MLB Player News

Correa was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates due to neck stiffness, Richard Justice of MLB.com reports.

The issue isn't being described as a severe one, so it's possible this is just the Astros being cautious with Opening Day a mere two days away. Aledmys Diaz would be the beneficiary if Correa is forced to miss time, either playing shortstop himself or starting at third base and moving Alex Bregman to shortstop.

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.

Fletcher (hamstring) is starting at second base and hitting seventh Monday against the Dodgers, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Fletcher was scratched over the weekend due to hamstring tightness, though the injury was never thought to be anything that would jeopardize his status for the start of the season. Barring any setbacks, he should be good to go for Thursday's season-opener against the A's.

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.

Wendle will be one of three players filling in at third base during Matt Duffy's (hamstring) stay on the injured list, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The 28-year-old Wendle complemented above-average work at the plate in 2018 with a diverse defensive resume, and his versatility will come into play early during the coming season. Wendle, Daniel Robertson and Yandy Diaz are expected to form a three-man rotation at the hot corner while Duffy is sidelined, an absence that will persist through at least the first seven games of the season. Although the majority of his time (101 games) was spent at second base last season, Wendle did log 20 appearances at third.

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.

Fletcher was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Padres with hamstring tightness, Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Erick Salcedo will replace Fletcher at second base. If Fletcher forced to miss extended time, Tommy La Stella would be in line to fill in for him at second base, though manager Brad Ausmus said he's expected to be ready for Opening Day.

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.