MLB Player News

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he envisions Torres serving as the team's starting second baseman this season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Though the skipper noted that Anthony Rizzo and Josh Donaldson will likely join Torres as the preferred starters at three of the infield spots, DJ LeMahieu is expected to rove between first base, second base, third base and designated hitter to maintain a near-everyday role. As a result, Torres could be subject to days off once or twice per week when the Yankees are at full strength, as was often the case in 2022. Despite the crowded infield situation, Torres still saw action in 140 games last season, slashing .257/.310/.451 with 24 home runs, 76 RBI, 73 runs and 10 stolen bases across 572 plate appearances.

Gorman will spend more time at designated hitter this year when not playing the field, despite the Cardinals' hesitance to use him there last season, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Gorman started 73 games as a rookie last season, appearing at second base 62 times while serving as the designated hitter on 11 occasions. He didn't fare particularly well at the keystone, and with the Cardinals no longer able to compensate for his deficiencies via the shift, his playing time appeared to be at risk. It's possible Gorman finds himself on the large side of a DH platoon with Juan Yepez, though the Cardinals haven't explicitly detailed their plans.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora cited Hernandez and Alex Verdugo as players he'd like to see steal more bags in 2023, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Cora lamented the state of baserunning in baseball, saying the art is "at its worst" for a variety of reasons, but he would like his club to take advantage of the bigger bases, which will create a four-and-half inch reduction in the distance between first and second base and between second and third base. Hernandez attempted two steals (caught both times) last season but also missed a lot of time with a hip injury. The most he's stolen is four bags in 2019. The manager plans to emphasize the finer points of baserunning techniques during spring training.

Alu will get some reps in left field this spring, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

The 25-year-old posted a combined .301/.367/.508 line in 132 games between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester last season with 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts, earning a spot on the 40-man roster in the process. Alu is a long shot to break camp with a spot in the big leagues, but the rebuilding Nationals aren't exactly flush with talent in the outfield. If he can add more defensive versatility to his profile, his odds of making his MLB debut some time in 2023 would improve.

Rojas will earn $2.575 million in 2023 after losing his arbitration hearing to the Diamondbacks on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Rojas had filed at $2.9 million in what was his first year of arbitration eligibility as a Super 2 qualifier. The 28-year-old put up a .739 OPS with nine home runs and 23 stolen bases for the Diamondbacks last season. Most of his playing time in 2023 will likely come at third base, though he figures to bounce around and could get starts in the designated hitter spot, too.

Rengifo won his arbitration case against the Angels on Thursday and will earn $2.3 million this season, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The club filed at $2 million when arbitration figures were exchanged over the winter. Rengifo gets a nice raise from his $730,000 salary in 2022 as he prepares to serve as the Angels' primary shortstop in 2023. He's coming off a .724 OPS with 17 home runs and six stolen bases in 127 games.

Villar is viewed as the Giants' starting third baseman heading into spring training, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Villar slashed .231/.331/.455 with nine home runs and 24 RBI in 52 games as a 25-year-old last season. He won't go unchallenged for the job at third base -- Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis are also in the mix, but their versatility around the diamond may make them better suited for utility roles. Villar is also expected to see time at second base when Thairo Estrada covers for Brandon Crawford at shortstop.

Arroyo "is our second baseman as of now," Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican Tuesday.

Adalberto Mondesi (knee) will be a candidate to start at second base once he's ready, but he'll be behind others at the start of spring training. Arroyo sports a solid .273/.320/.427 batting line with 15 home runs over 158 games during his two-and-a-half years with the Red Sox. He might ultimately be just a placeholder for Mondesi but we've learned over the years that Mondesi is no sure thing to play or perform.

Haggerty (groin) has resumed baseball activities, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Divish reports that Haggerty underwent surgery to repair a Grade 2 adductor strain, but the Mariners aren't confirming the operation. The 28-year-old was a pleasant surprise for Seattle in 2022 before the injury, contributing a .738 OPS with five homers and 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts over 201 plate appearances. If healthy, Haggerty should be a utility option for the Mariners in 2023 with the ability to play all three outfield spots with some history at both second and third base.

Arraez won his arbitration case against the Marlins and will earn $6.1 million in 2023, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Before they traded him to Miami last month, the Twins had filed at $5 million. That figure carried over through the deal and Arraez ultimately came out on top through the arbitration process. The 25-year-old infielder led all American League hitters in batting average (.316) last season and projects to serve as the everyday leadoff man for the Marlins in 2023.