MLB Player News

Sweeney is not a given to open the season as the Tigers' primary shortstop, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

In his latest Opening Day roster projection, Stavenhagen has Javier Baez and Zach McKinstry sharing the shortstop job and Sweeney opening the season at Triple-A Toledo. Nothing has been decided, as Sweeney could still very well start at the position at least against right-handed pitching, but the gig won't be handed to him. Sweeney hit .218/.269/.373 with four home runs over 36 regular-season contests for the Tigers in 2024 before going 2-for-22 at the dish in seven postseason games.

Jimenez (illness) went 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored and played four innings at shortstop in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Phillies in Grapefruit League play.

Though Bo Bichette drew the start at shortstop Sunday, Jimenez's ability to come off the bench and play four innings in the field suggests he's healthy again after he had been scratched from the lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees due to an illness. Jimenez is vying for a utility role after slashing .229/.329/.358 over 210 plate appearances as a rookie with Toronto in 2024.

Merrill went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run Sunday in a Cactus League loss to Kansas City.

Merrill's homer was a massive 443-foot shot to center field. The 21-year-old is preparing for his second big-league campaign after posting an .826 OPS over 156 regular-season games last year en route to finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Merrill has looked good so far this spring, going 4-for-11 with four RBI through five contests.

Sweeney went 2-for-3 with a double, a solo home run and two total runs scored in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

Sweeney was scuffling a bit before today, as he started the spring 0-for-9 with four strikeouts. The 24-year-old appears to be Detroit's top option at shortstop, though veteran Javier Baez has said he's fully healthy after dealing with a hip injury. Long term, the Tigers likely want Sweeney to take the job and run with it, but Baez remains a looming threat in the short term, particularly due to his hefty contract. The two players could split playing time to a degree to begin the 2025 campaign, at least until one of them emerges.

Manager Clayton McCullough said Sunday that Sanoja is likely to see playing time at every position in the field except first base and catcher during spring training, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The 22-year-old made his big-league debut in September and had a .229/.250/.286 slash line in his first 15 MLB games, and he's now attempting to earn a spot on Miami's Opening Day roster. Sanoja isn't likely to receive regular playing time even if he secures a roster spot, but the defensive versatility could allow him to carve out a larger role.

Shaw (oblique) will start at third base and bat second in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Reds.

Shaw is ready to make his spring debut Sunday after the Cubs elected to ease him into action while he recovered from an oblique injury that he suffered shortly before the start of spring training. Heading into the spring, Shaw was viewed as the leading candidate to begin the season as the Cubs' everyday third baseman, but he'll need to prove his health and put together a strong showing in the Cactus League to ensure he breaks camp with the big club. The Cubs will open their regular season with a two-game set versus the Dodgers on March 18 and 19 in Tokyo, and even if Shaw isn't activated for those contests, he could still be added to the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster ahead of the team's domestic season opener March 27 in Arizona.

Schmitt went 2-for-3 in Saturday's spring game and is hitting .222 with a .722 OPS in six games. He's battling Brett Wisely, Osleivis Basabe, Jake Lamb and Christian Koss for a utility role this spring, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Schmitt is likely the favorite and the Giants could keep two backup infielders on the roster. Schmitt hit .252 with six homers and a .760 OPS with the Giants last season. Schmitt may have the best glove of the group at third base which could help his case.

Koss has a chance to win a utility role with the Giants this spring, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He started at shortstop and went 1-for-3 in Saturday's spring game. "He's continuing to impress, and he hit a ball down the line for a double and he's playing with a lot of confidence," said manager Bob Melvin. "We're giving him some reps right now. It's nice to see because we're putting an emphasis on defense and he's played great defense every place we've put him."

Koss is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with a home run in eight games this spring. He's a long shot but the final bench spot appears wide open for the Giants early this spring. Koss had just a .757 OPS at Triple-A last year (54 games) and hasn't been regarded as a top prospect (he's 27 years old), but his glove could help him find a way on to the roster.

Baez (hip) said he's been running and swinging at 100 percent recently, Joey Johnston of MLB.com reports.

Baez underwent a right hip labral repair last September and has been ramping up slowly during the winter months. The veteran shortstop made his Grapefruit League debut Friday, and although he went 0-for-2 with a walk as the DH, he said afterward that he felt good. Baez could bounce back some in 2025 if he's fully healthy, but he will likely see a reduced role with the younger Trey Sweeney expected to see a lot of playing time at short.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Alexander suffered a Grade 1 right oblique strain and will be unavailable for Opening Day, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.

It's unclear when exactly Alexander sustained the injury, but his last appearance in a Cactus League game came Monday versus the Guardians. The 25-year-old was fighting to earn a roster spot as a utility infielder but now appears set to begin the campaign on the injured list. Once healthy he could be headed to Triple-A Reno.