MLB Player News

Crawford (finger) is in the lineup at shortstop Monday against the Rangers, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford jammed his right index finger Wednesday and has not appeared in the field since then, though he appeared as a designated hitter Friday and Saturday. He should be fully prepared by Opening Day barring any unexpected setbacks.

Seager (elbow) is in the lineup as a designated hitter for Monday's game against the Indians, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Seager has been battling an elbow issue all spring and has yet to take the field, though he has appeared in three games as a designated hitter. He's been shut down since Tuesday while working on his throwing program. Still, the Dodgers expect the young shortstop to be ready to take the field on Opening Day, and returning to the lineup to hit is a sign of progress.

The Cardinals finalized a contract extension with DeJong on Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, DeJong's extension is worth $26 million over six years.

The extension, which is the largest deal in history for any player with less than one year of MLB service time, buys out DeJong's arbitration years and keeps him in St. Louis through the 2023 season. Though he carried only a modest pedigree as a prospect after being drafted in the fourth round by the Cardinals in 2015, DeJong was highly impressive in his first taste of the big leagues last season, hitting .285 with 52 extra-base hits -- including 25 home runs -- across 443 plate appearances. He'll enter the 2018 campaign as the Cardinals' everyday shortstop.

Crawford (finger) will start at shortstop Monday against the Rangers, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford received reps at designated hitter Friday and Saturday before having Sunday off. It appears his finger has fully healed to give manager Bruce Bochy confidence to slot him in the lineup.

Seager (elbow) is scheduled to be in the lineup as designated hitter Monday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Seager doesn't yet have a timetable for a return to the field, but the fact he's OK to swing a bat is certainly encouraging. To further the story, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com says Seager will begin throwing to bases Monday, but it seems unlikely to be in live game action based on the other report. Despite an illness going around the clubhouse costing Seager a bit of time, manager Dave Roberts remains optimistic about his shortstop's Opening Day status.

Cecchini hit a solo home run in his only at-bat during Friday's split-squad game against the Nationals.

While there doesn't appear to be room for Cecchini on a big-league roster that already features Asdrubal Cabrera, Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores, the 24-year-old is doing his best to force the Mets to make a tough decision, collecting four hits -- including two homers and a double -- in his first seven spring at-bats while also walking twice. If Cecchini keeps raking, it could encourage the front office to pull the trigger on a trade to clear space for him.

Crawford (finger) served as the Giants' DH on Friday and went 0-for-3 at the plate.

While Crawford didn't return to his normal spot at shortstop Friday, his presence in the lineup was a step in the right direction. The Giants haven't indicated when he'll be back in the field, but there's no reason for them to rush the three-time Gold Glove winner's return.

Seager (elbow) won't play in games for a few days, but manager Dave Roberts still thinks his starting shortstop has enough time to be ready for the start of the season, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

His throwing program was interrupted by an illness that has spread through Dodgers camp, but he is expected to get in a light workout Friday before going home. The concern with Seager is that his elbow won't be fully ready for him to play the field in the first week of the season, but it sounds like he has time to get right by Opening Day if he can avoid further setbacks. The Dodgers estimate that Seager will only need 7-to-8 spring training games in the field to be ready defensively for the start of the season. Seager's injury has opened up a buying opportunity, as he has been slipping too far in many recent drafts.

Crawford will sit out of Thursday's Cactus League outing after jamming his right index finger Wednesday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford suffered the injury while sliding back to first base on a pickoff throw. He was able to stay in the game and even ripped off an RBI single after sustaining the injury, but the club may choose to hold him out for a few days as a precaution.

Crawford jammed his right index finger during Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Brewers, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic Bay Area reports.

Crawford, who was serving as the Giants' designated hitter, suffered the injury while sliding back to first base on a pickoff throw. The good news is he was able to stay in the game and didn't need any X-rays afterwards, so it doesn't appear to be anything overly serious, though it could ultimately keep him from playing the field for a few days.