MLB Player News

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Thursday that Crawford (hand) is aiming to return to game action this weekend, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Crawford hasn't played since being hit on the hand/wrist area by a pitch Sunday, but his return to the Grapefruit League lineup looks to be imminent. The 37-year-old is slated to back up Masyn Winn at shortstop for the Cardinals this season.

Clement appears to have won a spot on the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster following the trade of Santiago Espinal to the Reds on Wednesday, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

Clement was likely in the lead for an infield utility role anyway, but shipping out Espinal clarifies the roster picture for Toronto. The 27-year-old has been stunningly productive this spring, batting .375 (15-for-40) with three homers, two triples, two steals and only one strikeout, but his career .231/.279/.299 slash line through 364 big-league plate appearances is probably a better reflection of his fantasy appeal. It's also not clear just how much playing time Clement will get given that the Jays already have a number of players with versatile defensive portfolios, including Cavan Biggio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, but Espinal faced similar competition in 2023 and still saw 254 PAs over 93 games.

Franco is expected to be moved off the 40-man roster by Opening Day and placed on either the restricted list or administrative leave, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Franco was released from a Dominican Republic jail in January after a judge decided Franco would face a lesser charge stemming from his alleged relationship with an underage girl. He is still facing the possibility of prison time. The Rays don't seem to have any intention of bringing him back to the team even if he avoids time behind bars.

Reds manager David Bell said Wednesday that McLain is heading for a second opinion on his shoulder and won't be ready for the start of the regular season next week, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Bell said earlier Wednesday that it's possible McLain will require surgery, so it's not a major surprise the young infielder will be sidelined for Opening Day. The 24-year-old was scratched from Monday's lineup due to left shoulder soreness, and the specifics of his injury beyond that remain unclear. A return timeline should come into focus once McLain receives the secondary evaluation, but at this point he should be expected to be sidelined for at least the next few weeks.

Merrill went 0-for-3 in his major-league debut Wednesday in the first game of the Seoul Series against the Dodgers.

The 20-year-old struck the ball fairly well all three times up, but he ended with nothing to show for it in his big-league debut. Merrill had never played center field prior to spring training, but he took well enough to the position to win the job and become the fourth-youngest Opening Day center fielder in the divisional era, per MLB's Sarah Langs. He was the No. 9 hitter Wednesday, though there is always potential for upward movement in the batting order. First things first, Merrill will have to prove that he belongs at the highest level.

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Wednesday that Shewmake (ankle) has not been ruled out for Opening Day, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Shewmake was given a 2-to-4 week timetable after being diagnosed Sunday with a lateral left ankle sprain. However, he has been able to field grounders each of the last two days and could make a quicker-than-expected return. Shewmake had appeared in line to win a reserve role before the injury.

Reds manager David Bell said Wednesday that "all of the options are on the table," including surgery, after McLain (shoulder) underwent an MRI on Wednesday. Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The specifics of the injury remain unclear as the full results of the MRI haven't been disclosed, but it's a concerning development after Bell initially downplayed the left shoulder soreness that scratched McLain from Monday's lineup. The 24-year-old's availability to begin the season is now up in the air, with a trip to the injured list being a distinct possibility, regardless of whether he requires surgery. McLain's status should be updated soon as he continues to be evaluated.

Allen (back) started at shortstop in a Cactus League tie with the Diamondbacks on Monday and went 0-for-2 with a walk.

The game marked Allen's first game action since March 1 due to a back strain. The fact he was able to jump right back into playing defense was certainly encouraging, and Allen appears set to play out the string of remaining Cactus League games before opening the season as the everyday shortstop.

The Giants optioned Schmitt to Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Schmitt's chance at an Opening Day roster spot probably went away when the club signed Nick Ahmed, but he didn't help himself in going 3-for-26 at the dish this spring. The 25-year-old should bounce around the infield as a regular at Sacramento.

Smith (hand) is starting at shortstop and batting second in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Reds.

The 26-year-old exited Tuesday's contest after being hit by a pitch on the hand, but his return to the lineup a day later indicates it isn't a significant issue. Smith is expected to serve as a utility infielder in 2024, but he could see more action early on since Nathaniel Lowe (oblique) is likely to open on the injured list and Corey Seager's (groin) status is also up in the air.