MLB Player News

Seager (oblique) is expected to DH in a minor league game Tuesday, AM 570's David Vassegh reports.

The Dodgers said last week that they believe their star shortstop has enough time to be ready by Opening Day, but it's looking like it will be a close call. He will presumably progress to taking the field in a game later this week if he avoids setbacks. Enrique Hernandez or Chris Taylor would likely fill in at shortstop at the start of the season if Seager is not ready.

Rojas got the start at shortstop and went 3-for-3 with a stolen base during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

He's picked the right time to heat up at the plate with the news that Martin Prado (hamstring) could miss the first month of the regular season. Rojas should handle the short side of a platoon with Derek Dietrich at third base while Prado is sidelined, and the 28-year-old might have a bit more upside at the plate than it seems at first glance given his career .274/.318/.384 line in 160 games at Triple-A with eight home runs and nine steals. His main fantasy value in deep NL-only leagues will come from his positional flexibility, however, as Rojas will carry eligibility at first base, second base and shortstop forward from 2016 in most formats.

Swanson is batting leadoff and playing shortstop during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

Swanson has missed the past two weeks of major league camp with back tightness, but it appears that he's progressed well enough to return to live action for the Braves. The 23-year-old suited up in a minor league game Saturday, but did not play any defense. The fact that he's going to see time in the field today is a great sign.

Swanson (side) hit but did not play defense in a minor league game against the Tigers' Triple-A squad Saturday, going 2-for-3 with a home run, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. "That's a good sign," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "Hopefully they clear him and we get him in there (Sunday). But that was good. They said he had a really strenuous workout, the whole thing this morning, and then batting practice and all that. So, he's OK. That was good he got some hits."

The promising rookie shortstop has been out two weeks with the injury, which was originally described as back tightness, so the Braves elected to bring him along slowly rather than throw him right back into Grapefruit League action Saturday. Assuming Swanson has no setbacks Sunday morning, he's likely to be in the Braves' lineup for the afternoon against the Cardinals, but don't be too surprised if he's only the designated hitter. The 23-year-old is still on target to be ready by Opening Day.

Turner went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

He also committed his second error of the spring, but for the most part, Turner's looked sound defensively at shortstop. His .222/.301/.343 line through 35 at-bats isn't impressive, but the 23-year-old seems locked in as the Nats' leadoff hitter and will be looking to prove his explosive rookie campaign was no fluke.

Rojas got the start at third base in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, going 0-for-1 with a walk.

Martin Prado (hamstring) is suddenly questionable for Opening Day, which could open the door for Rojas to take the short side of a platoon with Derek Dietrich at the hot corner to begin the regular season. Rojas doesn't offer much fantasy upside, but he's hit well at Triple-A in his career, including a .301/.343/.430 line with New Orleans in 2015, so he could collect some hits and provide some value in NL-only formats early in the season if Prado is forced to the DL.

Gordon went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and his first stolen base of the spring in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

He's had a rough start to the spring, slashing .219/.286/.406 through 32 at-bats, but Gordon's picked up four hits in his last four games and may be rounding into form at the plate. The 28-year-old speedster will be looking to bounce back this season to the level he displayed in 2015, when he hit .333 and stole 58 bases.

Swanson (back) will play in a minor league game Saturday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Swanson was expected to return to big league spring action Saturday, but the Braves will instead opt to use him in a minor league game at the team's training complex. "Progression, probably the smart thing," Swanson said Saturday morning. "We were talking yesterday. I was like, I want to play, but let's not be my stubborn, competitive, let's-just-go-out-and-do-it-again...We just decided this was probably the best option. I'll be going through full [batting practice] today and doing some extra BP and stuff on the backfield after regular BP." Swanson added that he hasn't sustained any sort of setback, so the expectation is that he'll be back on the field for the Braves within the next few days.

Featherston was reassigned to minor league camp Friday.

The former Angel, who holds a career .156/.207/.233 line in 197 major league plate appearances, will settle in as infield farm depth with his second professional organization. Featherston's .254/.311/.428 line with Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2016 indicates his performance in the majors so far isn't just a product of bad luck, however.

Crawford was reassigned to minor league camp Friday.

The club's top prospect has been destined for Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start the season regardless of how he did this spring. At 22, Crawford could still use more seasoning, considering his underwhelming stretch with Lehigh Valley last year (.244/.328/.318 in 385 plate appearances). His path to a promotion could accelerate, however, if Freddy Galvis, regresses negatively toward the mean after his breakout 2016.