MLB Player News

The White Sox optioned Sosa to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday.

Sosa entered camp seemingly with a shot at winning one of the middle-infield spots for the White Sox, but he's being sent out even after going 4-for-13 with one home run in seven Cactus League contests. The White Sox look set to open the season with Paul DeJong and Nicky Lopez as their primary options up the middle.

Espinal went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

The 29-year-old infielder is batting only .200 (4-for-20) this spring, but that masks a strong performance at the plate that also includes a 5:2 BB:K. Unfortunately for Espinal, one of his main competitors for a utility spot, Ernie Clement, has been on fire in camp, going 10-for-25 with two homers and zero strikeouts. Given the defensive flexibility already provided by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Cavan Biggio and Davis Schneider, there probably isn't room for two more bench infielders on the 26-man roster, so Espinal will likely have to begin his season at Triple-A Buffalo and wait for injuries to open up a spot for him in the majors.

The Twins optioned Severino to Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.

Severino nabbed a 40-man roster spot this winter but will head back to St. Paul for more seasoning. The 24-year-old has plenty of power but might need to rein in the strikeouts before the Twins give him a look.

The Guardians optioned Brito to Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

The return from the Rockies in the Nolan Jones trade, Brito finished last season at Columbus and will return there to start 2024. Brito, 22, doesn't appear far off from being major-league ready, but the Guardians have multiple others ahead of him on the depth chart.

Biggio went 2-for-3 with a walk, two doubles and two runs scored in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

Getting the start at second base and batting leadoff in a Toronto lineup missing all its top stars, Biggio rapped out a pair of two-baggers off Zach Eflin. The 28-year-old utility player was brought along slowly in camp but has hit the ground running since seeing his first Grapefruit League action Thursday, going 4-for-8 with three doubles. Biggio could see a significant workload for the Jays this season as he splits his time between second base, third base and right field.

Foscue started at first base and went 0-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's spring game against the Angels.

Foscue, who was battling side discomfort, returned to the lineup. His start at first base is noteworthy, as that position is usually filled by Nathaniel Lowe, whose oblique injury leaves him questionable for Opening Day. Foscue could fill the role early in the regular season, then shift to DH when Lowe is ready to play.

Gonzalez (shoulder) has appeared in 10 Grapefruit League games to date, going 3-for-20 with one home run, one stolen base and seven strikeouts against zero walks.

Gonzalez, whom the Red Sox claimed off waivers from the White Sox in January, hasn't faced any restrictions this spring after his 2023 campaign was cut short when he underwent surgery last July to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Though he occupies a spot on Boston's 40-man roster and is contention for a spot on the Opening Day squad as a utility player, Gonzalez still has two minor-league options remaining, which may work against him in the roster competition.

Foscue (side) will start at first base and bat fifth in Monday's Cactus League game against the Angels.

He'll draw back into the spring lineup for the first time since Friday after taking the past couple days off while he managed side discomfort. The fact that Foscue is starting at first base Monday rather than being deployed as a designated hitter suggests that the Rangers don't have any major concerns about his ability to hit or field, so the injury doesn't look as though it'll disrupt the momentum the youngster has built toward winning a spot on the Opening Day roster. Foscue enters Monday's game with a .308/.357/.423 slash line through 10 spring contests, during which he's seen action at first and second base in addition to DH.

Julien (wrist) will serve as the Twins' designated hitter and leadoff batter in Monday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.

Julien exited early in his last spring appearance Friday versus the Pirates after being hit by a pitch on the right wrist, but he escaped with nothing more than a bruise. After taking the weekend off to let the pain subside, Julien feels well enough to check back into the lineup, albeit in a non-defensive role. Following a promising rookie campaign, Julien has gotten off to a strong start to the spring with a .421/.476/.789 slash line through eight Grapefruit League games.

Polanco went 2-for-2 with a solo home run, a grand slam, a hit-by-pitch and an additional run in a Cactus League win over the Giants on Sunday.

The veteran's blistering bat continued to pay dividends, with Polanco's standout day propelling his spring average and OPS to .500 and 1.000, respectively. The 30-year-old has primarily been held back by injury and dips in playing time the last two seasons in Minnesota, but he recorded a career-high 33 homers and 98 RBI as recently as 2021.