MLB Player News

Naylor (lower leg) could be in the lineup for Cleveland's Cactus League game against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Naylor is working his way back from a serious leg injury that cost him around half of the 2021 season. He's recently participated in minor-league spring games but is looking to re-join the big-league club in short order. Both Naylor and the team have spoken positively about his recovery, though it's unclear when he might be available to take the field for his first regular-season game.

White was diagnosed with a sports hernia Saturday and will undergo surgery in the near future, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

White tweaked his hip in Thursday's Cactus League game, and an MRI the following day revealed the specific issue. Though the team has not announced an official timeline for his return to the field, White will likely miss at least the first two months of the season. White was not projected to be an everyday starter for the club, but his absence should solidify Ty France as the starting first baseman in Seattle.

Torkelson is batting eighth and playing first base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies, and manager A.J. Hinch said it could be a preview of his Opening Day lineup, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Hinch said more needs to be decided in spring training, but Torkelson seems to be positioned to serve as Detroit's regular first baseman as soon as the season begins. This is obviously good news for fantasy managers, as the 22-year-old is an exciting prospect and should be able to post solid numbers in his debut campaign, though some growing pains are always likely for a rookie.

Clemens was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday.

Clemens made seven Grapefruit League appearances this year and went 3-for-12 with a homer, two runs, two RBI, a walk and two strikeouts. He'll begin the regular season in Toledo, where he slashed .247/.312/.466 with 18 homers, 66 runs, 59 RBI and four stolen bases across 97 appearances in 2021.

Steer was reassigned to minor-league spring training Saturday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Steer appeared in four Grapefruit League games to begin the year and went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. The 24-year-old hit .241 with 14 homers, 45 runs, 42 RBI and four stolen bases across 65 games at Double-A Wichita last year, and he'll likely begin 2022 in Wichita or at Triple-A St. Paul.

White will undergo an MRI on his hip Friday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

White tweaked his surgically repaired hip during Thursday's Cactus League game against Cleveland, and his MRI should provide a better idea of the severity. If he's forced to miss any time to begin the season, Luis Torrens and Abraham Toro would likely serve as the primary backups at first base behind starter Ty France.

White tweaked his hip in Thursday's Cactus League matchup against the Guardians, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

White said he hurt his hip early in Thursday's matchup, and the issue bothered him more as the game progressed. The 25-year-old missed most of the 2021 campaign with a hip injury, so the Mariners will likely exercise caution before getting White back onto the field. However, the severity of the issue hasn't yet been revealed.

White was removed from Thursday's Cactus League game against the Guardians with an apparent injury, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

White appeared to be hobbled while running the bases in the top of the seventh inning, and he exited the game shortly after. The nature and severity of the injury aren't yet clear.

Naylor (lower leg) is scheduled to play in a minor-league game Thursday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Thursday's contest will mark Naylor's first game action since June 27, when he suffered a broken right leg in an on-field collision with teammate Ernie Clement. As Bell notes, Naylor has been cleared to play the outfield, but the Guardians are expected to ease him in as a designated hitter for his first game back before gradually allowing him to play defense. Naylor doesn't look like he'll be ready to go for Opening Day, though he shouldn't be in store for an extended stay on the injured list to begin the season.

White made his Cactus League debut Tuesday against the Cubs after completing his recovery from season-ending hip flexor surgery, going 0-for-3 while starting at first base, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

While White's two groundouts and a flyout won't exactly send fantasy managers' pulses racing, it was encouraging for the 25-year-old to simply get back into game action for the first time since May 13. White won a Gold Glove award in 2020 at first base, but given Ty France's emergence there last season, the Mariners are experimenting with the former in the outfield, primarily in left, this spring. Defensive versatility may be critical for White, as he's yet to prove he can hit consistently at the big-league level (career .165/.235/.308 slash line) and manager Scott Servais will clearly prioritize keeping France's bat in the lineup. "We all know what Evan can do defensively -- I put him up against anybody in the league," Servais said. "But in our game, the bat is huge. He continues to work with our hitting guys, and he's going to continue to need to make some adjustments offensively with his swing to get the consistency that he's looking for."