MLB Player News

Rays infielder Nick Franklin was scratched from the spring lineup Monday after suffering an injury to his left side, the team announced. Franklin was diagnosed with a strained left oblique, per The Tampa Tribune.

Franklin said he suffered the injury on the last swing of batting practice Monday. He doesn't know the timetable for his return, but he thinks his status for Opening Day is in jeopardy.

Earlier Monday, manager Kevin Cash said Franklin will platoon at second base with Logan Forsythe and serve as a backup shortstop to Asdrubal Cabrera, who was named the starting shortstop.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Monday infielder Nick Franklin, who lost out on the starting shortstop job to Asdrubal Cabrera, will platoon at second base with Logan Forsythe, according to The Tampa Tribune.

Franklin is a switch-hitter, while Forsythe bats right-handed.

Rays manager Kevin Cash made it official Monday, naming Asdrubal Cabrera the team's starting shortstop. He beat out Nick Franklin and Tim Beckham, who were also competing for the starting job this spring.

"I don't think you're going to find a more sure-handed shortstop than Cabby," Cash said.

Cabrera is a two-time All-Star while playing at shortstop. He has spent most of his MLB career at shortstop (731 games). Although, the Rays were considering using him at both shortstop and second base this season before Cash made his announcement Monday.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was one of the most deadly base stealers in baseball last season. This year, manager A.J. Hinch wants to ensure Altuve is being smart on the base paths, not just when he's stealing a base, reports MLB.com.

"Like anything, it's all built on trust," Hinch said. "You want your players to play with freedom, and if they feel like they need to take an extra base they can take an extra base. They have the freedom to play. By no means do I want to put a ton of restrictions on them, but you want to make sure they know the situation."

Baserunning instructor Gary Pettis, who stole 354 bases in his career, is working to help Altuve make smart decisions on the base paths.

"You don't want to run just to steal bases," he said. "A stolen base gets you in scoring position. Now if you rack up numbers doing that, great. You're helping the team and you help yourself also because of the numbers, but you're stealing to get into scoring position. That's what we're doing."

Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella, who jammed his thumb on Friday, was scheduled to return to the field for the team on Sunday. 

X-rays on Giavotella's thumb came back negative on Sunday, and he was slated to play in the second half of Sunday's game, per the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher. 

Astros manager A.J. Hinch spoke Saturday about the benefits of having Jose Altuve lead off and George Springer bat second.

"I like that combo," Hinch said, per MLB.com. "Hitting after Altuve, a lot of times it's an RBI situation, even with him on first base or if he steals second or steals third. We need all of our spots to be very, very productive. The batting order, as fascinated as everybody is about it, it's one time through the order and then it's a little more random than people give credit.

"I think for [Springer] to hit in the first inning right behind Altuve, who does a pretty good job of getting on base, he's a real threat behind him to be put in a really good position. When the lineup rolls around with runners on base and the lineup flipping over, I'll take Altuve and Springer with RBI opportunities."

Padres manager Bud Black declared that the third base job is "still open". 

Will Middlebrooks has started more games at the hot corner, but Yangervis Solarte is still a candidate to win the job, Black said, per UT San Diego's Dennis Lin. 

The Padres acquired the 26-year-old Middlebrooks from the Red Sox in a December trade. He's hitting .333, with two home runs and five RBI in 10 games this spring. He's started all 10 at third base and also played third in a split-squad game.

The 27-year-old Solarte was acquired in a trade with the Yankees last July. He's also hitting .333 this spring. Solarte has six starts at third base and three each at second base and first base. 

"The beauty of Solarte is that he’s able to move all over the field," Black said, "and we’ve moved him all over the field. That doesn’t discount the fact that he’s still vying for the spot at third base."

Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa made his first career start at third base during Saturday's spring game against the Marlins, according to MLB.com. He never started at third base in the minors.

"My thought on it was, 'Hey, if we get in the situation where you have to play it, I just want you to have experience there,'" Williams said. "He's got great hands, great feet, plenty of arm, we all know that. It's a question of him getting used to the position a little bit in case it comes up during the season and he's got to do it. Right now, it gives him the opportunity to get out there in a non-pressure type situation and play."

Espinosa had been working at third base during workouts and made his first appearance at the hot corner Thursday against the Tigers, when he shifted over from second base in the ninth inning and played two innings at third.

"I'm going to treat it like any defense in the game, catch the ball and throw it over there," Espinosa said. "Ball comes off the bat a little different, so more of a reactionary position instead of being able to read your hop at short and second and kind of picking your hop. At third base, it's kind of do-or-die."

Angels infielder Johnny Giavotella went for X-rays on Saturday after jamming his finger sliding into third base during Friday's spring game against the Indians, per The Orange County Register. X-rays were negative and he is considered day to day.

Giavotella is batting .280 (7 for 25) with one triple, three doubles, one home run, three RBI and seven runs in 14 spring games.

White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham made one slight adjustment to his swing Wednesday, leading to great results. Beckham hit one home run and two doubles in the game and credits the success to his hard work on days off, reports MLB.com.

"I've been working pretty hard, and the other day I started working on something that gave me a little bit better feel," said Beckham. "It clearly worked out."

Beckham went just 1 for 27 to start spring training.

"I didn't feel like it was bad," Beckham said. "I'm putting the ball in play. Before today it wasn't necessarily hard-hit all the time, but I was putting the ball in play and working on some different things -- and not panicking because the results aren't there. That's the name of the game. Maybe in years past I would have done that."