MLB Player News

Yorke remains in the mix for a roster spot to begin the regular season, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Yorke has gotten a lot of run this spring and collected seven hits across 30 Grapefruit League at-bats. He has only two extra-base hits with 10 strikeouts, but he has also drawn six walks. With Spencer Horwitz (wrist) likely to begin the regular season on the injured list, one of Yorke, Billy Cook or DJ Stewart is likely to break camp with the team and earn at least some playing time at first base.

Cook remains a candidate to win a roster spot to begin the regular season, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Spencer Horwitz's wrist injury has likely opened a roster spot and potential playing time at first base to begin the regular season, with Cook a potential beneficiary. He has only four hits across 25 Grapefruit League at-bats, but his 9:8 K:BB suggests he isn't as overwhelmed as his .160 average suggests. Cook is seemingly competing with Nick Yorke and DJ Stewart for one of the Pirates' final spots on the roster.

Stewart remains in the mix to win the Pirates' first base job to begin the regular season, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Stewart is in camp as a non-roster invitee and has remained in contention to fill in for the injured Spencer Horwitz (wrist) by collecting 10 hits across 33 Grapefruit League at-bats, including six extra-base knocks. However, Stewart has also struck out 12 times while walking only three times. Billy Cook and Nick Yorke appear to be the other primary candidates, both of whom are already on the 40-man roster.

Harrington allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out three across 3.2 innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Harrington has worked mostly on the back fields in camp, pitching live batting practice and sim innings, as Monday marked only his third outing of the spring. Per Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, the Pirates have been impressed with the data they've seen from Harrington in all of his work this spring, and he sat 93 mph on his fastball while averaging over 2,600 rpm on his slider against the Phillies. While Harrington is the last of the Pirates' big-name pitching prospects to remain in big-league camp, manager Derek Shelton would only say that Harrington's status would be decided within the next week.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that he expects Freeman (rib) to play in the upcoming Freeway Series against the Angels, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Freeman lobbied to play in the second game of the Tokyo Series, but the team decided it was best to take the cautious route, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports. Freeman was said to be feeling "much better than [Tuesday]," when he had to be scratched from the lineup for the season opener. Roberts wouldn't commit to Freeman playing in the exhibition series against the Angels, but it sounds like the team is cautiously optimistic the first baseman will be able to return to action and log at least a few reps ahead of the March 27 domestic opener against the Tigers.

Freeman (rib) is not in the lineup for the second game of the Tokyo Series against the Cubs on Wednesday.

A late scratch from the starting nine for the season opener, Freeman estimated his chances of playing in the series finale at 75 percent when speaking to the media after Tuesday's game. However, he will be held out of the lineup yet again. Freeman said the discomfort is in the same spot where he tore rib cartilage during the postseason last fall, and while he said the soreness is less severe this time, it's possible he will require addition testing once the Dodgers return home to Los Angeles.

Smith went 1-for-2 with an RBI and three walks in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Cubs in Tokyo, Japan.

Smith batted cleanup in the Dodgers' season opener due to both Mookie Betts (illness) and Freddie Freeman (rib) sitting out. The backstop came through with a single to score a run in the fifth frame and walked in three of his other four plate appearances. Smith has consistently demonstrated a good eye at the plate during his career, as he's registered a walk rate over nine percent and a strikeout rate below 20 percent each of the past three campaigns.

Romero is away from the Giants due to personal reasons, Maria Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Romero was a non-roster invitee to spring training, but he hasn't made an appearance since March 9. The 34-year-old southpaw hasn't pitched in the big leagues since the 2018 campaign, during which he posted a 12.60 ERA, 2.90 WHIP and 10 strikeouts across 10 innings with three different teams. Romero is competing for a spot in the bullpen, though he appears to be a long shot to make the Giants' Opening Day roster.

The Giants will likely turn to McCray if Jung Hoo Lee (back) begins the season on the injured list, Maria Guardado of MLB.com reports.

The club is expected to work Lee back into the lineup before Opening Day, but McCray could step into center field if Lee misses time in the regular season. McCray is hitting .275 with one home run, four RBI and a team-best four steals in 22 Cactus League games. The 24-year-old has been focusing on making consistent contact this spring after striking out in 56 of his 130 plate appearances last season. "I can't say I expected him to be in the big leagues last year, and then he had a stretch where he was really good," manager Bob Melvin said earlier this spring. "Hitting homers, playing great defense, making good throws. And then the strikeouts kind of accumulated a little bit. He knows. That's what he's working on this spring."

The Dodgers transferred Kershaw (toe/knee) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Kershaw was initially placed on the 15-day injured list prior to Game 1 of the Tokyo Series, which seemingly indicated that the veteran southpaw was ahead of schedule in his rehab from offseason surgeries on his left knee and left big toe. However, he has now moved to the 60-day IL, which opens up a roster spot for Matt Sauer and keeps Kershaw on his expected return timeline. The 36-year-old is now ineligible to return to Los Angeles until May 27, though he's hopeful to be fully healthy by then.