MLB Player News

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Hernandez could be used on the short side of a platoon at second base with Chase Utley to begin the season with Justin Turner (wrist) set to miss multiple weeks, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Turner's absence due to the fractured wrist creates an opening at third base that will primarily be filled by Logan Forsythe, which clears up the keystone for the lefty-hitting Utley and the righty-hitting Hernandez. The news doesn't really change Hernandez's outlook much, as the Dodgers have always made a concerted effort to give the 26-year-old starts against southpaws while deploying him at a number of positions. Hernandez's stellar .270/.364/.518 career line against lefties makes him an appealing DFS play nearly every time he's in the lineup for those matchups.

The Mets optioned Guillorme to their minor-league camp Tuesday.

A glove-first prospect, Guillorme doesn't offer much appeal in dynasty formats due to his lack of power and impact on the basepaths. He's expected to open the campaign at Double-A Binghamton or Triple-A Las Vegas.

Rengifo was traded to the Angels on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The young infielder was the player to be named later in the deal that sent C.J. Cron to the Rays. Rengifo batted just .250 at both Low-A Clinton and Bowling Green last season, but he made up for it with 12 homers and 34 stolen bases. He'll likely start the season with either the Angels' Low- or High-A affiliate.

Rodgers was re-assigned to minor-league camp Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Rodgers had a strong showing this spring, hitting .286/.352/.490 in 23 games. He was never a real candidate to break camp with Colorado, though, as he's played just 38 games at the Double-A level. He hit an unremarkable .260/.323/.413 for Hartford last season and will likely return there to start the 2018 campaign.

The Pirates optioned Bostick to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Bostick was vying for a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster as a reserve infielder, but never gained much momentum with those efforts after going 6-for-35 (.171 average) at the dish during Grapefruit League action. The 24-year-old should handle a full-time role at Indianapolis to begin the season and could earn another look with the big club later on in 2018 when injuries hit the infield. His lack of standout tools makes him a rather uninteresting prospect.

Following the loss of Justin Turner during Monday's game against the A's, manager Dave Roberts stated that Forsythe might play third base while Turner is out, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Although this isn't set in stone, it's something to keep an eye on as Opening Day approaches. If Forsythe does transition to third until Turner's return, look for Chase Utley, Kike Hernandez and Austin Barnes to share starts at second.

Polanco was suspended 80 games Sunday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

With Polanco suspended for 80 games, Eduardo Escobar will likely be in line to serve as the Twins' starting shortstop when Opening Day arrives. Polanco has played in 13 games for the Twins this spring, over which he's gone 9-for-34 (.265) with a home run and a triple at the dish. Polanco will be eligible to return at the latter end of June after his suspension concludes.

Torres will spend an equal amount of time playing shortstop and second base at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Although the Yankees acquired Neil Walker and Brandon Drury during spring training, Torres could make his way up to the Show this season. The Yankees' prized prospect didn't have his best showing during his time in the Grapefruit League this year, as he went just 4-for-25 (.160) over 11 games. He'll look to find his groove with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he hit .309/.406/.457 over 23 games last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Albies went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

While all eyes have understandably been on Ronald Acuna this spring, Albies has been no slouch in camp either. He homered from both sides of the plate Friday, taking Jameson Taillon deep to right field in the fourth inning and then yanking a Josh Smoker offering down the left-field line in the eighth. Albies showed surprising power last season, hitting 15 combined homers between Triple-A Gwinnett and Atlanta after popping only seven total in his first three seasons in the minors, and if he continues displaying it in his first full big-league campaign, he could begin to draw Jose Altuve comparisons for reasons beyond his short stature.

Espinosa signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays on Saturday that includes an invite to spring training, Mike Wilner of Sportsnet 590 The Fan reports.

Wilner expects Espinosa to make the big-league club out of camp as the 25th man, meaning Espinosa would act as insurance for Devon Travis, who has a lengthy injury history, and Troy Tulowitzki, who is already dealing with a heel injury that will sideline him for the start of the season. Espinosa hit .173 in 295 plate appearances last year and hit .209 in a full season in 2016, so while he has some power and is a quality defender, it is unlikely that he will hit for a high enough average to not be a net negative in most fantasy formats.