MLB Player News

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he expects Ryan Howard to be the team's starting first baseman in 2015, per The News Journal.

"I'll tell you one thing, he can get on the field and work at first base with Larry Bowa and he can get his running as good as it can be and he can work with Charlie Manuel and Steve Henderson and all of the hitting guys we have in camp to see where he can really get his stroke," Sandberg said. "If he can help us win games by being a bat like he has been in the past that would help us out."

In mid-January, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Howard will have to earn the starting job in spring training, but also hinted Howard is the favorite to start at first base.

"I think that if Ryan's with us, and he's likely to be with us in spring training, I think Ryan's got to prove to us that he's ready to play every day at first base for us," Amaro said. "I mean I'm kind of looking forward to him being ready and healthy and contributing. Right now, there's nobody really that can unseat him."

The Blue Jays announced Wednesday first baseman/outfielder Chris Colabello cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo. He will report to spring training as a non-roster invitee.

Colabello was designated for assignment Feb. 4.

White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche will make sure Jose Abreu stays fresh this season, according to MLB Network.

General manager Rick Hahn said Abreu "ran out of gas" down the stretch last season. It was Abreu's first year in the majors, and he wore down a bit as he played the most games of his career during a single season. Abreu's power numbers did drop in the second half, but he was able to hit .350 in the second half.

LaRoche will spell Abreu at first a few times a week, allowing Abreu to spend some more time at designated hitter. The 35-year-old LaRoche hit .259/.362/.455 over 494 at-bats last year.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he is leaning toward batting Jonny Gomes or Chris Johnson cleanup against left-handed starters, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He might even move Freddie Freeman to fourth against right-handed starters, but Gonzalez is not sure yet if that will happen.

Justin Upton, who was traded to San Diego in the offseason, started a team-high 120 games as the Braves' cleanup hitter in 2014. Johnson made 17 starts in the cleanup spot last season.

As a team, the Braves hit .255 with a .444 slugging percentage, .763 OPS, 25 home runs, 37 doubles and a team-best 102 RBI out of the fourth spot in the lineup last season.

The Blue Jays have designated infielder Chris Colabello for assignment, clearing a 40-man roster spot for pitcher Jason Aquino, who was acquired in a trade Wednesday.

Colabello was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays in early December. He hit .229/.282/.380 with six home runs sand 39 RBI in 205 at-bats with the Twins while dealing with a thumb injury for much of the season.

With Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton doubtful for the start of the season due to shoulder surgery, his absence could open the door for more playing time in the outfield for Matt Joyce and Collin Cowgill. It could also mean more at-bats for C.J. Cron at DH, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“We don't envision this being a long-term issue, but 6-8 weeks is not a short-term thing,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said of Hamilton's injury. “We'll have a better idea when he gets back on the field doing baseball things.”

As the start of spring training nears, it appears the Mets are no longer looking to make an upgrade at shortstop and will give Wilmer Flores the chance to win the starting job. 

The Mets stopped using Flores as a shortstop in the minors in 2011 before moving him back to the position last season because of a need at the position. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson seems confident Flores could be a better shortstop this time around.

"In looking at Cal Ripken's career, you know he didn't play shortstop until he got to the major leagues," Alderson said, per ESPN. "There's been a lot of conversation about Wilmer Flores and whether he can play the position. Cal Ripken didn't play shortstop professionally until he got to Baltimore. He had been a shortstop when he was signed as a high school player, was moved off of shortstop almost immediately to third base, came up to Baltimore having played the vast majority of his games at third base, and it was [manager Earl] Weaver that moved him to shortstop, I think, a few months into his major-league career. 

"So shortstops are often questioned as to their ability to play the position -- and even the greats like Cal Ripken, who's not a prototypical shortstop of, say, the Mark Belanger variety, whom he replaced in Baltimore. It happens with a lot of players, so maybe that's a good sign for somebody like Wilmer Flores."

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu might see a dip in playing time at first with the addition of Adam LaRoche, but he is preparing to be ready all season long.

"I'm excited about the depth we have right now," Abreu said. "That is something good and will put us in the position to compete and I'm very excited about that. 

"I've been working the same way on my defense. It doesn't matter if I'm playing more or less games because that is part of my game. I have to be a complete player and I can't work less and still be that. I have the same mentality, it doesn't matter who will be on the team. I just prepare myself to be successful and 100 percent on the field."

Abreu hit .317 in 2014 with 36 home runs and 107 RBI. He was also unanimously voted the AL Rookie of the Year.

Reds manager Bryan Price delivered another positive update Thursday on the status of first baseman Joey Votto, who missed 100 games last season with a distal strain of his left quadriceps.

Votto has been monitored by Reds strength and conditioning coach Sean Marohn during the offseason.

“The last report when Sean was up in Toronto earlier this month was very, very good,” Price said. “The strength was outstanding, the stamina was good and the agility. Right now, we’re looking to hit the ground running when Joey gets to Goodyear and being able to see with our own eyes where he’s at. I’m confident that he’s going to be ready to go.”

Votto, who is a career .310 hitter, batted just .255 with six home runs, 16 doubles and 23 RBI in 62 games in 2014.

With the signing of Colby Rasmus, the Astros have an even more crowded outfield, but it also means Houston won't have to lean on Evan Gattis to play primarly in left field.

In fact, Astros general manager Jeff Lunhow expects Gattis to occasionally play in left field, but to primarily play at first base and DH. Although, that doesn't bode well for playing time for Jon Singleton and Chris Carter.

“We don’t know what Gattis is going to look like in left field,” Luhnow said, per the Houston Chronicle. “If he’s good out there or adequate, I’m sure he’ll get some at-bats out there. Is he going to be our everyday left fielder? I can’t imagine that happening with the guys that we have, but we want to have that bat in the lineup.

“Guys that have options are going to have to prove to us that they belong in the big leagues. I don’t think it’s just Singleton. Like I said, we’ve got multiple options at every position on the diamond now. So, you know, players may not be playing their preferred position -- that puzzle will come together in spring training. We’re only guessing to try to figure it out right now.”