MLB Player News

Lee said Sunday that he will start the regular season on the 10-day injured list due to lower-back tightness, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

The 24-year-old has been sidelined by the injury the past few days and won't be recovered in time for Thursday's season opener. Lee was expected to have a regular role at third base with Royce Lewis managing a hamstring strain, but now both players will begin the season on the shelf. Willi Castro and Jose Miranda are the likeliest candidates to see action at the hot corner.

Muncy could begin the season in the majors if Zack Gelof begins the season on the injured list due to a hand injury, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. "Muncy has done a great job," said manager Mark Kotsay. "He's leaving a great impression and building confidence that he's knocking on the door to be here with this group."

Muncy is hitting .314 (11-for-35) this spring. It's still likely a longshot that he makes the roster since Gelof may only be out a short time, but the comments from the manager are notable. The A's more likely will want one of their top prospects playing every day at Triple-A.

Lee (back) didn't participate in on-field pregame drills Saturday and is not expected to play in Sunday's spring training game, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. He had an MRI on his back Friday, MLB.com reports.

Lee hasn't played since he was scratched from Thursday's game due to lower-back tightness. If he misses more time, there's a good chance he'll begin the season on the injured list. Assuming any absence isn't lengthy, Lee looks set to get the bulk of playing time at third base with Royce Lewis likely out several weeks with a hamstring injury.

The Padres selected McCoy's contract Saturday.

McCoy entered spring training in competition for a utility role, and he has seemingly earned a roster spot after slashing .273/.368/.515 across 33 at-bats in Cactus League action. He isn't likely to be a regular in the lineup but should be a primary backup at most infield positions.

Ahmed was released by the Rangers on Saturday.

Ahmed was in camp on a minor-league deal and had a solid spring, tallying 11 hits across 34 at-bats. That could be enough for him to catch the attention of another team and earn a minor-league deal, or perhaps a short-term major-league contract.

Baez is starting in center field and batting seventh in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.

Baez has seen some time at third base this spring, where he hasn't seen regular-season action since 2019, and he'll now try out center, a position he's never played during the regular season in the majors. The Tigers appear to be preparing the veteran for more of a utility role in 2025, with Trey Sweeney in line to serve as the regular shortstop. Baez's already dwindling fantasy value will take a hit if he's not seeing consistent playing time.

Wade went 2-for-3 with a home run, three total RBI and a walk in Friday's Cactus League victory against the Cubs.

Wade plated three of San Diego's five runs, laying down an RBI bunt single in the fourth inning and slugging a two-run shot to right field in the sixth. The first of the two hits was more in line with Wade's skill set, as he ranked in the 85th percentile in sprint speed last year and has just seven home runs over eight big-league regular seasons. Wade has a .205/.279/.333 slash line this spring as he competes for a roster spot as a utility man for the Padres.

Hamilton is expected to claim a roster spot as a utility fielder if he does not win the starting second base job, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Hamilton and Kristian Campbell are the primary candidates to start at second base, and it's a hopeful sign for Campbell that he started Friday and will do so again Saturday. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he has a good idea of what they plan to do at the keystone but has not made it official. At one point during spring training it appeared that Hamilton was the frontrunner, but Campbell emerged as the leader over the final week of the Grapefruit League season.

Story (back) is in the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

Back tightness led to Story being scratched Friday for the second time in 10 days. While he will make a quick turnaround, keeping Story in line for Opening Day, these issues will likely temper enthusiasm surrounding his strong spring (.333/.341/.615). Story has not reached 100 games played in a season since 2021.

Manager Alex Cora said Friday that Story (back) is expected to play in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Story was scratched from Friday's lineup due to back tightness, which was particularly concerning given the fact he already missed a week earlier this spring due to a similar issue. While his latest injury doesn't seem to be anything severe, fantasy managers may want to take note of Story's frequent back issues, as the 32-year-old has been injured often since joining the Red Sox in 2022.