MLB Player News

Barger went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

Getting the start at third base and hitting sixth behind Blue Jays regulars like Vladimir Guerrero, Daulton Varsho and Danny Jansen, Barger turned on a fastball from Pittsburgh closer David Bednar and crushed it deep to right field in the fourth inning. Barger had a breakout year in the minors in 2022, ascending from High-A to Triple-A and posting a combined .306/.375/.544 slash line with 25 homers in 126 games, and the 23-year-old appears poised to make his big-league debut sometime this season, potentially in the same kind of utility role currently filled by Cavan Biggio.

Velazquez (knee) is starting at shortstop and batting ninth in Sunday's spring game against the White Sox, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Velazquez underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee in September but is ready for Cactus League action. The 28-year-old had a .540 OPS in 125 games last season and should serve as a reserve shortstop for the Angels in 2023.

Abrams went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and a stolen base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

Hitting leadoff in the Nationals' spring opener, Abrams displayed the speed and contact skills that made him the sixth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft as well as a key part of the package Washington got back from San Diego in last year's Juan Soto trade. The 22-year-old shortstop could wind up hitting at the top of the order for the Nats in 2023, but he'll need to prove he can get on base more consistently after stumbling to a .280 OBP over 302 plate appearances in his big-league debut last season.

Perdomo went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Saturday's spring game against the Rockies.

Perdomo was expected to start at shortstop while the Diamondbacks bring back Nick Ahmed slowly from last year's shoulder surgery. However, Ahmed is now experiencing inflammation in his forearm, which will shut down the shortstop for the next five days. There's no guarantee the absence is limited to that time frame, and Perdomo should pick up the majority of starts while Ahmed is unavailable. The two are expected to battle for the starting job, with Ahmed projected as the starter for now.

Ahmed (shoulder) will miss the next five days with inflammation in his left forearm, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The Diamondbacks planned to delay Ahmed's game participation this spring in deference to the shoulder surgery he underwent last year, but it looks like a new condition has cropped up. The shortstop is now experiencing inflammation in his forearm, for which he received a cortisone shot. There's no reason to believe Ahmed will miss extended time, but the new injury gives manager Torey Lovullo an opportunity to evaluate depth at the position, including Geraldo Perdomo, who was expected to battle Ahmed for the starting job this spring.

Shewmake is looking good in the early part of camp and could be an option for Atlanta at shortstop later in the season, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Vaughn Grissom and Orlando Arcia are competing for the starting shortstop job this spring, but Shewmake could be the next man up if injuries or poor performance hit during the year. The 25-year-old was a first-round pick in 2019 out of Texas A&M and might have gotten a September call-up were it not for a knee injury in August. He finished the season with a .259/.316/.399 slash line for Triple-A Gwinnett over 75 games. Shewmake has graded out highly for his defense at shortstop in the minors, but his limited offensive ceiling could make him a utility player in the majors once he finally makes his debut.

DeJong is dealing with dead arm, but the Cardinals aren't particularly concerned, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The issue is being framed as nothing more than the usual soreness that affects many players at the start of camp. DeJong won't throw Saturday and won't take the field in game action for a few days, but he's able to serve as the designated hitter. The Cardinals hope he'll play the field by next weekend.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Smith will play all infield positions and left field during spring games, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports. "I think he's comfortable moving around," Bochy said. "He's already done it, so that's always a good thing."

Smith came through the system as a shortstop, but he's blocked by Corey Seager in the majors. That means he'll have to make the team in a utility capacity. He debuted in the majors in 2022, playing 36 games at third base, 24 in left field, six at shortstop, five as the designated hitter and two at second base. Smith posted a line of .197/.307/.249 over 73 games.

Ahmed (shoulder) will not play in the Diamondbacks' Cactus League opener Saturday, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports.

It's merely a precautionary measure as Ahmed completes his recovery from the shoulder surgery he underwent last June. He has been throwing without issue so far in camp, but the Diamondbacks want him to build up a bit more power and endurance before exposing his surgically repaired right arm to live competition. There's no current worry about his readiness for the start of the 2023 regular season.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Friday that Abrams could work his way to the top of the batting order with a strong spring, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Abrams will hit leadoff in the Nats' Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Cardinals, though Lane Thomas is probably going to have that role when the real games begin. Abrams seems to be a potential option for the No. 2 spot if he displays enough improvement in the on-base department over the next five weeks. The 22-year-old slashed just .246/.280/.324 across his first 302 major-league plate appearances last season between San Diego and Washington.