MLB Player News

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Ahmed is not likely to play every day early in the season, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Ahmed, who is coming off shoulder surgery, will be eased into the year while the team keeps young shortstop Geraldo Perdomo active. It's unclear how the job-share will shake out over the course of the season. Perdomo's bat slumped over the course of 148 games and 500 plate appearances while filling in for Ahmed in 2022 and the former might not be ready for an everyday gig at this point.

Adames went 2-for-3 with a double and a run in Tuesday's spring finale.

Adames recorded just seven hits over his first 12 appearances of the spring -- which were sandwiched around a WBC stint with the Dominican Republic -- but he picked up three over the final two games he appeared in before the Brewers broke camp. Adames hit second or third in each spring game he appeared in, which all but locks him into a spot in the upper third of the order to begin the season.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told reporters Tuesday that there's still no timetable for Mondesi (knee) to return, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Mondesi has already been ruled out for the start of the season, and he will begin the 2023 campaign on the injured list. That will open up a spot for a player like Raimel Tapia, who is going to be a backup outfielder with the Red Sox to open the year. Mondesi will assuredly need a rehab assignment before playing in games, so it's unlikely he's helping Boston before the end of April, with the middle of May a likely landing spot.

Camargo was reassigned Tuesday to the minor-league side of Royals camp.

Camargo is recovered from the side tightness that bothered him for a bit in mid-March, but he will not have a spot on the Opening Day roster in Kansas City. The 29-year-old has slashed just .208/.265/.319 over his last 311 major-league plate appearances dating back to the beginning of the 2020 season.

Fletcher (abdomen) remains out of the Angels' starting lineup for Tuesday night's Freeway Series game against the Dodgers.

Fletcher came down with some abdominal tightness over the weekend and hasn't played in a live game since last Friday, but he did say he should be available off the bench in Tuesday's exhibition finale at Angel Stadium. That would put him on track to be ready for Opening Day. The 28-year-old projects to operate as an active utility infielder this year in Anaheim.

The Blue Jays optioned Lopez to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Nathan Lukes beat Lopez out for the final position player spot on Toronto's roster. The versatile 24-year-old should get another shot with the big club soon enough.

Manager Mark Kotsay announced Monday that Smith didn't make the Athletics' Opening Day roster and will begin the season with Triple-A Las Vegas, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The 26-year-old was in the running to claim Oakland's last bench spot, but Brent Rooker instead won the job. Smith began last season as the club's primary third baseman but played in just 47 big-league games and had a .518 OPS and 27.9 percent strikeout rate. He had a .268/.31/.446 slash line across 86 contests for Las Vegas last year, and he'll likely receive another look in the majors at some point in 2023.

Fletcher (abdomen) is listed as an available bench option for Monday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

The Angels haven't confirmed whether Fletcher will make an appearance in the first game of their two-game Freeway Series with the Dodgers to close out spring training, but the 28-year-old's inclusion on the lineup card is an indication that he should be good to go for Thursday's season opener in Oakland. Fletcher, who was scratched ahead of Saturday's game against the Cubs with abdominal tightness, is batting .227 over 22 at-bats this spring.

Smith (thumb) will start in left field and bat ninth in Monday's Cactus League game against the Royals.

A jammed left thumb kept Smith from playing Saturday versus the Padres, but the 25-year-old will get the green light to return to the lineup for the Rangers' penultimate game of the Cactus League slate. Smith owns an .897 OPS through 16 spring games and looks on track to break camp with the big club, though he may have to settle for a part-time role.

Chang clinched a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster Monday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

While Boston could look outside the organization to fill out its bench ranks prior to Thursday's season opener versus Orioles, at least for the time being, Chang's spot is secure after the Red Sox optioned Bobby Dalbec -- his primary competition for a utility-infield role -- to Triple-A Worcester on Monday. The righty-hitting Chang could be a candidate to make frequent starts against left-handed pitching; on those occasions, he and Justin Turner would likely fill out the first base and designated hitter spots while the lefty-hitting Triston Casas sits out.