MLB Player News

The Mariners reassigned Emerson to minor-league camp Saturday.

Emerson entered spring as a contender to start at second base for the Mariners to begin the season, but fellow youngster Cole Young ended up running away with that role. Still, Emerson has held his own in Cactus League play, posting a .268/.340/.488 slash line with two home runs, eight RBI, nine runs and a stolen base through 18 contests. Emerson remains likely to make his MLB debut at some point during the upcoming campaign.

San Francisco signed Borucki to a one-year contract Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Borucki spent time in White Sox camp this spring but was released Friday. He looked good in Grapefruit League action, however, pitching six scoreless innings with an 8:1 K:BB over six appearances, and the Giants were quick to snap him up. Borucki gives San Francisco another lefty in the bullpen and has plenty of experience with 187 career MLB appearances under his belt.

The Cubs plan to add Conforto to their Opening Day roster, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

With Seiya Suzuki (knee) set to miss the start of the regular season, Conforto now figures to be the favorite to start in right field on Opening Day. His path to playing time will be much less clear once Suzuki returns, however, as Conforto will likely move into a reserve role while making an occasional appearance as a DH. Since he signed with the Cubs in late February, the 33-year-old has slashed .241/.290/.345 with one RBI and two runs scored through 29 plate appearances in the Cactus League.

Manager Craig Counsell said Saturday that Suzuki (knee) will not be ready in time for Opening Day, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Counsell added that the team still hasn't decided whether to place Suzuki on the injured list, but the Cubs may play it safe and give the slugging outfielder all the time he needs to ensure he's fully healthy when he makes his season debut. Either way, Suzuki sitting down means that Michael Conforto will likely open the season as Chicago's starting right fielder, as the latter is expected to be included on the Opening Day roster.

The Mariners optioned Thomas to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.

Thomas did everything he could to claim a spot on Seattle's Opening Day roster, slashing .486/.535/.784 with two home runs, eight RBI and six runs scored over 43 plate appearances, but he will instead head back to Tacoma to begin 2026. The 25-year-old outfielder has batted .327 and stolen 45 bases across 181 Triple-A games since joining the Mariners organization in 2024, but Seattle's crowded outfield corps will likely make it hard for him to find playing time in the majors.

Moore (foot) signed a major-league contract with the Phillies on Saturday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Moore triggered an opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with the Phillies on Thursday, which gave the club 48 hours to add him to their 40-man roster before he entered free agency. Now that the two sides have agreed to a major-league deal, Moore will remain in the organization and is expected to be part of Philadelphia's Opening Day bench. The 33-year-old utility man has posted a .566 OPS with six RBI, four runs scored and two steals through 38 plate appearances in spring training.

The Reds optioned Maxwell to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Maxwell struggled to limit traffic on the basepaths during spring training, posting a 5.40 ERA and 2.04 WHIP over 8.1 innings, though he managed to collect 13 strikeouts in that span. If the 25-year-old can right the ship at Louisville, the Reds may consider recalling him to join the big-league bullpen as a depth piece.

The Reds optioned Hinds to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Hinds will head back to the minors to begin the new season despite swinging a scorching bat this spring (1.388 OPS). The 25-year-old was a major offensive threat in the minors last season too, as he slashed .302/.359/.563 with 24 homers, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored and 21 steals across 435 plate appearances. If his impressive offensive performance continues into the start of the 2026 Triple-A season, he could earn a spot on the big-league roster relatively soon.

The Reds optioned Bleday to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Bleday made a great case to be included on the Opening Day squad by slashing .317/.364/.683 with four homers, 11 RBI and eight runs scored over 44 plate appearances in the Cactus League. However, he will come up short and instead begin his first season with the Reds in Triple-A, where he posted a .980 OPS over 132 plate appearances in 2025.

Akin suffered an adductor injury while warming up in the bullpen during Baltimore's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies on Saturday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Manager Craig Albernaz said after the game that he doesn't know how severe Akin's injury is, but the skipper kept him out of the game as a precaution. More information on the 30-year-old's status for Opening Day should be available in the next couple days.