MLB Player News

Cronenworth will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Monday's Cactus League game against the Athletics.

With the Padres set to move their primary leadoff hitter from 2025, Fernando Tatis, into the middle of the order during the upcoming season, first-year manager Craig Stammen is looking to settle on a new table setter before Opening Day. Xander Bogaerts has thus far been the Padres' most frequent leadoff man through the first 10 Cactus League games, but with Bogaerts away until at least March 12 while he plays in the World Baseball Classic, other players will get looks atop the San Diego lineup. Cronenworth will get his first look in the leadoff role Monday, though he's still expected to represent more of a fallback option to Bogaerts at that spot once the season gets underway. When the Padres have all their key position players available, Cronenworth is likely to slot somewhere in the bottom half of the lineup.

Waldron (lower body) is slated to throw off the mound this week, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Waldron underwent hemorrhoid surgery last week and is expected to begin the season on the injured list. The knuckleballer hopes to make at least one Cactus League appearance before camp breaks. Waldron is out of minor-league options, so once he's healthy he'll need to either go on the active roster or be exposed to waivers.

Bogaerts has made the most starts out of the leadoff spot through the Padres' first 10 Cactus League games and would appear to be the leading candidate to open the season atop the batting order, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Fernando Tatis (150) and Luis Arraez (11) made all but one start out of the leadoff spot for the Padres during the 2025 regular season, but San Diego will be breaking in a new table setter in 2026 with Arraez now in San Francisco and with first-year manager Craig Stammen planning to move Tatis down to the third or fourth spot. Bogaerts primarily slotted somewhere between fourth and sixth in the lineup last season, but as a high-contact hitter with good speed on the bases, he should make for a logical choice to lead off. However, with Bogaerts away from the team until at least March 12 while he participates in the World Baseball Classic, Stammen will experiment with other options atop the order during Cactus League play. Jake Cronenworth will bat leadoff in Monday's game against the Athletics and could represent the top fallback option to Bogaerts once the season gets underway.

Tatis is expected to bat either third or fourth for the Padres this season, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Tatis spent the overwhelming majority of his time last year batting leadoff, but new manager Craig Stammen prefers to have the 27-year-old in the middle of the batting order. It will result in fewer plate appearances for Tatis but will boost his RBI opportunities. Xander Bogaerts is the favorite to move up to the leadoff spot for San Diego.

The Royals optioned Cerantola to Triple-A Omaha on Monday.

Cerantola was roughed up for four runs with a 0:3 K:BB over 2.1 innings in his three Cactus League outings. The 25-year-old was added to the Royals' 40-man roster last offseason but has yet to make his major-league debut. Cerantola spent all of the 2025 campaign at Omaha, holding a 4.04 ERA and 63:24 K:BB across 49 frames.

Webb picked up the win in Sunday's 9-1 Cactus League victory over the Padres, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out three batters and hitting one in three innings.

Webb picked up his second win in as many spring starts, throwing 27 of his 38 pitches for strikes. He hit the first batter he faced, who later scored on an RBI single, though the right-hander powered through his final two innings and gave up just one more single. Webb will now join Team USA ahead of the World Baseball Classic. According to Maria Guardado of MLB.com, the 29-year-old tossed 15 extra pitches in the bullpen after exiting Sunday's game and expects to be available to throw 60-65 pitches in his first start for Team USA.

Young went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Rangers.

It had been a tough start to the spring for Young, who'd gone 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in his first four contests before launching a 442-foot homer off lefty Jacob Latz in the first inning Sunday. The 22-year-old Young continues to battle with top prospect Colt Emerson for the the final starting infield job. Young opened camp as the favorite, though his slow start may have closed the gap. Young appeared in 77 regular-season games as a rookie last year, batting .211 with a .607 OPS, four homers and one stolen base across 257 plate appearances.

De Vries (illness) will start at shortstop and bat seventh in Monday's Cactus League game against the Padres.

De Vries battled dehydration and stomach issues during Saturday's game against the Giants, but he needed just one day to recover before rejoining the Athletics' spring lineup. One of the top infield prospects in all of baseball, De Vries has held his own thus far in the spring, going 3-for-10 with a 1:2 BB:K and one stolen base over five games. He's likely to open the upcoming season at either Double-A Midland or Triple-A Sacramento but could earn his first big-league call-up at some point in the second half of 2026.

Sloan pitched a scoreless inning in his Cactus League debut against the Rangers on Sunday, striking out one in a perfect frame.

Sloan lived up to the hype in his spring debut -- the righty needed just 12 pitches to set down Texas in order while touching 99 mph with his fastball. The 20-year-old Sloan posted a 3.73 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and an impressive 90:15 K:BB across 21 starts (82 innings) last year between Single-A and High-A, his first season as a professional. Sloan will look to establish himself as one of the game's premier pitching prospects in 2026.

Freeland (back) will start Wednesday's exhibition game against Team USA, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

It will be the first game appearance this spring for Freeland, who has been slow-played while dealing with back spasms. The veteran lefty was cleared to start Wednesday following a couple bullpen sessions and he should have time to build up his stamina for Opening Day.