MLB Player News

Short arrived in camp Saturday and participated in fielding drills, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Short, Jeimer Candelario and Miguel Cabrera were among the handful of position players to arrive early with full-squad workouts not scheduled to begin until Monday. Short came to the Tigers last August in the deal that sent Cameron Maybin to the Cubs. The 25-year-old will likely begin the year at Triple-A Toledo, but he could get called up at some point due to his defensive versatility in the infield.

Arraez, who struggled with left knee tendinitis last season, says a weightlifting program has his knees feeling "way better than last year" at this point, Betsy Helfland of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Knee and ankle issues limited Arraez to 32 games last season, so improved health is a good sign as spring training begins. Arraez will move to a utility role this season with the Twins signing Andrelton Simmons to play shortstop and moving Jorge Polanco to second base. Arraez essentially takes over the utility role of Marwin Gonzalez, who left via free agency. Gonzalez played in 53 of 70 games last season and 114 of 162 in 2019, so Arraez could still get several starts a week as the Twins looked to give regulars an off day most days. Arraez will likely get most of his playing time at second base, left field and third base.

Jackson earned an invitation to major-league spring training Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Jackson will get the chance to work out with the Angels' big-league coaching staff, but he's highly unlikely to be auditioning for a roster spot. He has the skills necessary to one day be a power-hitting infielder and could even stick at shortstop, but he's a very long way from making good on that potential, as he's yet to play above the rookie-ball level.

Andrus was traded from the Rangers to the Athletics on Saturday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. The Athletics also received catcher Aramis Garcia and cash considerations from the Rangers while Texas picked up Khris Davis, catcher Jonah Heim and minor league right-handed pitcher Dane Acker in the deal.

Andrus was rumored to be an option at third base for Texas in 2021, but he'll instead be dealt to Oakland. While he won't take over for Matt Chapman at the hot corner for the Athletics, he should return to his natural shortstop role during his first season with the team. The 32-year-old dealt with back issues during the abbreviated 2020 season and posted a career-worst .582 OPS with three home runs, seven RBI and three stolen bases over 32 games.

Texas general manager Chris Young told MLB Network Radio that he expects Andrus to potentially become the starter at third base, Kennedi Landry of the Rangers' official site reports.

The Rangers' infield will take on a new look in 2021. The keystone combination of Andrus and Rougned Odor are expected to start the season as utility infielders. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who won a Gold Glove at third base in 2020, is moving one spot left to start at shortstop, leaving a competition at the hot corner. Enter Andrus, Texas' starting shortstop for the last 12 seasons, who struggled with a lower-back strain in 2020, appearing in 29 games in the shortened season and hitting .194/.252/.330. Nick Solak could challenge Andrus at third base, but he could also be the replacement for Odor. Prospects Josh Jung and Sherten Apostel are also in the mix at third.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday that Barreto (shoulder) appears on track to be ready for the start of spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Los Angeles acquired Barreto in a trade with the Athletics on Aug. 28, but he ended up appearing in only six games for his new club before requiring season-ending left shoulder surgery. The 24-year-old has seemingly progressed well in his recovery this offseason, putting him in line to enter the spring with few restrictions, if any. Barreto will likely be competing in camp with a slew of players for a utility role on the Opening Day roster.

Jones was traded from the Angels to the Orioles on Monday in exchange for Alex Cobb, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Jones made his big-league debut at the end of last season, grabbing three hits in seven trips to the plate. The 23-year-old could probably use some more time in the minors, however, as he's yet to appear in a Triple-A game and hit a modest .234/.308/.324 over a full season at Double-A Mobile in 2019. When he does eventually arrive in the majors for good, he projects as much more of a role player than a star, as he's a good athlete but doesn't have any above-average tools other than his speed.

Biggio may see the bulk of his time at third base in 2021 following the signing of Marcus Semien on Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Biggio appeared in 10 of the last 13 games at third base in 2020, but he spent most of the past two seasons working at the keystone. Semien has primarily played at shortstop in his career but will now shift to second base, with Bo Bichette remaining at shortstop for Toronto. Biggio also saw some time at all three outfield spots last season, so he could fill a utility role if the team wants to give Vladimir Guerrero another look at the hot corner. Regardless of where he plays in the field, Biggio should see plenty of at-bats for the Blue Jays with a .798 OPS through his first 159 big-league games.

Arraez is expected to move to a utility role following the signing of Andrelton Simmons on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Simmons is joining Minnesota on a one-year, $10.5 million deal, which will push Jorge Polanco (ankle) over to second base. Arraez has primarily played at the keystone since making his big-league debut in 2019, but he's also seen time at third base, shortstop and left field. The 23-year-old has an .819 OPS through his first 124 major-league contests, and the Twins should still find significant at-bats for him, regardless of where he plays in the field.

Polanco (ankle) will move to second base for 2021 after the Twins signed Andrelton Simmons on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Polanco has primarily played shortstop since making his big-league debut in 2014, but he did play second base during his time in the minors. Simmons is joining the team on a one-year, $10.5 million deal, and it's no surprise he'll be taking over at shortstop as one of the best defenders in the league, regardless of position. As a result of the signing, Luis Arraez is also expected to move into a utility role for Minnesota. Polanco underwent surgery in October to remove a bone spur and a small bone chip from his right ankle, but he's expected to be ready for the start of spring training.