MLB Player News

Duffy will hit leadoff and play third base for Thursday's Opening Day contest against Boston.

Though manager Kevin Cash said that Denard Span and Carlos Gomez are likely to share time atop the Rays' order this season, he elected to place Duffy in that role against Chris Sale on Opening Day. In 2016, Duffy appeared in 91 games split between Tampa Bay and San Francisco, hitting .258/.310/.357 with five home runs, 28 RBI and eight stolen bases, but he was limited to three minor-league rehab games in 2017 due to complications with a heel injury.

Alvarez will bat seventh out of the DH spot for Thursday's game against the Twins.

Alvarez officially earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and will likely serve as the team's designated hitter until Mark Trumbo returns from a quadriceps injury. The 31-year-old may not remain with the major-league team once Trumbo is activated from the 10-day DL, so this first week may be important in Alvarez's bid to stick around longer than expected.

Manager Terry Francona said Ramirez (finger) is expected to be in the Indians' Opening Day lineup, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Ramirez cut his finger on a metal bat rack in the dugout during Tuesday's spring game, prompting his removal in the second inning. Fortunately, the issue isn't anything serious and his removal was deemed precautionary, with Francona adding that Ramirez could have played through the issue if necessary. Look for him to reclaim his spot at the hot corner for Thursday's Opening Day showdown against the Mariners.

Ramirez exited Tuesday's spring game with a left middle finger laceration, Zack Meisel of The Athletic Cleveland reports.

Ramirez apparently suffered the injury in the dugout during the first inning and was subsequently replaced by Erik Gonzalez prior to the second frame. The Indians are currently listing him as day-to-day, but with Opening Day on Thursday, this will be something to keep an eye on. More should be known about the situation following the conclusion of Tuesday's game.

Devers (knee) will play Thursday against the Rays, Scott Lauber of ESPN.com reports.

Devers bruised his knee in a collision with Cubs catcher Victor Caratini on Monday and remains out of the lineup Tuesday. He appears to have been held out as a precaution and his manager Alex Cora has little doubt that he'll be in the lineup Thursday.

Devers said he felt fine Tuesday after bruising his knee Monday against the Cubs, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Devers bruised his knee in a collision with Cubs catcher Victor Caratini. He's out of the lineup Tuesday and isn't running, but he was able to hit in the cage without issues. It seems likely that he'll be ready to go by Opening Day, but with the start of the season just two days away, there's at least a small chance he'll miss a game or two.

Moncada went 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs as the leadoff hitter in Monday's exhibition game against Triple-A Charlotte.

Moncada has taken to the leadoff role since manager Rick Renteria started using him there at the beginning of March. In 15 spring games as the team's leadoff hitter, Moncada is 15-for-48 (.313) with seven walks, three home runs, nine RBI and three stolen bases. Included in that tantalizing production are 15 strikeouts -- the strikeouts have been Moncada's bane since reaching the upper minors and majors. Still, his ability to draw walks and speed on the basepaths should make him a productive leadoff hitter.

Devers has been diagnosed with a bruised knee after a collision with Cubs catcher Victor Caratini in Monday's spring training game, Scott Lauber of ESPN Boston reports.

It was a briefly scary moment for Red Sox fans and Devers owners alike Monday, but it doesn't seem like Devers will miss significant time due to this injury. At worst, Devers may see limited time over the rest of the exhibition campaign, but it doesn't appear he will miss any regular season games due to the collision.

Devers exited Monday's spring game after colliding with the opposing team's catcher, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Devers was slow to get up after sliding into home plate and colliding with the Cubs' backup catcher Victor Caratini. The Red Sox have yet to announce an injury, so it's possible his removal was simply precautionary given how late it is in spring training. Either way, more should be known following the conclusion of Monday's contest.

Donaldson said he'll sit out the Blue Jays' exhibition games in Montreal against the Cardinals on Monday and Tuesday for maintenance purposes, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. "I wouldn't say I feel amazing right now, because I don't," Donaldson said after playing five innings in the field in Sunday's 7-4 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates. "But that's getting through some things and hopefully by Opening Day, I'll feel good."

Donaldson noted that he feels in better physical condition this spring than he did at this time last year, but he's still been slowed down a bit by a right shoulder injury, calf cramps and general body soreness in recent weeks. The health issues may have played a role in his struggles during the Grapefruit League; he recorded just four hits -- all singles -- in 27 at-bats. In order to avoid a setback heading into the season, Donaldson will remain in Florida the next two days to get in some reps in a pair of minor-league games rather than playing on the artificial turf at Olympic Stadium. Despite entering Opening Day perhaps at less-than-optimal health, Donaldson still looks like a fairly safe early-round selection coming off three consecutive years of 30-plus home runs.