MLB Player News

Mayer started at second base and went 1-for-3 with a walk, a triple and a run scored in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

Mayer, Boston's shortstop of the future, made his first Grapefruit League start at second base. Until Wednesday, he'd started at shortstop and third base this spring. This move is notable, because Red Sox manager Alex Cora hasn't named a starter at second base yet. One candidate, Vaughn Grissom, was removed from the calculus after he was assigned to minor-league camp Wednesday. It may be unlikely that Mayer, who has yet to take an at-bat at the Triple-A level, wins the job, but the manager insisted to Ian Browne of MLB.com that "everybody has a shot."

Dezenzo (jaw) is in the lineup for Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

After being struck in the face by a groundball Tuesday, Dezenzo was diagnosed with a TMJ sprain. However, he was cleared of a concussion and will be able to make a quick turnaround, continuing his bid for a roster spot. The 24-year-old is having a great spring, batting .378 with three doubles, two homers and six RBI across 15 exhibition games.

Seager went 5-for-13 (.385) with six runs, two doubles, a home run, seven RBI and a 5:1 BB:K over his last six spring games.

Seager owned a .520 spring OPS at the end of play March 12, but thanks to his hot streak he raised that mark more than 300 points over the last week. Injuries remain a long-term concern for Seager, but he appears healthy and ready to go with the regular season just over a week away.

Atlanta returned Cairo to the Guardians on Wednesday.

Atlanta selected Cairo in the Rule 5 Draft in December, but the 23-year-old infielder failed to make the big-league roster after slashing .179/.294/.250 during spring training. He'll be stripped of a 40-man roster spot upon returning to his original organization and will likely report to Triple-A Columbus for the start of the new season.

The Red Sox optioned Grissom to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Grissom had seemingly fallen to third in line behind Kristian Campbell and David Hamilton in the second base competition, so it's not a surprise he's being cut from big-league camp. The 24-year-old has batted just .176 with a .535 OPS in 13 contests this spring.

The Rays reassigned Simpson to minor-league camp Wednesday.

The most prolific base stealer in the minors in 2024 with 104 thefts in 121 attempts over 110 games between High-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery, Simpson made waves early in Grapefruit League play by going 4-for-6 with a pair of steals and runs through his first three games. He's faded badly since then, however, going 2-for-19 over his subsequent eight contests to effectively end his longshot odds of breaking camp with the Rays. Simpson's elite wheels will make him worth keeping an eye on in dynasty leagues, but his subpar defense and dearth of power could make it difficult for him to emerge as an everyday player in the majors.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Dezenzo (jaw) is expected to return to Grapefruit League action Thursday versus the Marlins, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Dezenzo suffered a TMJ sprain on the left side of his jaw after getting hit in the head by a groundball Tuesday. He will undergo concussion testing just to be safe, but the expectation is that he will be fine. Dezenzo is competing for a reserve role with Houston.

The Diamondbacks optioned Lawlar to Triple-A Reno on Wednesday.

Lawlar was given the chance to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster during camp, but after thumb surgery and a pair of hamstring injuries limited him to just 23 total games across three minor-league stops in 2024, the expectation all along has been that the 22-year-old infielder would begin the season at Triple-A. He remains the organization's top prospect and had previously seen big-league action in 2023, so a hot start to the season in Reno could quickly put Lawlar in the mix for a promotion to the big club. Arizona has been giving Lawlar equal exposure to both third base and shortstop this spring, giving him a couple of pathways to earning playing time in the big leagues once he's deemed ready.

The Nationals reassigned House to minor-league camp Wednesday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.

House didn't get a ton of looks this spring but fared well when he played, going 7-for-21 with a 4:4 K:BB. The 21-year-old is highly thought of as a prospect but still needs seasoning in the minors after slashing just .241/.297/.402 with a 26.4 percent strikeout rate between Double-A Harrisburg and Rochester in 2024.

Berti went 3-for-4 with a run and a stolen base during Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Dodgers in Tokyo.

The 35-year-old started the first two games of the season at second base with Nico Hoerner (forearm) unavailable. Chicago didn't provide much offense during the two-game set in Japan, but Berti was able to reach base four times and steal a pair of bases. He's expected to fill a utility role once Hoerner is healthy.