MLB Player News

Lindor suffered an acute left ankle sprain in a minor-league game Tuesday.

An MRI revealed the sprain to be mild-to-moderate, per Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Although Lindor's latest injury is to his other leg, it's certainly not an ideal development while the shortstop works back from a right calf strain. The Indians have already indicated that Lindor will open the season on the injured list, and the ankle setback could push his return timeline back further.

The Pirates informed Reyes that he will be on the team's Opening Day roster, Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Reyes earned a spot on Pittburgh's Opening Day roster thanks to a strong spring, during which he hit .308/.351/.500 with two homers and three stolen bases in 23 games. While the 25-year-old figures to fill a utility role with the big club, he could split time with Melky Cabrera in right field to open the season if Lonnie Chisenhall (hand) is forced to miss time.

Correa's neck stiffness may cause him to miss Opening Day, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

Manager AJ Hinch wouldn't commit to Correa being ready, saying the team would evaluate him over the next two days before making a call. The shortstop hasn't played since Friday, but he's been fielding groundballs and hitting in the cage, so it doesn't sound as if any potential absence will be a prolonged one.

Lindor (calf) played eight innings at shortstop and went 1-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in a minor-league game Monday.

More so than his offensive contributions, Lindor's ability to play the field for nearly an entire game is a good indication that he's nearing the finish line in his recovery from a right calf strain. The Indians have already stated that Lindor will open the season on the injured list, but the three-time All-Star still looks to have a realistic chance at making his 2019 debut within the first week of April.

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.