MLB Player News

Ahmed (wrist) is 2-for-4 with a double in two spring games.

Ahmed missed time last season due to hand and wrist injuries, but it seems like that is all behind him at this point. He's currently in the mix for starting duties in the Diamondbacks' middle infield, and his chances of garnering a prominent role increased following the trade of Brandon Drury to the Yankees. Ahmed will need to outperform Ketel Marte and Chris Owings (finger) this spring to prove he deserves regular playing time.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez plans to use Turner as the No. 2 hitter in the Washington lineup in 2018, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

Turner handled leadoff duties for most of 2017 after Adam Eaton (knee) suffered a season-ending ACL tear in late April, with the 24-year-old parlaying the favorable lineup slotting into 75 runs and 46 stolen bases. Though a healthy Eaton is set to reclaim the table-setting role during the upcoming season, Turner shouldn't lose out on any run-scoring opportunities while batting directly in front of 2015 National League MVP Bryce Harper in most games. It's less certain if Turner will remain as active of a basestealer upon moving down a spot in the order, though for what it's worth, Martinez said that the shortstop will have "free rein" on the bases, according to Collier. "I told [Turner], 'If you hit second, leadoff, wherever you hit in the lineup, it doesn't change anything,'" Martinez said. "I want him to be aggressive on the bases, and he knows that."

Manager Dave Roberts reported Sunday that Seager is still limited in the "volume and distance" of his throwing, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Seager is in the lineup Sunday as the team's designated hitter but does not necessarily appear close to returning to the defensive side of the ball. "The [trainers] have him on a throwing program, a progression," Roberts said Sunday. "Probably not very aggressive but it's what we think is best for Corey." Roberts also conceded Seager would likely need 10 spring-training appearances at shortstop before he's deemed ready for Opening Day. It sounds like the Dodgers' star shortstop is slowly making progress when it comes to ramping up his throwing intensity, but it obviously remains a situation worth monitoring.

Owings (finger) is starting at second base and batting second during Sunday's Cactus League game against the Brewers, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Owings underwent surgery on his right middle finger in November and is set to make his first spring training start this year. Barring any setbacks, Owings will serve as the Diamondbacks' starting second baseman on Opening Day.

Seager (stomach) is batting second as the Dodgers' designated hitter in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Mariners, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Seager was scratched from Saturday's lineup when he came down with the stomach bug. After a day off, the star shortstop is set to reenter the lineup in a DH capacity. Seager will be eased into action during spring training but is fully expected to be ready for Opening Day on Mar. 29.

Seager was removed from the lineup Saturday with a stomach illness, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Seager was scheduled to start at DH. Henry Ramos will start in his place. There are no reports suggesting that the illness is a particularly severe one, so expect the young shortstop to be back and ready to play sometime in the next few days. The Dodgers were easing him into spring action slowly anyway while he recovers from the back and elbow injuries he suffered last season, so missing a game or two won't set his timetable back much if at all.

Cordoba has not returned to the field since suffering a concussion earlier in the month, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Cordoba suffered the concussion in a car accident a couple of weeks ago, and it appears he's still not quite back to 100 percent. He remains without a timetable, but the Padres will continue to bring him along slowly. The 22-year-old is expected to open the year in the minors after batting just .208 for the big club last season.

Cecchini added 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason with the hope of introducing more power into his game, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

After hitting just six homers at Triple-A Las Vegas last season, Cecchini got a personal nutritionist and attempted to eat healthier over the season. According to reports, the young infielder's weight dropped as low as 180 pounds last season due to what he termed as "lack of appetite," but it seems like he has an entirely new approach to eating that could help him maintain his power throughout the entire course of the season. Offseason adjustments aside, it seems like he's on the outside of the active roster looking in to start the season, especially after the Mets opted to retain Jose Reyes and signed Todd Frazier. That said, Cecchini has two full seasons of Triple-A action under his belt, so he'll likely be in the majors at some point in 2018 even if he doesn't crack the Opening Day roster.

DeJong is expected to open 2018 as the Cards' everyday starter at shortstop, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Both middle-infield spots appear to be more set than the corners as the Cards approach the start of the Grapefruit League schedule. DeJong will look to trim his strikeout rate during his second season with St. Louis, having struck out 28.0 percent of the time as a rookie while swatting 25 homers in 443 plate appearances. With 38 combined homers between Triple-A and the big leagues last season, DeJong exceeded expectations in 2017, and his best chance of following up with a strong effort this season will require a more balanced approach at the plate.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon suggested that Baez may approach 600 plate appearances in 2018, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Ben Zobrist has been battling a back injury early on this spring, and along with Ian Happ, Zobrist represents the potential obstructions to a larger role for Baez. "He's at that point now (that) to get those 500 to 600 plate appearances, (he needs to) organize (his) strike zone, accept walks and use the whole field," Maddon said. Baez will presumably play less at shortstop in 2018 if Addison Russell is healthy, and it still seems more likely that he'll finish closer to 500 plate appearances than 600 barring the improved approach that Maddon suggested. Still, with his combination of power and speed, Baez remains an intriguing player despite the uncertainty about his playing time.