Barger will see most of his playing time in right field this season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

The 26-year-old might have bounced between right field and third base once again if the Blue Jays had headed into 2026 fully healthy, but with Anthony Santander (shoulder) set for another long absence, Barger will be needed more in the outfield. He could still wind up on the strong side of a platoon after slashing just .217/.270/.337 against left-handed pitching in 2025, but Toronto doesn't have an obvious candidate to pair him with in right field aside from the light-hitting Myles Straw. Maintaining his stamina in a full-time role will be Barger's biggest task, however -- he held a .264/.318/.512 slash line at the end of July last year, but managed just a .205/.270/.360 line the rest of the way in the regular season.

Lawlar could see regular playing time in center field this spring, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Lawlar came up through the system as a shortstop and was introduced to second and third base over the last couple of seasons. With established starters ahead of him in the infield, the plan, which began during winter ball, was to turn Lawlar into an outfielder. He was in line for playing time in left field this spring as part of a group of players that will fill in for the injured Lourdes Gurriel (knee). Those plans could change after the Diamondbacks lost another outfielder; right-fielder Corbin Carroll suffered a wrist injury Tuesday that will him keep out until at least the start of the regular season. As a replacement for Carroll, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo mused about shifting center-fielder Alek Thomas to right. That would give Lawlar an opportunity to acclimate to center field, which was the team's first choice for the infielder-turned-outfielder.

Ritter will have the chance to compete for the starting role at second base during spring training, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Ritter made his big-league debut in 2025 and split his playing time almost exactly evenly between second base and shortstop. Ezequiel Tovar will likely play nearly every day at the latter position, while Edouard Julien and Willi Castro are both offseason additions that will factor in at the keystone. That seemingly leaves a narrow path for Ritter to make the Opening Day roster, though a strong spring could change his outlook.

Rainer, who had his 2025 campaign come to a premature end in June after dislocating his right shoulder, is in line to be ready for the start of the 2026 minor-league season, MLB.com reports.

Rainer dislocated his shoulder diving back to first base in a June 3 game for Single-A Lakeland, and he underwent surgery shortly after that. The 20-year-old shortstop seems to be almost fully recovered, and if he stays healthy all season long, he will look to build on the positive momentum he was establishing before getting hurt. Rainer, the 11th overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, posted an .835 OPS across 35 games for Lakeland in his first professional campaign, and he's one of the top prospects in Detroit's system. The youngster could make the jump to High-A West Michigan at some point this year and perhaps climb even higher.

Schmitt (wrist) will continue his hitting progression for one more week and is then expected to be cleared for all baseball activities, per MLB.com.

Schmitt underwent surgery in early December to remove the carpal boss in his left wrist but is expected to be ready before Opening Day. The 26-year-old infielder slashed .237/.305/.401 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 34 runs scored across 348 plate appearances in 95 games last season. He's expected to play a utility role in 2026 after the Giants signed Luis Arraez during the offseason.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday that he's leaning toward batting Bichette third this season, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

He'll be preceded by Francisco Lindor (hand) and Juan Soto and likely followed by Jorge Polanco. It's a phenomenal RBI spot for Bichette, who slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI over 139 regular-season games for Toronto in 2025. Bichette will primarily play third base for the Mets this season, although he could be needed at shortstop early in the year if Lindor's recovery from hamate bone surgery lingers past Opening Day.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Lindor will undergo right hamate bone surgery Wednesday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

President of baseball operations David Stearns noted Tuesday that surgery for Lindor was a possibility, and it's now confirmed that the shortstop will be going under the knife. Rehab is expected to take six weeks, and while the Mets are optimistic Lindor will be ready for Opening Day, it's hardly a sure thing. If Lindor needs to miss time, the Mets could shift Bo Bichette over to shortstop and install Brett Baty at third base.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said Wednesday that Alexander is a candidate to start at second base while Jackson Holliday (hand) is out, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The Orioles acquired Alexander via trade Feb. 5, and the next day Holliday suffered a hamate bone fracture that will result in a stint on the injured list to begin the season. Alexander slashed .230/.323/.383 with seven homers and four steals over 74 games for the Diamondbacks in 2025. Jordan Westburg (oblique) will also be in the mix for reps at second base while Holliday is shelved.

Holliday will undergo surgery Thursday for a fractured right hamate bone and will begin the season on the injured list, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

A clearer timetable should become available after the operation, but Holliday will shelved for several weeks in any case. Additionally, it's a procedure that can often result in an initial loss of power for a player upon their return. Blaze Alexander and Jordan Westburg (oblique) are candidates to handle second base while Holliday is out.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday that Lindor (elbow) is being evaluated for a possible stress reaction in his left hamate bone and could require surgery, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

If an operation is needed, Lindor would need six weeks to recover. In that instance, Stearns said it's possible Lindor would be ready in time for Opening Day, but it would be a tight window given that the Mets' opener is just over six weeks away. Lindor is also coming back from a right elbow debridement procedure that he had last October, one from which he seems to be fully recovered. If Lindor gets a late start to the season, the Mets could slide Bo Bichette over to shortstop and install Brett Baty at third base.