MLB Player News

Rodgers (shoulder) said he will serve as a designated hitter in one of the Rockies' split-squad games Thursday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Rodgers has made rapid progress in his recovery from July surgery to repair a torn labrum, as the Rockies were previously uncertain that the 23-year-old would be ready to play in games at any point in spring training. After he was able to gradually ratchet up the intensity of his workouts in the last few weeks, however, Rodgers looks like he'll be ready to make his Cactus League debut in a purely offensive role. The Rockies haven't indicated if Rodgers will be able to play the middle infield before the end of spring training, making it uncertain if he'll be included on the Opening Day roster.

Hoerner went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Rockies.

Hoerner started at shortstop in this one, though his most likely path to regular MLB playing time in 2020 is at second base. The 22-year-old performed well in 20 games in the majors last season, slashing .282/.305/.436, and he could make a strong case for an everyday role in 2020 with a strong spring. However, a crowded middle infield that includes the likes of Javier Baez, David Bote, Jason Kipnis and Daniel Descalso could force Hoerner to Triple-A Iowa, at least initially.

Altuve is away from the team Tuesday due to illness, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Altuve's bug is reportedly the same one that kept teammate Alex Bregman out of action for a few days. Assuming a similar timeline for Altuve's recovery, his preparation for the upcoming season shouldn't be significantly impacted.

Polanco (ankle) will start at shortstop and bat second Tuesday in the Twins' Grapefruit League game against the Tigers, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The Twins have brought Polanco along slowly this spring after he required surgery on his right ankle in the offseason. After Polanco made his Grapefruit League debut as a designated hitter Sunday, he'll now draw back into his normal position on the diamond, signaling that the Twins are comfortable with where he stands on the health front. Polanco is once again expected to occupy a prominent spot in one of the majors' more potent lineups in 2020.

Kemp, who went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs in a Cactus League win over the Indians on Sunday, is now hitting .444 across 21 spring plate appearances.

Kemp has been swinging a red-hot bat since the exhibition slate began, complementing his ability to fill in all over the outfield and at second base with impressive offensive contributions. The 28-year-old has toiled for the Astros and Cubs over his four major-league seasons, and he could certainly carve out an Opening Day spot if he demonstrates he can keep up his strong work at the plate during the balance of the spring.

Semien is hitting .400 with a double, four RBI, four walks and four runs across six spring games.

The shortstop will play his final year under team control on a $13 million contract, making his salary second only to Khris Davis on the Athletics. Semien could well be elsewhere in 2021, but after compiling a career-best .285/.369/.522 line last season that included new high-water marks in doubles (43), triples (seven), home runs (33) and RBI (92), he's expected to be a major contributor again this coming season.

Urias (wrist) will resume hitting on the field Tuesday, Sophia Minnaert of Fox Sports Wisconsin reports.

The 22-year-old has been participating in normal defensive work, but a return to hitting will be a significant step as he continues his recovery from left wrist surgery. Urias remains optimistic about being ready for Opening Day, but the eight-week recovery window provided in late January leaves minimal room for setbacks.

Biggio got the start in center field during Saturday's Grapefruit League game, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

While the 24-year-old is still locked in as the Jays' starting second baseman, Biggio could find himself seeing occasional action in center or at first base depending on who else is resting or slotted in at DH during any particular game. While this might eventually result in extra position eligibility down the road in fantasy leagues with lower qualification thresholds, the most important takeaway is that manager Charlie Montoya sees Biggio as a player he needs to keep in the lineup as much as possible.

Polanco (ankle) is batting third as the designated hitter in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The 26-year-old has been held out through the early portions of spring training while continuing his recovery from right ankle surgery in November, but he appears to be nearing full clearance. Polanco figures to return to the field at shortstop in the near future, but for now he'll stick with hitting and running the bases.

Garcia launched his first home run of the spring in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The Nats' No. 2 fantasy prospect won't turn 20 years old until mid-May, but he already has a season at Double-A under his belt, though Garcia was far from dominant as the Eastern League's youngest hitter by more than a full year in 2019. His prospect status thus far has been carried by his projectability, but he reported to camp noticeably larger and could be ready to start turning his upside into actual production. "Man, he's growing," Nats manager Dave Martinez said before Saturday's game. "I saw this little, skinny kid when I first got here that everybody talked about. Now, man, he's just filling out, just big." Garcia isn't expected to make his big-league debut this summer, but if he adds some pop and plate discipline to his advanced hit tool, he could accelerate the organization's timetable for him.