MLB Player News

MLB.com reports Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano was unavailable Wednesday because of a tight back. The team is treating him as day to day.

Solano is batting .409 (18 for 44) with two doubles, seven runs and seven RBI in 15 spring games. He's expected to be the team's opening day second baseman, as CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reported Wednesday.

CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports the Marlins' opening day roster is beginning to take shape. Heyman said the defensive alignment will be Rob Brantly at catcher, Casey Kotchman at first base, Donovan Solano at second base, Adeiny Hechavarria at shortstop, Placido Polanco at third base, Juan Pierre in left field, Justin Ruggiano in center field and Giancarlo Stanton in right field.

The rotation isn't settled yet, but Ricky Nolasco, Henderson Alvarez and Nate Eovaldi have secured spots. The final two spots remain up for grabs.

The Diamondbacks are talking to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt about a long-term extension, according to FoxSports.com. The 25-year-old hit .286/.359/.490 in 587 plate appearances with the club last season. Goldschmidt is under team control through the 2017 season, so a long-term deal would buy out his arbitration years and give the team cost certainty going forward. 

Houston left fielder Chris Carter has been working in the batting cages and it showed on Sunday in a Grapefruit League game against Toronto, reports MLB.com. Carter has been working on getting his stride foot down early and it definitely worked. 

Carter, acquired from the A's in last month's trade of Jed Lowrie, went 2 for 3 with a pair of two-run home runs against the Blue Jays Sunday. He drove in five runs in total in the game in the 11-2 win. 

Carter, who's four homers is tied for the Astros team lead with Jason Castro and Brandon Laird, continues to work to improve his hitting. 

"It's still a work in progress ... but it all came together today," Carter said. He also played well in left field in the game. 

"I feel better out there reading the ball off the bat," Carter said. "I got a couple of good jumps today, and the hard work is paying off."

The Twins reassigned pitchers Deolis Guerra, who is dealing with an injury, and Shairon Martis to minor-league camp on Saturday.

Going to minor-league camp along with them are catcher Eric Fryer, infielders Chris Colabello and Mark Sobolewski and outfielders Brian Dinkelman and Clete Thomas.

Guerra is expected to have a shot at being included in Minnesota's bullpen once he's recovered from rib resection surgery.

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit his first home run in Cactus League play on Saturday night against the Giants. He launched a solo shot off starter Chris Heston in his first at-bat and finished 1 for 3 in the 4-3 win. Cabrera has gone 7 for 22 (.318) through nine spring games with six RBI. 

Reds first baseman Joey Votto had another productive day at the plate in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Brewers. He went 3 for 4 with a homer and three RBI in the 9-9 tie. Votto singled in his first at-bat then driving in two with a base hit in the second inning. He led off the seventh with a solo shot off Travis Webb.

Votto is batting .400 (10 for 25) through 12 spring games with two homers and eight RBI. He is also slugging .720.

The New York Mets continued trimming their roster Friday by sending infielder Wilmer Flores, first baseman Josh Satin and pitcher Carlos Torres to their minor-league camp. Flores, one of the team's top prospects, is the only player among the group on the 40-man roster. Flores, 21, spent most of the spring playing second base as he continued his transition from third base.

MLB.com reports Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has taken it upon himself to take some fly balls in the outfield this spring. The club has no plans of moving him out there and the 25-year-old is doing so just in case it comes up in the future. "I know it's probably a few years away," Goldschmidt said Sunday of the possibility of having to play outfield in a pinch. "But it would be nice to do a little bit now, and then when it's 2015 and an emergency comes up, I'm ready. I guess something could happen this year, but with the roster we have, I don't know. More so for next year or two years down the road in case they need something, it's not like I'm starting from scratch; I will at least have done something."

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano went 2-for-4 against the Yankees on Friday, upping his spring batting average to .526. He also has three RBI and five runs scored in seven games.