MLB Player News

Mack (neck) is starting at catcher and batting cleanup in Tuesday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Nationals.

Mack was unavailable for a bit due to neck stiffness, but he's been cleared to return to action. The 23-year-old is 3-for-18 with one home run and a 2:6 BB:K this spring and is projected to open the season at Triple-A Jacksonville.

Tovar worked on shedding weight and simplifying his swing this offseason, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Tovar was limited to 95 games in 2025, in part due to an oblique strain. He attributed that injury to overly complicated swing mechanics and playing at slightly above his preferred weight. Tovar shed seven pounds during the offseason and simplified his swing in an effort to bounce back in 2026. He's gone 3-for-14 this spring, but has struck out only twice, and he is also representing Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.

France appears to have a path to make the Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Sung-Mun Song's oblique injury has seemingly opened up an opportunity for France, who has been seeing the ball well so far this spring. The 31-year-old is 10-for-27 (.370) at the dish with five RBI and two runs scored following Monday's exhibition against the Rangers. France is in consideration for a utility role of sorts, as he logged time at second base earlier in his career and could provide a solid bat off the bench, which as Cassavell notes, could be of interest to skipper Craig Stammen. However, this will all depend on whether Song is forced to begin the 2026 regular season on the injured list.

Kim suffered a left hand injury Sunday while with Team Korea at the World Baseball Classic and didn't play in Monday's 7-2 win over Team Australia, Matthew Moreno of SI.com reports.

Kim's injury happened while he was stealing a base against Team Chinese Taipei on Sunday. He sported a thin wrap around his left hand Monday while sitting out Korea's victory against Australia, per Dodgers Nation, but to this point there's been no word on the exact nature or severity of the injury. This may just end up being a minor issue, and Kim is still at least several days away from returning to the Dodgers as Korea has already advanced to the quarterfinals of the WBC, but if the injury lingers, it could impact Kim's bid to open the regular season as Los Angeles' starter at second base while Tommy Edman continues his recovery from ankle surgery.

Song (oblique) has yet to resume swinging a bat and hasn't been cleared to participate in fielding drills, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The Padres have made it clear that they intend to slow play Song's recovery in an effort to ensure the issue doesn't pop up again later this season. "We've got to play that injury really cautious," stated manager Craig Stammen. "Because he had it, came back, got it again. It's just one of those things -- we can't have that happen the whole year. We've got to nip it in the bud right now." Cassavell points out that Opening Day is only two weeks away, and the fact that Song has only received treatment since aggravating the oblique injury is cause for concern.

Hoeing (elbow) expects to decide whether he'll undergo surgery "relatively quickly", Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Hoeing was shut down from throwing at the beginning of March after experiencing discomfort in his right elbow during a live bullpen session, and it's now being reported that surgery is on the table. The Padres expect the right-hander to make a decision in the near future, and he's also working to rehab the injury in the event he chooses to go a non-surgical route.

Matsui (groin) was recently cleared to resume throwing off a mound, and he participated in defensive drills Monday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Matsui's availability for Opening Day remains a big question mark, but the fact that he's slowly beginning to ramp back up is a positive sign. He'll presumably need to complete at leasts a few additional side sessions before San Diego considers deploying him in a Cactus League game.

Adam (quadriceps) will throw one additional simulated game within the next few days with the goal of pitching in an exhibition over the weekend, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Acee notes that Adam remains on his original timeline after undergoing left quadriceps tendon repair surgery in September. Assuming he's cleared to pitch in a Cactus League game at some point during the weekend, he would then have an opportunity to appear in three or four more games before the 2026 season gets underway. "I felt great," said Adam after taking part in fielding practice Sunday. "It's more the reactive. Like, anytime it's planned, they feel good about it. But the quick reaction, in-game reaction that you can't predict, that's where they're just being more cautious. But we're getting close."

Acosta cleared waivers Monday and has been sent outright to Triple-A El Paso.

Acosta was brought in on a one-year deal back in December, but he's in line to begin the 2026 campaign as bullpen depth in the minor leagues. He struggled a bit at Triple-A Rochester a season ago, accruing a 4.71 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 21.0 innings.

Carlson is having a solid spring with a 1.071 OPS across 20 Cactus League at-bats, and he stands a decent chance at earning an Opening Day bench spot with the Cubs, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The Cubs signed Carlson to a minor-league contract in January, and the veteran outfielder is making the most out of the opportunity. The loss of Tyler Austin (knee) for at least a few months gives Chicago at least one extra bench spot to fill, with Carlson and fellow veteran outfielder Michael Conforto both making pushes to be on the Opening Day roster. Carlson didn't do much offensively last year in Baltimore, as he slashed just .203/.278/.336 across 83 games, so his fantasy value remains limited, particularly in a reserve role. However, he could have greater appeal if he's forced into more regular playing time at some point.