MLB Player News

Swanson went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Monday's exhibition game against the Reds.

His solo shot in the sixth inning off David Hernandez was his first homer of the spring. Swanson's .290/.371/.419 slash line in 35 plate appearances is somewhat encouraging, but the shortstop figures to hit at the bottom of the Braves' order in 2019 -- he was slotted in ninth Monday as the team used a DH -- and his opportunities to make a fantasy impact could be limited.

Reyes has built off of his strong showing last September and is batting .308 with an .851 OPS in 52 spring at-bats.

Although he hasn't even officially made the Opening Day roster, Reyes could be in line for more playing time if Lonnie Chisenhall (hand) is forced to the injured list. Reyes saw extensive action in right field last September, hitting .293 with three homers in 58 at-bats. Should Chisenhall miss any action, Reyes would likely split time with Melky Cabrera in right.

Arcia went 2-for-4 with two runs in Saturday's split-squad game against the Rangers.

Arcia has hit the ball well in March, going 11-for-39 (.282) with a home run and six RBI. He has batted leadoff at times this spring, but that was likely done in an effort to maximize his at-bats, and he will slot in near the bottom of the order when the regular season begins. While his spot in the batting order won't be optimal for fantasy players, the depth of the Brewers' batting order should still provide him ample opportunities with runners on base. Arcia will be the Brewers' regular shortstop in 2019, and will look to carry over last year's playoff success -- a .959 OPS over 10 games -- to the new season.

Cruz went 1-for-3 with a tape-measure homer off Zach Eflin in Saturday's win over Philadelphia.

The 20-year-old, who also turned a pair of nifty double plays Saturday, slashed .286/.343/.488 with 14 homers and 11 stolen bases for Low-A Bradenton in 2018. He's one of Pittsburgh's top prospects but likely remains a long ways away from making his potential major-league debut. General manager Neal Huntington said during Saturday's game that the organization plans on keeping the 6-foot-6 Dominican at shortstop despite his height, at least for the time being. Given Cruz's blend of speed and power, there's a good chance he moves up fantasy rankings quickly. He's expected to play for High-A Bradenton in 2019.

Manager Dave Martinez said Saturday that Turner will primarily bat second for the Nationals this season, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports.

Turner started 141 games between the top-two spots in the lineup in 2018 and this season figures to be more of the same. Adam Eaton will serve as the leadoff hitter, assuming he is able to remain healthy. Turner figures to be a major threat on the bases once again -- he has 89 steals in 260 games over the last two years -- but those numbers could be muffled slightly if he remains in the two-hole all season.

Tejada agreed to a minor-league contract with the Mets on Saturday.

Tejada rejoins the organization where he spent the first six years of his big-league career. He'll head to extended spring training before attempting to make a case for himself at the Triple-A level. He spent the entirety of last season in the minors and owns a mediocre .251/.325/.318 career line at the major-league level, so it's unlikely he makes a significant impact this season.

Edman (undisclosed) will start at second base and hit seventh Saturday in the Cardinals' Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

Edman was sidelined for a stretch of four days to an unspecified injury before returning to action Thursday and Friday, going 6-for-11 at the dish across the two games. He'll pick up a third straight start Saturday in what will likely be one of Edman's final spring tuneups before he reports to Triple-A Memphis to begin the season.

Seager (elbow, hip) went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI on Wednesday in the Dodgers' 4-4 tie with the Cubs in Cactus League play.

The Dodgers have been taking it slowly with Seager this spring while he's worked through the final phases of his recovery from Tommy John and hip surgery, but he finally received clearance to play with the big club after logging action on the back fields beforehand. Seager's long ball off Cole Hamels will get most of the attention, but it's probably more encouraging that he played six innings at shortstop rather than being deployed as a designated hitter. He'll likely get in a full game in the field before the exhibition slate comes to a close and should face no limitations for the start of the regular season.

Seager (elbow) is starting at shortstop and hitting third Wednesday against the Cubs.

As expected, Seager is set to make his Cactus League debut after getting up to speed in minor-league action. The shortstop also plans to participate in the team's three-game exhibition Freeway Series prior to the beginning of the regular season. Barring any setbacks, Seager should be starting at shortstop for the Dodgers on Opening Day.

Herrera's ability to play center field could give him an advantage in the battle for a bench job with the Marlins, Wells Dusenbury of The Sun-Sentinel reports.

He hasn't done much at the plate this spring -- Herrera is slashing .216/.293/.297 through 17 games -- but he's 4-for-4 on stolen base attempts, and the Marlins need someone to back up Lewis Brinson in center. If Herrera does break camp on the 25-man roster, his defensive versatility would fit in well on a roster that already includes utility players like Miguel Rojas and Martin Prado, even if it doesn't afford him many opportunities for playing time.