MLB Player News

McClain (oblique) is starting at second base and batting third in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.

McClain suffered an oblique strain early in camp but is now ready to make his spring debut. The 24-year-old has plenty of time to ramp up his workload ahead of Opening Day, as he's poised to serve as Cincinnati's primary second baseman after he posted an .864 OPS in 89 games as a rookie in 2023.

Alexander started at designated hitter and went 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base in Saturday's spring game against Cincinnati.

Alexander has responded to a spring training challenge from Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who gave the shortstop areas on which to focus in camp, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. "Show us that you're versatile and can play more than one position. Control the at-bats, control the zone, don't worry about hitting home runs, [focus on] gap-to-gap," the manager said at the start of camp. Alexander has played shortstop, second base and third base in Cactus League action, hit to all fields, and compiled a 1.035 OPS over 29 plate appearances. Arizona general manager Mike Hazen, who was effusive about the prospect's spring performance, prefers that Alexander get regular at-bats in the minors, but the 24-year-old infielder could force decision-makers to rethink their plans.

Lindor went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

The 30-year-old shortstop drove a 2-2 pitch from Steven Matz deep to left-center field in the first inning, giving Lindor his first long ball of the spring. He had a bone spur removed from his elbow in October but came into camp healthy, and he's gone 5-for-22 so far in Grapefruit League action with two doubles in addition to Saturday's homer. Lindor put together his first career 30-30 campaign in 2023 despite the bone spur, and expectations are high for the four-time All-Star this season.

Story (neck) will start at shortstop and bat third in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

He'll be manning shortstop for the second time in as many days after playing four innings while going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in his return to the lineup for Saturday's 4-0 win over the Rays. Story had missed the previous two days of action with neck tightness, but his ability to get back in the lineup quickly on consecutive days suggests his health is no longer a concern.

Allen (back) saw a specialist in Arizona on Friday and remains without a firm timetable for a return to game action, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The young shortstop last saw Cactus League action March 1 due to what has been described as a mild back strain. However, the issue has lingered enough for Allen to have to seek out a medical consultation. Allen received some treatment Friday, and the Athletics remain hopeful he'll be able to resume baseball activities Monday with a return to game action shortly thereafter.

The Reds placed Barrero on waivers Saturday, and the utility player was claimed by the Rangers on the same day.

Barrero split his time last season between Triple-A Louisville and the Reds and slashed .218/.295/.323 with two home runs and 17 RBI over 149 plate appearances in the majors. He made the move to the outfield this spring after spending most of his career at shortstop, though he did play center field in 17 games for Cincinnati last season. Barrero will now look to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in Texas for 2024.

Swanson, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in a Cactus League game against the Mariners on Friday, is now batting .357 this spring.

Swanson appears to be in midseason form with his bat, as he's gone 5-for-14 so far with four walks and only four strikeouts. The shortstop batted just .244 in his first season with the Cubs in 2023, though he batted .278 a year earlier with Atlanta, so there is room for improvement in that area. Swanson's other numbers were fairly similar last season, and he reached the 20-homer plateau for the third straight year.

Manager Dave Roberts said Lux will primarily play second base with Mookie Betts handling shortstop, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

That's the alignment for Friday's spring game against the Reds, and Roberts described the positioning as "permanent, for now." Lux experienced some troubles throwing the ball from shortstop during spring action, and the Dodgers decided they had seen enough. The 26-year-old should still see plenty of playing time at the keystone, though he may sit against some left-handed pitchers.

Kim (back) is starting at shortstop and batting fifth in Friday's Cactus League game against the Giants.

Kim has been sidelined by back spasms the past few days but is ready to retake the field for Friday's contest. The 28-year-old is shifting to shortstop this season after winning a Gold Glove at second base for the Padres in 2023.

The Rockies optioned Amador to Double-A Hartford on Friday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Amador received a late promotion to Hartford last season and will return to the affiliate to begin 2024. The 20-year-old spent most of the season at High-A Spokane, where he had a .905 OPS with nine home runs and 12 steals in 54 games.