MLB Player News

Mondesi (shoulder) will play second base and bat seventh against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

Mondesi has been battling a shoulder impingement since early March, but was able to begin throwing this week and should be nearing full health as Opening Day approaches. Unless the Royals feel as though he needs a little more time to recover, expect the 22-year-old to be active for Thursday's regular-season opener against the White Sox.

Pennington will be on the Reds' Opening Day roster, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Pennington will serve as the club's backup shortstop to Jose Peraza. Over 87 games with the Angels last season, Pennington slashed .253/.306/.330 with three home runs and 21 RBI. Expect similar numbers out of him this year.

Adrianza will begin the season as the only backup infielder on Minnesota's 25-man roster, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

With the release of Erick Aybar and Jorge Polanco out 80 games due to a PED suspension, Adrianza becomes the primary backup at three positions with Eduardo Escobar set to start at shorstop. If Miguel Sano receives a suspension from a current MLB investigation into an alleged 2015 sexual assault, Adrianza could start at shortstop with Escobar moving to third base.

Mondesi (shoulder) said he began throwing from 90 feet Tuesday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Mondesi has been dealing with a shoulder impingement for the past two weeks, which has limited him to designated hitter duties in Cactus League action. While he's making positive strides in his throwing program, it appears Mondesi may not have enough time to get back up to speed before the start of the season, which could lead to him opening the year at extended spring training.

Manager Brian Snitker said Wednesday that Camargo (back/oblique) will open the season on the disabled list, David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Camargo has been sidelined with a sore back and oblique for more than a week, and while the Braves were hoping that he would be ready to go for the start of the season, it appears the 24-year-old simply ran out of time to get up to speed before Opening Day. He recently began hitting off of a tee and running the bases, but Camargo remains without a firm timetable for his recovery. In the meantime, Rio Ruiz or Charlie Culberson will likely step in as the team's starting third baseman until Camargo is healthy.

Camargo (back/oblique) hit off of a tee Tuesday, Kevin McAlpin of 680 The Fan reports.

Camargo, who has been sidelined for a little more than a week with a sore back and oblique, has also been running the bases with no issues. While the third baseman is making positive strides in his recovery and reports feeling better, the Braves still aren't certain that he'll be ready to go for the start of the season. His status for Opening Day should clear up in the near future. Rio Ruiz, Charlie Culberson and Danny Santana are all options to fill in at third base should Camargo open the season on the shelf.

Arcia went 12-for-28 (.429) with an RBI over his last 10 spring games, according to Brewers Sr. Director - Media Relations Mike Vassallo.

Arcia struggled at the plate to open the spring, but he has turned things around, and now owns a .310 batting average and .738 OPS for the 2018 exhibition season. He will likely hit in the lower third of the Brewers' batting order when the regular season rolls around, but should be in the lineup nearly every day.

Ahmed was deployed as the starting shortstop and No. 8 hitter in Tuesday's 6-5 exhibition loss to the Angels in what could be a preview of the Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup, Owen Perkins of MLB.com reports.

Manager Torey Lovullo hinted earlier in spring training that Ahmed would likely occupy the everyday gig at shortstop with Chris Owings transitioning to more of a utility role in 2018, so Ahmed's inclusion in the lineup isn't too surprising. Though the Diamondbacks have plenty of talent surrounding him in the order, Ahmed's placement near the bottom of the order nonetheless figures to limit his run-scoring and RBI opportunities. Regarded as a glove-first player, Ahmed took a step forward at the dish last season with a .717 OPS, which was more than 80 points better than his previous career high. Even so, Ahmed's offensive contributions were still below average, as reflected in his 76 wRC+.

Manager Andy Green said that Cordoba is "not getting better at all" and that the concussion "does not look like it's resolving any time soon," Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Cordoba is still experiencing symptoms stemming from the concussion he suffered in an automobile accident in Panama on Feb. 7. Green stated that the 22-year-old was finally cleared to walk outside last week, but it "did not go well" and that he's "back to square one, and square one is minimal activity." This lack of progress is "unusual but not unheard of" while dealing with a concussion from an accident, according to Dr. Vernon Williams, a prominent neurologist that Acee cited in the story. The fact that he is still experiencing sensitivity to light makes it difficult for the club to provide any sort of timetable, so it doesn't appear as though he will be back on the field anytime in the near future. Expect another update on his status in the coming weeks.

Turner (toe) will man shortstop and bat second Wednesday in the Nationals' Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

Turner was held out of action the past three days after experiencing an ingrown toenail, but the Nationals never expressed much concern over the injury. With outfielder Adam Eaton having recently resumed playing in Grapefruit League games and set to serve as the Nationals' leadoff hitter when the season opens, Turner will spend the remainder of the spring getting acclimated to manning the two hole on a full-time basis.