MLB Player News

The Reds are moving Eugenio Suarez to shortstop and Mike Moustakas to third base for Tuesday's spring training game against the Rockies, presumably with an eye towards using that alignment in-season. That would allow India to start at second base, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

India got a lot of work at second base during 2020 at the Reds' alternate training camp site, and they were impressed with his work. Presumably the 2018 first-round pick out of Florida is considered a net upgrade over their current alternatives at shortstop. This buys the Reds some time to send Jose Garcia back to the minors to develop further with the bat.

Marte left Monday's game against the Mariners after a pitch hit his foot, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

Marte walked slowly to first base with a team trainer before exiting the game. Whether or not he suffered a significant injury is not yet clear. If he's forced to miss time at the start of the regular season, Daulton Varsho or Tim Locastro could see starts in center field.

Hoerner (back) wanted to play Monday and could return to the lineup as soon as Wednesday following Tuesday's off day, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Hoerner was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels, but the issue evidently isn't a particularly serious one. His readiness for Opening Day doesn't appear to be threatened.

Rodgers will continue to rest his hamstring for now, but the injury he suffered Saturday against the Mariners isn't thought to be serious, Nick Groke of The Athletic reports.

Rodgers hasn't had the best luck with injuries, but this particular issue doesn't seem like a major one. If he can get back on the field soon, he'll still have time to make the Opening Day roster.

Kemp (hip) will start in left field and will bat seventh in Monday's Cactus League game against Cleveland.

Kemp checks back into the starting nine for the first time since exiting last Thursday's game against the Rangers after he was hit in the hip by a pitch. He appeared as a reserve second baseman in Sunday's loss to the White Sox, and after experiencing no setbacks with his hip, Kemp will presumably play a few more innings Monday.

Arroyo went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's spring game against the Twins.

Arroyo has homered in each of his last two games and is angling for the final bench spot. He's 8-for-23 with two homers, four RBI and three runs scored in 10 Grapefruit League games. He and Michael Chavis are competing for that final roster spot, but Chavis has minor-league options remaining, which works to Arroyo's benefit.

Polanco went 2-for-3 in Sunday's spring training win over Boston. He's hitting .333 (6-for-18) this spring with five walks and one strikeout.

Polanco has moved to second base after the Twins signed Andrelton Simmons. Polanco has had some ups and downs at second base, but he should improve as he adjusts to the new position, which he played frequently in the minors. Polanco is showing his bat could bounce back from last year's subpar performance (.258 with a .658 OPS) simply from improved health. Polanco underwent surgery in October to remove a bone spur and a small bone chip from his right ankle, which bothered him last year.

Hoerner was scratched from Sunday's spring game against the Angels with lower back tightness, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

It's unclear when the back issue first surfaced for the 23-year-old, though he went 0-for-2 with a walk and a caught stealing during Saturday's contest. Hoerner has been crushing the ball so far in spring training with a 1.383 OPS and four extra-base hits through seven games, and it's unclear how long the back issue is expected to keep him sidelined.

Padres manager Jayce Tinger said Kim wouldn't be available for Sunday's game against the Reds after experiencing "some aches and pains," Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Tingler seemed to imply that Kim is dealing with an illness, though the skipper was careful to note that he doesn't believe the rookie is dealing with an ailment related to COVID-19. The Padres will give Kim a day off with the hope that he'll be ready to rejoin the spring lineup early during the upcoming week. Kim, who is off to a 2-for-18 start in Cactus League play, is in contention for the Opening Day starting nod at second base, though he, Jake Cronenworth and Jurickson Profar will most likely all serve as utility men that factor into the mix for playing time at multiple spots throughout the season.

Urias (hamstring) is in the lineup at shortstop for Sunday's spring game against the Mariners, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

The 23-year-old has been sidelined since March 5 with with a left hamstring strain, but he'll make a relatively quick return from the minor issue. Urias has the chance for significant playing time between shortstop and third base this season, but he'll likely need to produce better than the .635 OPS he has through his first 124 big-league games to continue seeing those opportunities all year.