MLB Player News
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Exits after HBP
Witt was removed from Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners after getting hit on the left forearm by a pitch.
Witt went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before getting plunked by a 96-mph sinker from Andres Munoz. It's unclear at the moment if he suffered any severe damage, but the Royals will likely run tests on their All-Star shortstop and offer an update in the near future.
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C.J. Abrams SS | WAS
Nationals' CJ Abrams: Expected back in lineup Thursday
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that Abrams was lifted from Wednesday's spring contest versus the Astros due to cramping in both quads but is scheduled to return to the lineup Thursday against the Rays, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Abrams' quads cramped up following a leadoff triple in the first inning Wednesday, but he's going to be fine. The young shortstop is 9-for-30 with a home run in 10 Grapefruit League games this spring.
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Amed Rosario SS | NYY
Nationals' Amed Rosario: Nursing minor knee injury
Rosario was a late scratch from the lineup for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros after his knee "didn't feel right" while taking part in defensive drills prior to the contest, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Shortly before first pitch, the Nationals pulled Rosario from the lineup in favor of Cayden Wallace, who started at second base and batted eighth. Rosario suggested that the knee injury was minor, noting that he would have been able to play if it was a regular-season game.
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Masyn Winn SS | STL
Cardinals' Masyn Winn: Scuffling at plate this spring
Winn went 0-for-3 with one strikeout in Wednesday's game versus the Mets and is now hitting .094 with a 10:3 K:BB this spring.
Winn struggled last year in Grapefruit League play, too, with a .638 OPS and no home runs, before going on to have a solid rookie season in which he had 15 homers and 11 steals with a .730 OPS. He has batted leadoff in every one of his starts this spring and appears poised to hit at the top of the order for the Cardinals on Opening Day.
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Otto Lopez SS | MIA
Marlins' Otto Lopez: Sudden power display Tuesday
Lopez went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
The second baseman touched up Erick Fedde for a two-run homer in the fourth inning before taking Roddery Munoz deep for a solo shot in the sixth. The blasts were Lopez's first extra-base hits this spring, and the 26-year-old didn't display much power in the minors, so it's unlikely this performance was a sign of things to come. His primary fantasy appeal will come on the basepaths -- Lopez swiped 20 bags in 24 attempts over 117 regular-season games in 2024 while slashing .270/.313/.377.
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Trevor Story SS | BOS
Red Sox's Trevor Story: Likely back in action Saturday
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that Story (back) will most likely return to Grapefruit League play Saturday versus Atlanta, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Story was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with back tightness. The original plan was for him to return to action Wednesday, but the team has opted to give him a few more days. Story has been red-hot at the plate this spring, going 11-for-24 with a pair of home runs.
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Juan Brito SS | CLE
Guardians' Juan Brito: Struggling this spring
Brito is just 2-for-21 at the plate this spring and could be behind Gabriel Arias in the pecking order at second base for the Guardians, Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com report.
Both of Brito's hits have been home runs, but he's also struck out at a 30.4 percent clip this spring. The 23-year-old is on the 40-man roster but has not yet made his major-league debut, and a trip back to Triple-A Columbus could be in order, at least to start the season.
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Gabriel Arias SS | CLE
Guardians' Gabriel Arias: Might be favorite for keystone job
Arias could be the favorite to capture the Guardians' second-base job, Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com report.
The Guardians have held an open competition at second base to replace Andres Gimenez, who was traded to the Blue Jays this offseason. Arias is out of minor-league options and has had a decent spring with a .758 OPS and one home run, which might be enough to put him at the top of the pecking order. However, Juan Brito, Tyler Freeman, Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martinez remain in the mix and nothing has been decided yet. Ultimately, manager Stephen Vogt could have something of a committee approach at second base.
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C.J. Abrams SS | WAS
Nationals' CJ Abrams: Exits with apparent injury
Abrams was removed from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros in the bottom of the first inning due to an apparent injury, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
After leading off the inning with a triple, Abrams appeared to crouch down in discomfort once he reached third base. He motioned to the team trainer to examine him, and after a brief checkup, Abrams was pulled from the contest. The Nationals should provide more details on Abrams' injury later Wednesday.
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Colt Emerson SS | SEA
Mariners' Colt Emerson: Sent to minor-league camp
The Mariners reassigned Emerson to minor-league camp Wednesday, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.
The 19-year-old Emerson went just 2-for-17 at the plate this spring but hit a home run and stole a couple bases. Arguably the team's top prospect, Emerson finished the 2024 season at High-A Everett and could head back there to start out the 2025 campaign.