MLB Player News

Cron, who went 1-for-3 in Thursday's 5-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Orioles, is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs over his first four spring training games.

The offseason acquisition has gotten plenty of reps to open the exhibition slate, logging a trio of plate appearances in each contest while Brad Miller (toe) remains sidelined. Cron is reportedly set for a full-time role in the coming season, which would afford him ample opportunity to bounce back from a career-low .248 average and .437 slugging percentage in 2017. Despite the downturn in those numbers, Cron clawed his way to 16 homers for the third straight campaign, and putting a significant dent in his career-high 25.9 percent strikeout rate from last season would go a long way to propping his metrics back up.

Gurriel's surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand was successful and the procedure typically requires a 5-to-6 week recovery time, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic Houston reports.

If this timetable holds, Gurriel will open the season on the 10-day disabled list and will be ready for game action in mid-April. However, he'll also need to serve a five-game suspension once he's medically cleared, so a late-April return seems like a prudent estimation. The injury was pre-existing, according to general manager Jeff Luhnow, but it was non-symptomatic until earlier this week. Marwin Gonzalez is capable of playing first base, as are Tyler White, A.J. Reed and J.D. Davis, though it sounds like Gurriel won't miss enough time for any of those players to see their stock boosted significantly.

Gurriel will have surgery Thursday to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand and is without a timetable to return, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel was scratched earlier in the week with discomfort, and now it turns out he will miss significant time due to this procedure. It seems inevitable that he opens the year on the 10-day disabled list. Even after trading away Colin Moran, the Astros have a lot of corner-infield depth. In addition to Marwin Gonzalez, who is a lock to make the 25-man roster, Tyler White, A.J. Reed and J.D. Davis are all big-league ready and can all handle first base, so at least one of them figures to break camp in the majors while Gurriel recovers. He will still need to serve a five-game suspension for offensive actions during the postseason, so he will not be able to return to game action immediately after getting activated from the disabled list.

Gurriel (suspension) is returning to Houston on Tuesday to have his left hand examined, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel was initially scratched from Monday's game against the Marlins with what was described as left wrist discomfort. It now appears to be a hand injury and may be more serious than originally reported. The veteran first baseman will already be missing the first five games of the regular season for making a racially inappropriate gesture towards Yu Darvish during the World Series. If he's forced to miss more time, Tyler White or A.J. Reed could earn an expanded role with the big-league club in April.

Stassi is day-to-day with back spasms, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Stassi was expected to play in Monday's game against the Cardinals before the issue cropped up. While the ailment shouldn't keep him sidelined for too long, the Twins will likely play it safe with the 28-year-old given how early it is in camp. Stassi is expected to open the season with Triple-A Rochester, though he could earn a promotion to the majors in summer if he impresses with the Red Wings.

Gurriel (suspension) was scratched from Monday's game against the Marlins due to left wrist discomfort, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic Houston reports.

The severity of the injury is unclear, but the Astros won't take any chances with the 33-year-old given how early it is in camp. More should be known about the ailment once he's further evaluated in the coming days; look for Tyler White and A.J. Reed to get some extra reps at first base if he's forced to miss any action.

Cron is likely to be a full-time starter for the Rays, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

After being acquired by Tampa Bay, it was thought that Cron might be set for a role as the short side of a platoon with the left-handed Brad Miller, but manager Kevin Cash says he wants to give Cron a full-time role. Even with full-time at-bats, it's fair to wonder what his ceiling looks like, as he owns a career .262/.307/.449 slash line and has hit just 24 home runs per 600 plate appearances, a very modest home-run rate for a first baseman at the present time. At the very least, however, the appeal in targeting him deeper formats has increased with the prospect of better counting stats, and the Rays' lack of middle-of-the-order pop potentially leaving him in the heart of the lineup on a regular basis.

Diaz (groin) is currently without restriction following the right groin strain suffered in November, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Diaz sustained the injury playing in the Venezuelan Winter League for Leones del Caracas, but has since undergone successful rehab in time for spring training. The 25-year-old slashed .263/.352/.327 in 179 plate appearances for the Indians in last season, with most of his at-bats coming as a third baseman. Diaz is likely to serve a similar role for Cleveland in 2018, and his potential role should become clearer with spring training now underway.

Olson (hamstring) will be in the lineup for Friday's Cactus League contest against the Angels, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Olson was sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain toward the end of the 2017 season, but appears to be at full health as spring camp gets underway. The first baseman slashed .259/.352/.651 with 24 home runs and 45 RBI in 59 games last year and will settle into a middle-of-the-order role with the club in 2018.

Gurriel will be played at various spots around the infield this season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel played almost exclusively as a first baseman last season, but Astros manager A.J. Hinch wants to use him occasionally at second base, third base and shortstop in 2018. He was primarily a third baseman and second baseman in Cuba and Japan before coming to the United States, so the positions wouldn't be foreign to him, though moving back up the defensive spectrum at age 33 would be an unusual move. If he does receive enough time at one of those positions to gain eligibility it would be a boost to his fantasy value, as his bat isn't particularly noteworthy for a first baseman.