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  • Blue Jays' Davis Schneider: Ticketed for short-side platoon

    Schneider will handle the short side of a platoon with Nathan Lukes in left field to begin the season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

    With Anthony Santander (shoulder) potentially set to miss the entire season, the Blue Jays will turn to their collection of role players to fill the gap in the lineup. Schneider hasn't shown a platoon split in the majors and actually hit better against right-handed pitching in 2025, posting a .915 OPS against same-handed hurlers in 99 plate appearances versus a .708 OPS in 129 PAs versus lefties. It's possible that if the 27-year-old doesn't improve those numbers, he could lose playing time to the defensively superior Myles Straw.

  • Nathan Lukes RF | TOR

    Blue Jays' Nathan Lukes: Set to platoon in left field

    Lukes will likely be on the strong side of a platoon with Davis Schneider in left field to begin the season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

    With Anthony Santander (shoulder) potentially set to miss the entire season, the Blue Jays will turn to their collection of role players to fill the gap in the lineup. Lukes has more than held his own against right-handed pitching in the majors, slashing .266/.330/.421 with all 13 of his career homers over 488 plate appearances since 2023.

  • Addison Barger SS | TOR

    Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Set to be primary right fielder

    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.

  • Orioles' Gunnar Henderson: Away due to personal matter

    Henderson has left Orioles camp Thursday due to a personal matter, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

    Henderson is expected back Sunday, so the brief absence shouldn't greatly affect his preparation for the season. The young shortstop is looking to bounce back at the plate in 2026 after a nagging shoulder issue contributed to his home-run total dropping from 37 to 17 season over season.

  • Nathan Eovaldi SP | TEX

    Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Reports to camp in full health

    Eovaldi (hernia) reported to camp healthy and threw his first bullpen session Tuesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

    Eovaldi was shut down last season in August and eventually underwent surgery during the offseason to address a sports hernia issue. He said he'd been dealing with the hernia since 2024, but it never affected his pitching. Eovaldi had an impressive 1.73 ERA over 22 starts in 2025, his fourth consecutive season with fewer than 30 starts. The right-hander turns 36 this spring, and manager Skip Schumaker is planning a slow build-up for Eovaldi, similar to how the club handled Jacob deGrom in 2025.

  • Liam Hendriks RP | MIN

    Twins' Liam Hendriks: Finds work in Minnesota

    Hendriks (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Wednesday that includes an invitation to big-league spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

    Hip and elbow injuries limited Hendriks to just 14 regular-season appearances in 2025, during which he accumulated a 6.59 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 13.2 frames. An unstable bullpen situation in Minnesota may allow the 37-year-old righty to win a spot on the Twins' Opening Day roster, but he will first need to prove he can still be effective in the Grapefruit League.

  • Chris Bassitt SP | BAL

    Orioles' Chris Bassitt: Lands in Baltimore

    Bassitt signed a one-year, $18.5 million contract with the Orioles on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

    Bassitt finished the 2025 regular season with a 3.96 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 170.1 innings, and he'll now head to Baltimore to help bolster an Orioles rotation that finished the year with a 4.65 ERA (seventh worst in MLB). The 36-year-old righty has made at least 30 starts every year since 2022 and posted an 8.8 K/9 last season while ranking in the 85th percentile in average exit velocity allowed.

  • Bryce Rainer SS | DET

    Tigers' Bryce Rainer: Should be ready for start of season

    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.

  • Angels' Hunter Strickland: Looking healthy for camp

    Strickland (shoulder) tossed a bullpen session Wednesday during the Angels' first workout of spring training, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

    Strickland didn't make any appearances in the majors or minors after July 6 last season due to a right shoulder strain, but he looks to be fully healthy as spring training gets underway. The veteran right-hander is attending camp as a non-roster invitee and will need to perform well during the Cactus League to clinch a spot in the Angels' Opening Day bullpen. Strickland made 19 appearances for the Halos last season, notching one save and two holds while posting a 3.27 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 22 innings.

  • Zack Gelof 2B | ATH

    Athletics' Zack Gelof: Feels healthy for spring

    Gelof (shoulder) said Wednesday that he's "feeling healthy, feeling ready to go" and expects to be a full participant when he reports to spring training later this week, Jason Burke of SI.com reports.

    After posting 14 home runs and 14 steals in just 69 games as a rookie in 2023, Gelof looked to be a central figure in the Athletics' rebuilding effort, but injuries and an ability to make consistent contact against big-league pitching have left his future murky. He didn't make his 2025 big-league debut until early July while recovering from a fractured bone in his right wrist and a stress reaction in his ribs, then slashed just .174/.230/.272 with a 45.5 percent strikeout rate over 101 plate appearances between two stints with the Athletics before he was shut down in late September due to a dislocated left shoulder. He appears to be healthy again following surgery on the shoulder, but Gelof may need a strong showing at the plate during Cactus League play to make a compelling case for a spot on the Athletics' Opening Day roster.

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