MLB Player News

Turang was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's spring game against the Athletics due to right shoulder fatigue, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Turang's removal from the lineup was said by the Brewers to be precautionary, and it doesn't appear the injury is a long-term concern. He could sit for a couple days to aid his recovery, but the issue shouldn't impact his availability for Opening Day. Turang appeared in 155 regular-season games in 2024 and slashed .254/.316/.349 with 50 stolen bases, seven home runs and 50 RBI over 619 plate appearances.

Turang was scratched from the lineup ahead of Saturday's Cactus League game against the Athletics.

It's currently unknown why Turang was removed from Milwaukee's starting nine, but the team should offer some clarity shortly. In the meantime, Cooper Pratt will take over at shortstop and bat ninth.

Arraez went 3-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run and a stolen base in Friday's Cactus League win over Texas.

Arraez is swinging a hot bat this spring, batting .433 over 30 at-bats. He did a couple things Friday that are out of the norm for him, as he both hit a homer and stole a base. Arraez had just four long balls and nine thefts over 672 regular-season plate appearances last year, which are reasons why he's often taken outside of the top 150 in fantasy drafts. That said, Arraez is as dependable as it gets when it comes to providing elite batting average, as evidenced by his run of three consecutive batting titles.

Albies went 0-for-3 in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

The switch-hitting second baseman has been getting his work in this spring, and while Albies hasn't had much luck at the plate, he also hasn't raised any alarms with his play. Through 26 plate appearances, he's gone 4-for-24 with a double as his only extra-base hit and a 2:6 BB:K. Albies is locked into his starting job at the keystone and a prime spot in Atlanta's batting order.

The Cardinals' final bench spot will likely come down to Fermin or Jose Barrero, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Fermin already has a spot on the 40-man roster, whereas Barrero is in camp as a non-roster invitee. Slated to turn 26 later this month, Fermin has gone 7-for-28 with a 2:5 K:BB over 14 contests this spring. While Fermin slashed .311/.424/.500 last season at Triple-A Memphis, he's managed just a .189/.283/.221 batting line in 66 games with the Cardinals over the last two seasons.

Donovan is expected to assume a super utility role this season for the Cardinals, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Had the club been able to trade Nolan Arenado, it was prepared to play Nolan Gorman at third base and give Donovan the lion's share of reps at second base. The keystone might still be where Donovan plays most, but Gorman will also receive starts there, with Donovan seeing plenty of action in left field, as well, particularly on days Lars Nootbaar plays center field. Donovan is also capable of handling third base, first base and shortstop.

Durbin (forearm) will start at third base and bat eighth in Thursday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.

Durbin has been sidelined for the past several days after getting hit in the forearm by a foul ball over the weekend, but a few days of rest now has him ready to return to game action. The 25-year-old has slashed .172/.273/.379 with two home runs and seven runs scored this spring, and Thursday will mark the fourth consecutive game he's started at third base rather than second.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that Durbin has been out of the Cactus League lineup since Saturday after the 25-year-old infielder was struck in the forearm by a foul ball over the weekend, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The Brewers aren't overly concerned about the injury, with Murphy noting that X-rays on Durbin's forearm returned negative. Durbin could have played in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cubs if needed, but the Brewers instead opted to take advantage of Wednesday's off day to give him some extra time to heal. If he's able to play Thursday against the White Sox, Durbin will look to build momentum in his bid to win a spot on the Opening Day roster. He's flashed power (two home runs) and speed (two stolen bases) through his first 10 games this spring, but he's hitting just .172.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that Acuna is among the players who could step into larger roles in the infield with Jeff McNeil (oblique) expected to begin the season on the injured list, SNY.tv reports.

Mendoza also listed Brett Baty, Donovan Walton and Luis De Los Santos as candidates to help replace McNeil, though Walton and De Los Santos are attending spring training as non-roster invitees and may be less likely than Acuna and Baty to break camp with the big club. After getting a call-up from Triple-A Syracuse last September, Acuna exclusively filled in at shortstop for an injured Francisco Lindor and hit .308 with three home runs in 40 plate appearances to close out the regular season, but he made all seven of his postseason appearances at the keystone while McNeil was recovering from a fractured wrist. Acuna has dabbled at both middle-infield spots as well as third base during Grapefruit League play, but expect most of his reps to come at the keystone for the rest of the spring as he looks to solidify himself as the top option at the position until McNeil returns.

Manager Carlos Mendoza announced Thursday that McNeil is recovering from a low-grade right oblique strain and will be out for 3-to-4 weeks, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

After missing time late last season with a wrist injury, McNeil reported to camp at full health and was poised to begin the 2025 season as the Mets' everyday second baseman until he presumably suffered the oblique strain earlier this week. Mendoza said that McNeil will be shut down from baseball activities for the next 7-to-10 days, and the 32-year-old will then need about two or three weeks to complete a hitting progression before being ready to make his season debut. With McNeil potentially headed for a stint on the 15-day injured list, Luisangel Acuna could be in line to open the season as the Mets' primary option at the keystone.