MLB Player News

Chavis started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's spring game against the Twins.

Chavis also played third base during the game, showing off the versatility that could be of value to fantasy teams, but he does not have a roster spot locked up entering spring training. He's never adjusted to a league that caught up to him during the summer of 2019. Contact remains the primary issue and pitchers discovered he's tempted by high heat.

Barreto (shoulder) was fully cleared for baseball activities Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Barreto's 2020 campaign ended in early September due to a shoulder issue which eventually required surgery. He should have enough time to build up for Opening Day, though it's far from guaranteed he plays a significant role for the Angels this season. In 237 big-league plate appearances across the last four seasons, he's struck out 42.2 percent of the time while hitting just .175/.207/.342.

Biggio could be among the players most affected by the new ball being used in MLB this season if it does reduce flyball distance as expected, Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star reports.

The 25-year-old had the eighth-lowest average distance on his home runs last season, and over the last two years Biggio has hit nearly four more homers than predicted based on his batted-ball profile. It wouldn't take much of a change for a significant number of his flies to die on the warning track instead of just clearing the wall, but any lack of distance from the new ball could be countered by the fact that the Jays will begin the season playing in Dunedin, a stadium with a very friendly profile for left-handed power, rather than in Buffalo or across the border in Toronto.

Mayfield was acquired by the Angels for cash considerations Thursday after being designated for assignment by Atlanta the day before.

Mayfield is 30 years old and owns a career .170/.198/.283 slash line in 47 major-league games, so he's unlikely to be much more than organizational depth for the Angels this season.

Altuve spent more time hitting and on his defense during the offseason than in previous years, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Altuve was the poster child of Houston's down year in 2020. His .630 OPS ranked 134th among 142 qualified hitters, and those struggles led to him swinging at pitches outside the zone (35.2 chase percentage) more often than in previous seasons. While his bat returned for the postseason, Altuve's errors in the field gifted eight runs to the Rays. "That's one thing I have right now is motivation," Altuve said Wednesday. "I have a group of guys here that encourage each other and go out there and play. I'm taking everything to be encouragement and motivation right now." The Astros need Altuve to return to pre-2020 form, particularly now that George Springer is no longer on the team.

Manager Charlie Montoyo said Wednesday that Biggio will be the team's primary third baseman in 2021, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.

Biggio was expected to see more time at third base in 2021 after the Blue Jays acquired Marcus Semien during the offseason, and Montoyo confirmed the assumption Wednesday. However, Montoyo also said that Biggio will see some work at other positions as well, which isn't surprising given his defensive versatility. The 25-year-old appeared in 59 games during the abbreviated 2020 season, slashing .250/.375/.432 with eight home runs, 28 RBI and six stolen bases.

Lowe will get time at third base during spring training, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe is slated to begin the regular season as the starting second baseman for the Rays, but his increased reps at third base should allow for more in-game defensive flexibility for manager Kevin Cash. The 26-year-old appeared in 56 games during the abbreviated 2020 season, slashing .269/.362/.554 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI.

Kemp is likely to operate in a platoon role at second base again in 2020, potentially in tandem with returning veteran Jed Lowrie (knee), Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Kemp was deployed in such an arrangement with the since-departed Tommy La Stella last season, logging 43 games at the keystone. The light-hitting veteran is a career .988 fielder at second base and has just 15 career home runs in 862 plate appearances, but he brings a solid speed component to the Athletics lineup and is a highly reliable contact hitter that can also be utilized in the outfield.

Castro will compete with the likes of Akil Baddoo and potentially Isaac Paredes for a roster spot out of spring training, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Castro's role depends on how new manager A.J. Hinch decides to construct the roster. If Baddoo makes the team as a fifth outfielder, Castro could get squeezed. Paredes is also an option to play third base if Jeimer Candelario shifts over to first, which would further cloud the picture for Castro. The 27-year-old did impress with a .347/.407/.429 line in 22 games last season, so that should help his cause, and he has the versatility to play multiple positions in the infield and outfield.

Chavis has to prove he's made adjustments this spring if he's to open the season on the big-league roster, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Chavis has potential, but he hasn't fully tapped into it over his first 137 major-league games, hitting a modest .241/.304/.424. Contact has been his biggest problem, as he's struck out in 32.8 percent of his plate appearances. Chavis still has options remaining, so the Red Sox may ask him to sort things out in the minors if he fails to demonstrate improvements in camp.