MLB Player News

Hoskins (shoulder) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

The Phillies continue to term Hoskins' shoulder soreness as mild, but the team would surely like to see the star slugger return to game action prior to Opening Day to feel more confident about his status. After Saturday, the Phillies will have only two more spring contests on the docket before the March 28 season opener versus the Braves, so Hoskins is running short on time to prove his health. Sean Rodriguez is drawing the start at first base Saturday, but Maikel Franco would be the top candidate to fill in at the position if Hoskins' absence should extend into the regular season.

Olson's surgery Friday was to repair a broken hamate bone, Andrew Simon of MLB.com reports. While there's no official timetable for his return, typically those injuries require 6-to-8 weeks off before the player can resume normal activity.

Often hitters struggle to hit for power even after returning from these procedures, and in many other instances, there are setbacks in the recovery process. With such a long period of inactivity, Olson almost certainly is going to need a lengthy recovery period and subsequent rehab assignment.

Gurriel went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk in Friday's game against the Mets.

The homer was Gurriel's first of what has been a stellar spring. He started out hot and hasn't let up, posting a .371 average and 1.036 OPS over 35 at-bats. Manager AJ Hinch plans to move him around the infield, much as did last season, so Gurriel may bring position versatility to fantasy lineups. His bat doesn't profile as powerful as a traditional corner infielder, but he'll be helpful for roster construction if he's qualified at middle infield (15 starts at 2B in 2018).

Olson underwent successful surgery on his right hand Friday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Olson injured his hand during the team's opening series against the Mariners. The A's have yet to provide a timetable for his return, though he figures to begin the season on the IL, with Mark Canha and Chad Pinder handling first-base duties while Olson is out.

Alonso will be on the Mets' Opening Day roster, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The Mets have said they'll open the season with their best 25 players, and Alonso clearly fits in as part of that group. The old regime kept him in the minors late in the year for service-time reasons, but new general manager Brodie Van Wagenen apparently has other plans. Alonso has the potential to be a weapon this season after hitting a combined .285/.395/.579 with 36 homers in 132 games across the two highest levels of the minors last year.

Hoskins (shoulder) remains out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Hoskins has been out for a few days with mild shoulder soreness. It was initially reported that he could return Friday, but he'll wind up missing at least one more game. Maikel Franco will fill in for him at first base and would likely shift from third to first on a regular basis should Hoskins miss an extended period at any point this season.

McBride will head to minor-league camp Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

McBride doesn't appear to be particularly close to returning to the big leagues, as the 33-year-old has a 28 wRC+ in 92 career games. He'll likely spend the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, his hometown team.

Goldschmidt and the Cardinals are expected to agree on a contract extension Thursday worth approximately $130 million over five years, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals traded for Goldschmidt over the offseason with just one year remaining on his deal, presumably with the intention of convincing him to stick around long term. The deal closes off the possibility of the first baseman leaving for a more hitter-friendly home park in the offseason, but it will keep him in an organization that should be able to put a quality lineup around him for the next several years.

Dixon was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Thursday.

Dixon was a long shot to break camp with the Tigers, and his .171/.286/.371 line in camp didn't do much to help his case. He'll wait for an injury to open up a roster spot.

Olson left Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Mariners in the sixth inning with right hand pain, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports. He went 1-for-2 with a run scored before departing.

The Athletics aren't likely to provide an update on the severity of Olson's injury until he's re-evaluated in California when the team arrives back from Japan. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Olson experienced the pain in his hand after fouling off a pitch and had difficulty gripping the bat, which suggests his injury may be more than a day-to-day concern. If Olson is forced to miss time, Mark Canha or Chad Pinder could be in line for more action at first base.