gets underway.

Atlanta optioned Shewmake to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.

With Shewmake as well as Vaughn Grissom being sent to Triple-A to start the year, Orlando Arcia has won Atlanta's starting shortstop job. Shewmake made a late charge for the starting gig, as he impressed both with his bat and glove during the Grapefruit League play. Shewmake and Grissom will serve as Gwinnett's everyday starters in the middle infield, with Shewmake expected to mostly play second base. Both have a good chance to help Atlanta before the end of 2023.