MLB Player News

Turner was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday.

Turner had a small shot to crack the Opening Day roster for Washington, but he'll head back to the minors after a tough spring at the plate. Although he'll start the season in the minors, there is a good chance that the top prospect will return to the Nationals early on in the season after his service time is low enough so that Washington can maintain an extra year of control over their young shortstop.

Seager (knee) played six innings of a minor league game Saturday, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

Seager will receive Sunday off, but it sounds like he won't be out of commission for much longer. It appears everything went well Saturday, so the young shortstop will play six more innings in another minor league game Monday. Depending on his performance there, a major league game would be the next logical step. If Seager does have to miss Opening Day, as originally expected, look for Enrique Hernandez (oblique) to draw the starting nod at shortstop. At the very least, Seager does plan to be in Los Angeles with the team for their season opener against the Angels, per Plunkett. Seager's level of participation is yet to be determined, however.

Though Baez (thumb) hasn't played since March 20, he could still be ready by Opening Day, Carrie Muskat of the Cubs' official site reports. "It might be a short-term concern as far as when he can get out there again," manager Joe Maddon said Saturday of Baez. "I have not heard anything negative in a long-term sense."

Baez is hoping to make the team as a jack-of-all-trades backup, but it's still possible he'll need a short stint on the DL.

Seager reported no pain in his left knee after an extended workout on Thursday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Seager compiled four at-bats in a minor league game but did not run out of the batter's box or play defense. He did run the bases and slide before the game, so things appear to be trending towards his being available for Opening Day.

Baez attempted to play through a thumb injury but will need to sit out a few more days, Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago reports.

Baez has been dealing with the jammed thumb for about a week. It isn't expected to be a major issue, but Baez is just 6-for-30 (.200) this spring and could probably use as many as at-bats as he can squeeze in before the regular season starts.

Ahmed is hitting .429 (18-for-42) with one home run, eight runs scored and 11 RBI this spring.

Ahmed started 116 games at short for the Diamondbacks last year, but his grip on the position seemed to slip with the team's offseason acquisition of Jean Segura. However, manager Chip Hale said Ahmed would compete for time, and his strong spring play is helping his cause. Ahmed hit just .226 with an anemic .275 on-base percentage in 2015, but he is considered a plus defender.

The Padres reassigned Noonan to minor league camp Monday.

Noonan put pen to paper on a minor league contract with the Padres in mid-February, but an invitation to spring training didn't yield the desire outcome. Still, he slashed .278/.350/.333 with one RBI and six runs scored in 18 at-bats, which could help the middle infielder make an appearance in the majors at some point during the upcoming season.

Manager Dave Roberts relayed Sunday that Seager (knee) has received clearance for some throwing and hitting, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Seager endured an ignominious start to the spring when he was diagnosed with a mild sprain in his left knee. Expected to miss 1-2 weeks, he's drawing close to the upper bound of that timetable, though Roberts' statement implies that a return may be near. Indeed, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported that Seager was seen running straight ahead and performing lateral agility fielding drills Sunday, which sheds light on the shortstop's current level of health.

Anna was assigned to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, MLB.com reports.

Anna was a long shot to make the majors out of spring training, and the Cardinals' signing of Ruben Tejada on Saturday only further complicated matters for the 29-year-old. He'll likely spend the bulk of the campaign at Memphis, and doesn't look to be much more than organizational depth for the Cardinals.

Diaz was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, MLB.com reports.

Diaz was one of a few candidates the Cardinals were considering as a replacement for injured shortstop Jhonny Peralta, but the 25-year-old was removed from the competition after the team signed Ruben Tejada to a one-year contract Saturday. While Diaz will open the season in the minors, it may not be long before he's appointed to the big leagues permanently. After playing well at Double-A Springfield for much of 2015, he thrived during a late-season call-up to Memphis, slashing .380/.448/.620 over 50 at-bats.