MLB Player News

Nunez went 1-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

Getting the start at second base and batting second against left-hander Quinn Mathews while Luis Garcia played first base, Nunez ran his steals count for the spring up to six in six attempts. It's not yet clear exactly how Nunez will be deployed this season, but Garcia's defensive issues at the keystone could create more playing time than expected for his switch-hitting backup. Nunez's wheels are legit -- he stole 46 bases in 53 attempts between Triple-A and the majors over just 102 games in 2025 -- but he has yet to show he can hit big-league pitching consistently and is batting just .207 (6-for-29) this spring with an 8:9 BB:K.

Rocchio is projected to be the Guardians' Opening Day starter at second base, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

This comes as no surprise, as Rocchio was pegged all along to be the team's starting second baseman. He and Gabriel Arias will form the double-play combo for Cleveland. Rocchio's strong second half in 2025 carried over into the Cactus League, as he's slashed .313/.389/.531 with four doubles, one home run, four RBI, two steals and three runs scored over 12 contests. The job may not be his for the whole season, however, as prospect Travis Bazzana, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is expected to make his debut some time this summer.

The Guardians optioned Brito to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Brito logged an .820 OPS over 24 Triple-A games last year, but his attempt at making Cleveland's Opening Day roster will fall short after he slashed just .154/.313/.269 over 32 plate appearances in the Cactus League. The 24-year-old utility man has yet to make his MLB debut, though his defensive versatility figures to help his chances of receiving a midseason promotion.

Gonzalez will be sidelined for multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Considered one of the best prospects in the Giants' farm system, Gonzalez is now slated to miss the start of the regular season while he recovers from the injury. The 18-year-old infielder slashed .288/.404/.455 across 228 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year and could be bumped up to Single-A once he's healthy.

The Red Sox optioned Sogard to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

The 28-year-old Sogard was competing for a super-utility role for Boston but hit just .081 across 43 plate appearances this spring. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio appear to have the upper hand on that gig for Boston.

The Red Sox optioned Cheng to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Boston claimed Cheng off waivers from the Nationals last month, and he'll open the 2026 season in the minors. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut last season with the Pirates but failed to record a hit across seven plate appearances.

Williams is back with the Rays in big-league camp Thursday and could begin the season as the club's primary shortstop since Taylor Walls is out with an oblique injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Williams was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Tuesday but is back in Tampa Bay's Grapefruit League lineup Thursday following Walls' injury, which has an undisclosed recovery timeline. The 22-year-old Williams is now the favorite to begin the season as the Rays' starting shortstop, though he still needs to be added back to the big-league roster. The club could consider some outside options, but it's a tight window to do so with Opening Day just one week away.

Witt went 6-for-24 with two doubles, three stolen bases, three runs scored and six walks across six games for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.

Witt was a fixture atop the United States lineup, starting at shortstop and leading off in six of seven WBC contests. He didn't dominate at the plate or flash much power, but he still reached base at a .400 clip and showcased his speed with three stolen bases. After a monster 2024 in which he hit .332 with a .977 OPS, the 25-year-old followed up by slashing .295/.351/.501 with 47 doubles, 23 homers, 88 RBI, 99 runs scored and 38 stolen bases across 157 appearances in 2025. Witt has firmly established himself as a legitimate all-around superstar and enters 2026 with lofty expectations.

Hinds started at designated hitter and went 2-for-2 with a walk, a double and a solo home run in Wednesday's spring game against the Angels.

Hinds has delivered a monster spring, going 15-for-38 (.395) with four doubles, one triple, five home runs, 11 RBI and nine runs scored. In any other year, he might be a no-brainer to claim a roster spot, but the Reds have several productive outfielders this spring. At this point, beyond the projected starters, there appear to be two outfield spots available. Hinds, Will Benson (1,038 OPS, four HR), JJ Bleday (1.072, four HR) and Dane Myers (1.180 OPS) are still in the mix.

Nunez has gone 5-for-27 (.185 average) with a 7:9 BB:K, three doubles, one RBI and four stolen bases through 12 Grapefruit League games this spring.

The 25-year-old is just 2-for-17 since the calendar flipped to March, but he's taking his walks, which is a good sign. He's also flashing his elite speed, reaching a sprint speed as high as 29.7 ft./sec earlier this spring, per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. Nunez, who swiped 70 bags in the minors in 2022 and surpassed 50 steals again in 2023, remains in the mix at second base for a rebuilding Washington club that could decide to move Luis Garcia from the keystone to first base. Although he lacks power (13 career homers as a professional), Nunez is a reasonable flier in deep leagues as a potential one-category asset.