MLB Player News

Alonso went 1-for-4 with a walk and a three-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

He crushed a pitch from Miguel Castro over the left-field fence in the sixth inning. It was Alonso's first long ball this spring, but he also has four doubles among his nine hits while batting .220 (9-for-41) with a 7:8 BB:K. The slugging first baseman appears to be getting his timing down just in time for Opening Day.

Pasquantino went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's spring training loss to the Giants. He's hitting .238 (10-for-42) with two home runs this spring.

Pasquantino is locked in as Kansas City's starting first baseman and No. 3 batter, and it isn't worth looking too closely at his spring numbers. More important than the spring production, the 27-year-old is healthy this spring after suffering a broken thumb that limited him late last season.

The Cardinals released Redmond on Wednesday.

Redmond will enter the open market after spending six years in the Cardinals organization. The 28-year-old reached Triple-A for the first time last season, where he slashed .200/.297/.354 across 74 plate appearances. He may have a shot at signing with another club as minor-league depth, but his chances of reaching the big leagues are slim.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that the team hopes to have Goldschmidt (back) back in the lineup Friday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Goldschmidt will participate in baseball activities Thursday, and if he manages to get through everything without a problem, he'll return to the starting nine Friday against the Tigers. The veteran first baseman has been great in the Grapefruit League this spring, going 10-for-32 with three homers, 10 RBI and seven runs scored in 13 games.

Contreras reached base in all three of his plate appearances Wednesday versus the Nationals and is now slashing .412/.512/.588 during Grapefruit League play.

Contreras has drawn positive reviews for his defense at first base, and if this spring is any indication, a move off catcher could unlock more offense for the 32-year-old. He's expected to see most of his action at first base in 2025 but will also be used some at designated hitter, as he was Wednesday.

Wade is expected to begin the regular season batting leadoff against right-handed pitchers, Maria Guardado of MLB.com reports.

While Wade doesn't possess the speed of a prototypical leadoff batter, his ability to draw walks has made him a top candidate for the role. The 31-year-old's .219 batting average during spring training is unimpressive, though he has drawn 10 walks, resulting in a .422 on-base percentage. "He's got that kind of eye," manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday. "It's really unique in the game. We're seeing it again this spring. We feel pretty good about him in the leadoff spot." Wade has primarily been utilized at first base but made five starts in the outfield last season. If he bats leadoff against right-handed pitchers, Jung Hoo Lee will likely slide into the three-hole.

The Diamondbacks reassigned Mancini to minor-league camp Wednesday.

The 33-year-old posted an impressive 1.121 OPS in 27 plate appearances in Cactus League play, but with Arizona already having Josh Naylor, Pavin Smith and Randal Grichuk (ankle) as options at first base or designated hitter, Mancini couldn't crack the Opening Day roster. Unless his minor-league contract contains an opt-out clause that enables him to pursue opportunities elsewhere, Mancini will likely begin the season at Triple-A Reno.

Chaparro (oblique) is slated to begin the season on the injured list, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

An MRI last week on Chaparro's left oblique confirmed a strain, which will knock the infielder out of commission for a few weeks. Chaparro had been competing for the final spot on the Nationals' bench.

The Rockies reassigned Hiura to minor-league camp Wednesday.

Though he's just 28 years old and has three double-digit home-run seasons on his resume at the MLB level, Hiura's high strikeout rates and lack of defensive flexibility have made it difficult for him to stick in the big leagues over the past two seasons. He spent the majority of the 2024 campaign at the Triple-A level and settled for a minor-league deal with the Rockies this winter upon reaching free agency. Hiura hit just .167 and struck out in nine of his 18 at-bats in Cactus League play, so his dismissal from big-league camp comes as little surprise. He's expected to open the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Casas will be the everyday first baseman, including against left-handers, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. "He will play. He's going to play against lefties and righties," Cora said. "We're not going to platoon at first base."

This appears to be the next step in the evolution for Casas, who sometimes sat against particularly tough lefties over his first two seasons. Casas was in the starting lineup the last two times Boston faced an ace left-hander this spring -- last Saturday against Chris Sale and Tuesday versus Max Fried. Casas had two hits off Sale, including a monster opposite-field home run, before Fried struck him out twice. The 25-year-old first baseman is batting .167 (12-for-30) with two home runs, four RBI, six walks and 13 strikeouts through 12 Cactus League games.