MLB Player News

Ryan (back) checked out well after his bullpen session Saturday and is slated to face hitters in live batting practice in the coming days, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Ryan has yet to make his Grapefruit League debut, after he was scratched ahead of his scheduled outing last weekend when he experienced inflammation on the right side of his back. The right-hander was cleared to resume working out a few days after suffering the injury and seems to be moving through his throwing program as anticipated. While the back issue will prevent Ryan from pitching for Team USA during pool play in the World Baseball Classic, he's still part of the designated player pool and could be available for the second round of the WBC if his schedule aligns with it. Before that, Ryan is expected to pitch in a Grapefruit League game about five or six days after he throws his live BP session, per Matthew Leach of MLB.com.

Duran went 2-for-2 with a walk, two home runs, four RBI and a third run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.

No Red Sox batter is hotter than Duran, who was the subject of trade rumors all offseason. His two-HR day followed up Friday's homer off Atlanta's Chris Sale. Duran has gone 7-for-12 with three walks, two doubles, three home runs and five RBI over five spring games. His power surge is an encouraging sign for a Boston team looking for offense heading into the regular season. The outfielder will soon depart spring training to participate in the World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico.

Gray allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one over 1.1 innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League start against Minnesota.

Gray was on the mound in game action for the first time in a Red Sox uniform, but it wasn't exactly an impressive debut. He worked out of a two-out, two-on jam in the first inning but was touched for a home run in his second frame and removed with one out after 31 pitches, just 13 in which went for strikes. On the bright side, Gray did deploy all of the pitches in his arsenal as he focuses on getting ready for Opening Day.

Nimmo is on a specific ramp-up plan and will begin playing in Cactus League games in March, Matt Postins of SI.com reports.

The slow ramp-up is designed to have Nimmo, who turns 33 later this month, fresh for Opening Day, according to Texas manager Skip Schumaker. Nimmo is expected to bat leadoff for the Rangers, taking the spot in the order that had belonged to Marcus Semien, the player he was traded for in November.

Basallo (abdomen) is starting at catcher and batting cleanup in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The 21-year-old departed Thursday's spring game due to abdominal discomfort, but he's ready to retake the field after getting a couple days off. The fact that Basallo is immediately working behind the plate rather than being eased back in as the designated hitter is a good indication that the injury wasn't a serious concern.

Leiter allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one over 1.1 innings in Saturday's Cactus League start against the Dodgers.

Leiter needed 45 pitches to get those four outs, spread across three different innings. The three up-and-downs were a positive this early in camp, but the right-hander allowed three extra-base hits, including a Dalton Rushing home run in the first inning, and he managed to throw just 24 strikes. Leiter also featured more of the cutter he's been working on during the offseason, delivering seven of them, so the results may be less important than the process in this outing.

Bibee allowed three runs on three hits over three innings in Saturday's Cactus League start against the White Sox.

Bibee increased his pitch count to 47 (29 strikes) in his second spring outing. After a forgettable first inning in which he allowed a home run and all three runs, the right-hander retired the final six batters he faced. Per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com, Bibee acknowledged putting too much pressure on himself last season after inking a five-year contract extension in March 2025, and he battles his mechanics all year. He eventually found a groove late, going 3-0 with a 1.30 ERA in four September starts, and he was the starting pitcher in the Guardians' lone postseason victory.

Melton (thumb) is starting in center field and batting second in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 25-year-old was scratched from the lineup Thursday due to soreness in his left thumb, but he's good to go a few days later. Barring an aggravation of the injury, Melton should be in the clear as he competes for a spot on Tampa Bay's Opening Day roster.

Vargas is set to serve as the everyday third baseman for the White Sox in 2026, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Vargas earned a nearly full allotment of plate appearances for the first time in 2025, but he split his defensive responsibilities fairly evenly between first and third base. With Munetaka Murakami (fatigue) expected to serve as the White Sox's first baseman in 2026, Vargas will have a more stable defensive home. Vargas believes the stability could help him hit better as well, as he'll look to improve on his .234/.316/.401 line across 569 plate appearances in 2025.

Smith allowed one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts and one walk across three innings during Saturday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.

This marked Smith's second start of spring training, and he worked up to 41 pitches. He threw 25 of those offerings for strikes in a relatively sharp outing. After posting a 3.81 ERA and 1.20 WHP across 146.1 innings in 2025, Smith is a candidate to start Opening Day for the White Sox.