MLB Player News

Chavis booted a grounder at first base Sunday, the second time he's failed to make a routine play this spring, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports.

Manager Alex Cora has been pleased with Chavis' bat -- he hit his fourth spring homer Sunday -- and his defense at third base, but making him into a utility infielder is going slow. "That's a first-pitch slider in the zone, and he hits it straight center so we know he can hit," Cora said before shifting to the defense. "Today he muffed one at first base, that's the second one. At this level, when it's a double play we have to turn double plays. When it's a routine play, we have to make routine plays, so we'll work with it." Chavis will continue to get work at second base as well, but only on the backfields, not in spring games.

Joseph was reassigned to minor-league camp Sunday, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Joseph made his major-league debut in 2018 with the Orioles, where he hit .222 with three RBI in 14 games. His competition for a spot on the Opening Day roster will come to an early end after being cut from big-league spring training.

Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 7-1 Grapefruit League loss to the Yankees.

Rodriguez now has three home runs in just 18 spring at-bats after hitting five long balls in 191 at-bats last season. The power display is nice, but the 26-year-old had a pedestrian .220/.256/.335 slash line in 2018 and is probably headed for a utility role with the Tigers in 2019.

Drury went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

It's his first homer of the spring. Drury is penciled into the starting third base job for the Jays, but only until the front office decides it's financially prudent to call up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and start the clock ticking on the phenom's service time. Once Guerrero is in the majors, Drury will likely slide into a utility role that could still allow him to retain useful fantasy value in deeper formats. He slashed .282/.329/.458 while playing at least 16 games at four different positions for the Diamondbacks in 2016.

Lowe went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a three-run homer and six RBI overall in the Rays' 6-5 Grapefruit League win over the Blue Jays on Saturday.

The outfielder made an excellent case in his bid for a roster spot, thriving out of the leadoff spot while coming just a triple short of the cycle. Lowe's four-hit day raised his spring training average to .563 as he continues to battle the likes of Guillermo Heredia for a reserve outfield role. Lowe's initial major-league foray in 2018 led to a .233/.324/.450 line with 14 extra-base hits (six doubles, two triples, six home runs) and 25 RBI across 148 plate appearances.

Altuve started at second base and went 0-for-1 with two walks and a stolen base in Saturday's spring game against the Mets.

Altuve, who is coming back from offseason surgery for a broken kneecap, played in the field for the first time this spring after serving as a designated hitter. The stolen base is a sign that the knee is not an issue. "I know I'm not very far away from being 100 percent," Altuve told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "I might be 95, 98, [and] everybody here is the same way. Spring training is just to get the last step to get to 100 percent." Altuve batted second in the order, safely placed between George Springer and Alex Bregman.

Andrus went 1-for-2 with an RBI in Friday's game against the White Sox.

Andrus will be looking to rebound from an injury-marred 2018 season that saw him finish with a career-low .256 batting average. He also dropped from 20 home runs and 88 RBI in 2017 to six and 33, respectively, last season. An early season fractured elbow interrupted what had been a hot start (.926 OPS, 14 games) and impacted his offense upon returning in June. "I was still having some discomfort, especially when I was swinging," Andrus told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. "Throwing-wise, not really. Maybe if I lowered my angle I felt it a little bit, but mostly it was my hitting." Andrus is expected to occupy the third spot in the batting order.

Barreto, who went 2-for-2 with a double and a run in the Athletics' 6-3 Cactus League win over the Rockies on Friday, is impressing manager Bob Melvin with his work in the outfield, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports. "You watch the drills and watch him do his work in the outfield, he's a natural at it," Melvin said. "When you're that athletic, it gives you some options."

Barreto is actually impressing with both the bat and glove thus far in Cactus League play. The 23-year-old is now hitting .500 (8-for-16) with three doubles and only two strikeouts in spring training, with a successful winter ball stint in Venezuela (.358 average, .927 OPS over 203 plate appearances) clearly having helped Barretto maintain his timing at the plate throughout the offseason. However, his transition from second base to the outfield is drawing plenty of raves as well, with Melvin noting that Barreto has jumped into the process without any trepidation. Barreto played center field in Friday's game after manning left Thursday, and the plan is to continue moving him around the outfield before he likely starts the season at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Altuve will start at second base for the first time this spring Saturday against the Mets, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Altuve, who underwent offseason knee surgery, has served as a designated hitter twice this spring, going 0-for-5, including a three-strikeout game Thursday.

Drury went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.

Drury was hitless in his first four at-bats of spring before collecting a single in the second inning Wednesday. He added another base knock in the sixth frame and proceeded to steal second base. Drury is currently expected to open the season as the Blue Jays' starting third baseman, though he'll likely shift to a reserve role once Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is promoted.