MLB Player News

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he envisions Torres serving as the team's starting second baseman this season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Though the skipper noted that Anthony Rizzo and Josh Donaldson will likely join Torres as the preferred starters at three of the infield spots, DJ LeMahieu is expected to rove between first base, second base, third base and designated hitter to maintain a near-everyday role. As a result, Torres could be subject to days off once or twice per week when the Yankees are at full strength, as was often the case in 2022. Despite the crowded infield situation, Torres still saw action in 140 games last season, slashing .257/.310/.451 with 24 home runs, 76 RBI, 73 runs and 10 stolen bases across 572 plate appearances.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora cited Hernandez and Alex Verdugo as players he'd like to see steal more bags in 2023, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Cora lamented the state of baserunning in baseball, saying the art is "at its worst" for a variety of reasons, but he would like his club to take advantage of the bigger bases, which will create a four-and-half inch reduction in the distance between first and second base and between second and third base. Hernandez attempted two steals (caught both times) last season but also missed a lot of time with a hip injury. The most he's stolen is four bags in 2019. The manager plans to emphasize the finer points of baserunning techniques during spring training.

Rengifo won his arbitration case against the Angels on Thursday and will earn $2.3 million this season, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The club filed at $2 million when arbitration figures were exchanged over the winter. Rengifo gets a nice raise from his $730,000 salary in 2022 as he prepares to serve as the Angels' primary shortstop in 2023. He's coming off a .724 OPS with 17 home runs and six stolen bases in 127 games.

Arroyo "is our second baseman as of now," Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican Tuesday.

Adalberto Mondesi (knee) will be a candidate to start at second base once he's ready, but he'll be behind others at the start of spring training. Arroyo sports a solid .273/.320/.427 batting line with 15 home runs over 158 games during his two-and-a-half years with the Red Sox. He might ultimately be just a placeholder for Mondesi but we've learned over the years that Mondesi is no sure thing to play or perform.

Haggerty (groin) has resumed baseball activities, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Divish reports that Haggerty underwent surgery to repair a Grade 2 adductor strain, but the Mariners aren't confirming the operation. The 28-year-old was a pleasant surprise for Seattle in 2022 before the injury, contributing a .738 OPS with five homers and 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts over 201 plate appearances. If healthy, Haggerty should be a utility option for the Mariners in 2023 with the ability to play all three outfield spots with some history at both second and third base.

Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Wednesday that Haggerty (groin) should be healthy for the beginning of spring training, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Haggerty injured his groin near the end of the 2022 regular season and missed Seattle's five-game postseason run. With a .738 OPS and 13 stolen bases in just 201 plate appearances, Haggerty was a valuable depth outfielder for the Mariners and figures to fill a similar role this coming season.

Mondou signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Tuesday.

Mondou got his first cup of coffee as a 27-year-old with the Athletics last season, appearing in one game. He put up an .805 OPS with seven home runs over 449 plate appearances at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2022 while seeing starts at five different positions. Mondou will give the White Sox some utility depth.

Polanco says he's ready to go for spring training after missing the last month of the 2022 season due to a knee injury, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Polanco missed a week with patellar tendinitis before he landed on the injured list Sept. 3. He then worked his way back to playing minor-league games before a setback in late September. It sounds like he just needed some rest to get back to full strength, but watch his status early in spring training. His injury risk has become a concern after a chronic ankle injury also hindered his 2020 season.

Torres agreed to a one-year, $9.95 million contract with the Yankees on Saturday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

It's the penultimate year of arbitration eligibility for Torres, and he'll receive a nice raise after he made $6.25 million in 2022. The 26-year-old rebounded at the plate last season with a .257/.310/.451 slash line and 24 home runs after he struggled to a .697 OPS in 2021.

Remillard re-signed with the White Sox on a minor-league contract Friday.

Remillard had reached minor-league free agency, but he'll return to the White Sox and be given an invitation to major-league spring training. The 28-year-old spent 2022 at Triple-A Charlotte, posting a .773 OPS with nine homers and 19 stolen bases. He'll compete for a reserve role but is almost certainly headed back to Charlotte to begin 2023.