MLB Player News

Crawford went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Thursday's 13-2 win over the Rockies.

Crawford had gone 0-for-10 across his first four Cactus League games, but there was never any real concern he'd get on track. The shortstop had a career year at 34 years old last season, posting a .298/.373/.522 slash line with 24 homers, 90 RBI, 79 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 138 games. Given his age and a career-best .334 BABIP fueling his offense last season, it's fair to expect noticeable regression in 2022. That said, he's likely to play almost every day since he's excellent defensively, and he should hit in the heart of the order.

Perdomo started at shortstop and went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Thursday's spring training game against the Padres.

Perdomo made his second start at short since news broke about Nick Ahmed's shoulder injury. It's an injury with no definitive timetable, and Ahmed could eventually require surgery. Perdomo is 4-for-6 with two walks, a home run and three runs scored in three appearances this week. There's a very good chance he's the Opening Day shortstop for the Diamondbacks.

Abrams has enjoyed a strong spring and is in the mix to make the Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Coming out of the lockout, few thought Abrams had much of a chance to crack the big-league roster to start the campaign, but the team's shortstop outlook shifted dramatically when it was discovered that Fernando Tatis would need to miss multiple months due to a left wrist fracture. Ha-Seong Kim has been looked at as the most obvious candidate to fill in for Tatis, but the 26-year-old struggled last season during his first exposure to the majors. Abrams has opened eyes with his standout play in Cactus League action thus far, slashing .308/.333/.538 with two homers, three RBI and a stolen base over 12 games. The prized prospect has also been mentioned as a possible solution to the Padres' lack of a backup center fielder, which could open the window for a more permanent position change given the dilemma of Abrams and Tatis -- perhaps the two most integral pieces of the team's future -- sharing the same position. There's no guarantee that Abrams will make the team out of camp given his lack of professional experience, but it says volumes about the organization's belief in him that he's even being considered for the rapid promotion. If that scenario does play out, Abrams would almost certainly be given ample playing time rather than have his development stunted by occupying a spot on the bench.

Adrianza injured his left quad running the bases Thursday against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The severity of the injury is unknown, though manager Davey Martinez suggested the team would know more Friday. The issue puts Adrianza's availability for Opening Day in question. Though Maikel Franco has emerged as the favorite to start at third base, Adrianza is capable of playing nearly every position on the diamond so his absence would cost the Nationals some depth.

Edman is just 1-for-20 with one runs scored in seven Grapefruit League games.

Edman served as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter for much of last season, but he was dropped to eighth in the order for Wednesday's game versus the Nationals. The 26-year-old is versatile enough on defense to stick in the lineup regularly, but he could be pushed by Edmundo Sosa for the starting gig at second base since Paul DeJong has solidified his place at shortstop. Hitting lower in the order would make it tough for Edman to replicate his 30-steal season from 2021, though he's expected to at least begin the year splitting the leadoff spot with Dylan Carlson and Harrison Bader.

Perdomo went 2-for-2 with a solo home run in Wednesday's spring training game against the Rockies.

Perdomo entered the game in the seventh inning and finished out at shortstop, a position of interest after the Diamondbacks announced Nick Ahmed (shoulder) will not be ready for Opening Day. Sergio Alcantara started the game, one of three 40-man roster players to receive a start since Ahmed's shoulder started to bother him over last weekend. Josh Rojas is also in the mix, but he's already penciled in to start at third base. Perdomo is 5-for-21 with one home run, one double and six RBI through nine Cactus League games.

Ahmed (shoulder) said Wednesday that he recently received a pair of cortisone shots, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Ahmed has been dealing with shoulder discomfort this week, and he'll be unable to throw or hit for 10 days following his cortisone shots. As a result, the 32-year-old won't be available for Opening Day, but it's not yet clear whether he'll wind up on the injured list to begin the season. Geraldo Perdomo and Sergio Alcantara should fill in at shortstop while Ahmed is sidelined.

Perdomo started at shortstop and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's spring training game against the Cubs.

Perdomo got the start at short with Nick Ahmed (shoulder) unavailable for now. Thus far, Josh Rojas and Perdomo have filled in at short since Ahmed's injury was revealed. Perdomo should generate interest in drafts or auctions, given the productive second half he put up in 2021, including a promising 11-game stint in the majors.

Ahmed (shoulder) has not been ruled out for Opening Day, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

An MRI of the shoulder did not yield a clear diagnosis, so Ahmed is choosing to rehab the shoulder for now. The injury bothers him more hitting than it does throwing, and if it lessens, he could play Opening Day. The shoulder has been bothersome since 2020, and if that doesn't give fantasy managers pause, the news that it affects his swing should.

The Pirates optioned Cruz to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Cruz made a brief, two-game MLB debut last October, and it's not hard to argue he's one of the Pirates' 26 best players already despite his inexperience, but the team will choose to prioritize delaying his free agency by a year. The new collective bargaining agreement allows players who finish in the top two in their league's Rookie of the Year voting to gain a full year of service regardless of how much time they spend on the major-league roster, so the Pirates are now heavily incentivized to keep him in the minors long enough to make sure that doesn't happen. In the Pirates' defense, Cruz has only played six Triple-A games, but it's not as if the team has compelling options to start over him. Kevin Newman and Cole Tucker should earn most of the at-bats at shortstop until Cruz returns.