MLB Player News

Donovan (elbow) will have his throwing monitored and is likely to play only second base for the time being, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Donovan had surgery last August to repair his right flexor tendon. The utility player had expressed hope last month that he wouldn't be limited at all as camp opened, but evidently the Cardinals have a more cautious plan. Donovan is likely to see most of his action at second base this season but, assuming his elbow cooperates, should play some all over the field.

Edman (wrist) will miss the first team workout in Cardinals camp because of a stomach bug, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Edman is also being eased into spring training following offseason wrist surgery, which is the more important thing to keep tabs on with regard to his status. The 28-year-old will be behind schedule from a hitting perspective, and it's not clear when he might be ready for his first Grapefruit League game, but Edman anticipates being ready to go come Opening Day.

Acuna will split his time in big-league camp this spring between shortstop and second base, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Two of the Mets' top prospects, Acuna and Jett Williams, are shortstops, but with Francisco Lindor under contract through 2031, both younger players will likely have to shift elsewhere on the diamond when they get to the majors. Williams will get reps in center field this spring while Acuna appears ticketed for the keystone, a path which could get him to Queens a little quicker as Jeff McNeil deals with a partial UCL tear in his left (non-throwing) elbow. The elbow issue doesn't seem to be currently hampering the veteran, but McNeil also regressed at the plate in 2023 even before getting hurt. Acuna, acquired from the Rangers last July in the Max Scherzer deal, slashed .300/.364/.424 in 121 Double-A games last season between Frisco and Binghamton with 10 homers and 57 steals.

Merrifield agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with the Phillies on Friday that includes an $8 million club option for 2025, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Merrifield may not have an everyday spot in the lineup with his new team, but he should still be able to garner regular playing time between the infield and outfield thanks to his versatility. The 35-year-old played in 145 games for the Blue Jays last season and had a .272/.318/.382 slash line with 11 home runs, 67 RBI, 66 runs and 26 steals. He could see plenty of early action in left field if Brandon Marsh (knee) isn't quite ready for Opening Day.

Wisely is in contention for games at shortstop, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Wisely's likely best suited for a utility role if he breaks camp with the Giants, but shortstop is a thin position for the team. The unproven Marco Luciano is viewed as the favorite to start, while Casey Schmitt, Tyler Fitzgerald and Thairo Estrada could also see action at the position. Wisely isn't likely to be a great fantasy option after slashing .175/.231/.267 across 131 plate appearances in 2023.

Padres manager Mike Shildt said Friday that Kim will be the team's starting shortstop this season, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Xander Bogaerts will shift to second base to form the Padres' new double-play combo. Bogaerts has never played second base before and his defensive metrics at shortstop recently have been solid. However, Kim is undoubtedly the superior defender at short and the Padres don't seem to have any concern about Bogaerts' ability to adapt to the keystone.

An MRI in December confirmed that McNeil is still dealing with a partial tear of the UCL in his left elbow, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The good news for the Mets is that the 31-year-old throws right-handed. McNeil missed the final weekend of last season after being diagnosed with the tear, but doctors have cleared him for full activities this spring. Although he's capable of playing the outfield, McNeil is expected to see the bulk of his starts in 2024 at second base.

Edwards might get squeezed off the Marlins' big-league roster to begin the season, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The 24-year-old showed off his speed in his major-league debut last season, slashing .295/.329/.333 over 84 plate appearances and going 5-for-5 on steal attempts. Unfortunately for Edwards, the Marlins have Nick Gordon and Vidal Brujan in camp competing for a utility role as well, and while all three players have similar skill sets, the latter two are out of minor-league options. Unless Edwards significantly outplays one of them this spring, he may have to begin 2024 back at Triple-A Jacksonville.

India (foot) is expected to play three infield positions and possibly left field, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Cincinnati's primary second baseman in 2023, India will shift to a utility role, as manager David Bell plans to deploy a middle infield of Matt McLain at second and Elly De La Cruz at shortstop. To keep India's bat in the lineup, the infielder will get acclimated to playing first and third base, though left field is seen as his most unlikely landing spot. For now, India is building up endurance in the foot he injured last season and is expected to be ready for Cactus League play.

Arraez lost his arbitration hearing with the Marlins on Wednesday and will earn $10.6 million in salary for the 2024 season, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Coming off a 2023 season in which he won the National League batting crown with a .354 average, Arraez filed for $12 million, but an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Marlins. The $10.6 million salary still represents a $4.5 million pay increase from 2023 for Arraez, who is set to go through the arbitration process one more time next offseason before becoming a free agent following the 2025 campaign. Arraez will head into his second season as Miami's everyday second baseman, and while he once again projects to rank among the league leaders in batting average, his paucity of power and speed put a ceiling on his overall fantasy value.