MLB Player News

Ramirez (not injury-related) was cleared to rejoin team workouts Tuesday and is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez violated COVID-19 protocols over the weekend and had to spend a few days away from the team. Now that he's tested negative, he'll be allowed to return to his teammates without any further punishment. The episode shouldn't significantly affect his preseason preparation.

Madrigal started at second base and went 0-for-2 in Monday's spring game against the Dodgers.

Making his first Cactus League appearance, Madrigal slotted in at familiar spots, second base and ninth in the batting order. The infielder had been rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and reported no ill effects from his first game action. "There's been no setbacks at all," Madrigal told Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "If anything, I'm ahead of schedule in their eyes. I've been progressing really well from the strength side of it to mobility." The White Sox will evaluate Madrigal on Tuesday to see how he responds to Monday's activity; if there are no issues, look for him to see plenty of at-bats to get ready for the regular season.

Ramirez (not injury related) will be allowed to rejoin the team as soon as he receives a second negative COVID-19 test, which should happen Tuesday morning, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Ramirez and teammate Franmil Reyes violated COVID-19 protocols over the weekend, but it doesn't look as though either player will face further punishment from the team. Both players are working out on their own and will be back on the field as soon as they're cleared.

Madrigal (shoulder) will start at second base and bat ninth Monday in the White Sox's Cactus League game against the Dodgers.

As was anticipated coming out of the weekend, Madrigal will get the chance to make his spring debut Monday after the White Sox elected to bring him along slowly in the early stages of camp following his October surgery on his left shoulder. The fact that Madrigal will be playing his first game in the field rather than as a designated hitter suggests that the White Sox are confident in his health. Assuming his debut Monday goes smoothly, Madrigal will turn his focus to ramping up ahead of Opening Day, when he'll likely serve as the White Sox's starter at the keystone.

Donaldson went 1-for-2 with a home run in his spring debut in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. "Right now, I feel really good. Moving around well. I've been doing a lot of running, so hopefully, that bodes well for us going into the season," Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

The Twins eased Donaldson into action this spring to try and prevent the calf injuries that limited him to 28 games last season and caused him to miss the playoffs. He may play every other day this spring to keep him fresh for the regular season. Manager Rocco Baldelli has said Donaldson will be given extra time off early in the regular season to keep him fresh for the second half.

Paredes looked good at second base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Paredes made a few diving catches and received strong reviews from teammates for his play at the keystone. The 22-year-old exclusively played third base during his debut 2020 campaign, but the ability to play several infield positions could help him earn more at-bats this season. Jonathan Schoop, who arrived at camp Sunday after being delayed due to visa issues, figures to be the regular second baseman for the Tigers once he clears intake testing and gets up to speed.

Bregman (hamstring) said he feels "90 percent" healthy, but it's unclear when he's expected to make his spring debut, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The 26-year-old suffered the hamstring injury while working out in January, but he's been a full participant in pregame work and is also taking live batting practice. Bregman indicates he'll be ready in time for Opening Day, and it's no surprise to see the Astros exercising caution with their star third baseman early in camp.

Ramirez is away from the team after violating COVID-19 protocols, and he'll need to pass through the testing procedures before returning to the club, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez and teammate Franmil Reyes both violated the league's protocols and were subsequently sent home. It's unclear when either player will be cleared to rejoin the team.

Chapman, who played his first game of spring in the field Friday, reported no physical setbacks after making a diving stab of a groundball in the second inning, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports.

The two-time Platinum Glove winner looked like he hadn't missed a beat when he dove to his right to snag the Angels' Kurt Suzuki's grounder, hopped quickly to his feet and cut down the veteran catcher at first with a strong one-hop throw. The sequence held a bit more weight than a run-of-the-mill early spring training play, considering Chapman's offseason hip surgery and how critical his defense is to the Athletics' fortunes. "He really takes pride in it," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "A lot of guys concentrate more on the bat. But defense is his calling card, even though he's a terrific offensive player, too."

Bregman (hamstring) is not in the lineup for Saturday's spring game against the Mets, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

Bregman's hamstring injury has prevented him from seeing any action this spring, and his status will not change Saturday. The Astros will have a day off after their next game Sunday, so it seems likely Bregman's spring debut will not come until at least sometime next week.