MLB Player News

Frazier (groin) will make his spring debut in Sunday's exhibition game against the Orioles.

Frazier sat out the first week of games due to his sore groin, but he is ready to take the field for the first time this spring. He will be limited to DH duty, but he will be able to maximize his at-bats, as he will man the leadoff spot in Sunday's contest.

Kemp, who went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk in a Cactus League tie with the Mariners on Saturday, is now hitting .429 (3-for-7) over his first four spring games.

Kemp has a nice three-game hitting streak going that also includes a double, three walks and a stolen base in addition to Saturday's solo shot. The 29-year-old never left the yard in 114 plate appearances last season, but he'd slugged a combined 14 homers over the previous two seasons while logging part-time duty with the Cubs and Astros. Kemp is likely to operate in a platoon with Chad Pinder and/or Jed Lowrie (knee) at second base during the 2021 season, but Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports the veteran is also candidate to see some time in the outfield against right-handed pitchers.

Andrus went 1-for-3 with a double in a Cactus League loss to the Angels on Friday, his first hit in three spring games.

The veteran infielder also stranded five men overall, but he at least got on the board with his first official hit in an Athletics uniform. Andrus does have an extensive big-league track record as a solid offensive contributor, but he has some questions to answer at the plate after generating a career-worst .194 average and .252 on-base percentage across 111 plate appearances with the Rangers in an injury-marred 2020. Oakland is counting on Andrus to enjoy a resurgent season with the bat while serving as the departed Marcus Semien's replacement at shortstop.

Haggerty, competing for a utility role on the Opening Day roster, went 2-for-2 with a triple and a stolen base in a Cactus League tie with the White Sox on Friday.

Haggerty pulled his spring average up to .375 (3-for-8) with Friday's impressive showing, as the 26-year-old has gotten his bid for a roster spot off to a good start. Haggerty's considerable defensive flexibility -- he's played every position except pitcher, catcher and first base in a professional career that dates back to 2015 -- already gives him a strong chance at sticking, and his early spring work with the bat following a solid .260/.315/.400 line across 54 big-league plate appearances last season only strengthens his case for the time being.

Urias's hamstring strain is considered very minor, and he could return to the lineup as soon as Tuesday against the Giants, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Urias left Friday's game against Colorado with the issue, but it was considered precautionary at the time. Manager Craig Counsell reiterated that it wasn't a serious issue Saturday, so his preparation for Opening Day shouldn't be noticeably set back.

Urias was diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain Saturday, Sophia Minnaert of Fox Sports Wisconsin reports.

Urias was removed from Friday's spring game against the Rockies as a precautionary measure, and he'll be shut down from baseball activities for several days following his diagnosis. It's not yet clear whether his absence will impact his availability for Opening Day.

Hoerner went 2-for-2 with a solo home run and two RBI in Friday's Cactus League game against Cleveland.

Hoerner is off to a great start this spring, as he's now 7-for-8 with three extra-base hits and a steal so far in Cactus League action. The 23-year-old is competing with David Bote, Ildemaro Vargas and potentially the newly added Eric Sogard for playing time at second base, so Hoerner can really help himself out if he keeps this up.

Arroyo started at second base and went 1-for-2 and was caught stealing in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

This was Arroyo's fourth spring game and second start at second base. He also started two contests at shortstop. He's on the roster bubble, competing for what appears to be the final spot with Michael Chavis. The Red Sox may carry 14 pitchers to open the season, which would leave just three bench spots, including catcher Kevin Plawecki and super-utility Marwin Gonzalez. In 14 games for Boston in 2020, Arroyo slashed .240/.296/.440 with three home runs and eight RBI.

Chavis (back) entered Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays as a reserve and belted a two-run home run.

Chavis was scratched from Thursday's contest but continued his quest for a roster spot Friday. His seventh-inning home run, which made up for a fielding error at first base in the sixth inning, was his second of the spring. Utility infielder Christian Arroyo is viewed as his primary competition for a roster spot. The Red Sox are considering carrying 14 pitchers with three bench spots allotted to fielders, so versatility is key. One of those three will be backup catcher Kevin Plawecki and another will be the super-utility Marwin Gonzalez.

Frazier (groin) is not in the lineup for Saturday's spring game against the Yankees, according to Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic.

Frazier tweaked his groin in late February, and the injury has prevented him from seeing any action through the first week of spring games. It remains to be seen when he will take the field, but at this point it still seems likely he will be ready for Opening Day.