MLB Player News

Duffy could benefit by the uncertainty in the battle for the Rangers' starting job at first base, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Duffy has mostly played third base during his career, but the first-base battle between Ronald Guzman and Greg Bird has the Rangers thinking about alternate plans. Neither player has grabbed hold of the job, which has manager Chris Woodward thinking about moving third baseman Todd Frazier to first base, opening up an opportunity for Duffy or Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the hot corner. The question is whether Duffy can provide offense worthy of a corner infielder.

The Orioles optioned Urias (lower leg) to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.

Baltimore scooped up the utility infielder off waivers from the Cardinals in February, but Urias never had the opportunity to make a serious run at an Opening Day bench job before spring training was suspended last week. Though he battled shin splints about a week before the shutdown, Urias should be fully healthy by the time the minor-league season gets underway.

Donaldson hit .292/.320/.417 with three doubles and a 7:1 K:BB in 25 Grapefruit League plate appearances.

Donaldson has been a mentor to many of the Twins hitting prospects who were in big-league camp, talking hitting philosophies and swing mechanics with some while working with Royce Lewis and Travis Blankenhorn in the infield, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports. Donaldson will be ready to hit in the middle of the Twins' lineup when play resumes.

Wisdom was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday, Lauren Smith of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.

The 28-year-old joined the Mariners on a one-year deal in November but struggled prior to the suspension of spring training, going 3-for-22 in 13 games. Wisdom had an .882 OPS over 58 plate appearances with the Cardinals in 2018, but he struggled in nine big-league contests with the Rangers last season and went 4-for-26 with 15 strikeouts.

Astudillo's odds of making the 26-man roster have increased due to the delayed start to the season, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Had the season started on time, the Twins would have likely broken camp with LaMonte Wade and Jake Cave on the roster due to the fact Byron Buxton (shoulder) and Marwin Gonzalez (knee) were expected to enter the season at less than 100 percent. However, the shutdown period will allow both players to get fully healthy, and it's possible that a condensed season with fewer off days would incline the Twins to carry three catchers, which would favor Astudillo. He hit .269 with zero extra-base hits, zero walks and one strikeout in 26 plate appearances this spring.

Wisdom's chances of securing a utility spot on the Opening Day roster appear low due to multiple factors, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Wisdom arrived in Seattle on a one-year contract in late November and has been competing for a utility role, but his poor performance in Cactus League games and the versatility of some of the other candidates for the job leave him in an uphill battle whenever spring training resumes. Wisdom was hitting just .136 (3-for-22) over 13 games when play was suspended, and while he's capable of filling in at both corner infield spots, the likes of Jose Marmolejos, Tim Lopes and Dylan Moore (foreram) are all capable of also playing in the outfield in addition to filling in at multiple infield spots.

Chapman was hitting .238 (5-for-21) with three extra-base hits (one double, two home runs), six RBI, six walks and seven runs across 10 Cactus League contests before spring training was suspended.

The slugging third baseman's batting average over the small sample may not be aesthetically pleasing, but Chapman was on base plenty when also factoring in his walks and clearly put good wood on the ball more often than not when hitting safely. Chapman heads into 2020 with massive expectations after generating career highs in home runs (36), RBI (91), walks (73) and runs (102) across 156 games last season.

LeMahieu is participating in baseball drills and working out at the Yankees' spring training complex in Tampa, George A. King III of the New York Post reports.

While some Yankees players and coaches have elected to go home in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, LeMahieu suggested that he will remain in Florida for some time in order to take advantage of the pleasant weather and major-league workout facilities. There is a psychological benefit to remaining around the complex as well. "Personally, it keeps me sane. At least work out and do some baseball stuff," LeMahieu stated.

Lewis will continue to develop as a shortstop for now, although he has really impressed the Twins with his brief stints in center field, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.

Essentially, it sounds like the Twins will keep Lewis at shortstop until they are forced to move him elsewhere, and they have a lot of faith in him being a quality defensive center fielder in short order if he ends up moving to the grass. Lewis also played third base and second base in the Arizona Fall League, which adds to his defensive versatility. More important for fantasy purposes is how Lewis develops at the plate. He hit .200 with two home runs, seven strikeouts and zero walks in 25 plate appearances in big-league camp after taking home MVP honors in the AFL. Lewis clearly needs more time -- likely a full season -- at Double-A and Triple-A before he is ready for the majors.

Groshans said in an interview with Jim Callis of MLB.com earlier this month that he made a full recovery from the left foot injury that sidelined him from mid-May onward last season. "Mostly just being flexible, being able to move quicker, faster," Groshans said, regarding what he focused on this offseason once he became healthy again. "I lost a little bit of body fat, put some muscle on just to try and get stronger. I actually feel lighter, faster and stronger than I did last year."

Groshans' 2020 debut looks like it will have to wait until at least mid-May after Major League Baseball recently announced the start of the season would be pushed back eight weeks or more, but he'll at least head into his third pro campaign with a clean bill of health. Before the sore left foot sidelined him, Groshans more than held his own in the Midwest League, posting a .337/.427/.482 slash line (167 wRC+). He'll likely start the season with Low-A Lansing but could be in store for a quick promotion to High-A Dunedin if he resumes raking at the plate right away.