MLB Player News

Senzel batted .231 (9-for-39) over 15 Grapefruit League games with a 4:13 BB:K and only two extra-base hits, both doubles.

The former Red signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Nationals in December, and Senzel's new team is hoping it has the same success reviving his career that it did with Jeimer Candelario in 2023. Senzel showed little this spring to indicate he's headed for a breakout season though, and while he'll be the Nats' Opening Day starter at third base, he may need to hit the ground running to keep the job with Trey Lipscomb making a big impression in camp and Brady House potentially ready to push for a spot in the majors as well.

The Nationals reassigned Lipscomb to minor-league camp Tuesday.

The 23-year-old made a strong push for a roster spot during spring training with a .995 OPS in 55 plate appearances, but he'll still end up beginning the campaign in the minors. Luis Garcia retains a tenuous grip on the starting job at second base, but Lipscomb's strong spring puts him in prime position for an early-season promotion should Garcia have a poor start to the campaign.

Madrigal (hamstring) is expected to avoid the injured list and be part of the Cubs' Opening Day roster, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Madrigal returned to Cactus League play Sunday after missing three weeks with a right hamstring strain. He'll finish the spring with just 19 plate appearances, but evidently the Cubs have deemed that sufficient. The 27-year-old is a candidate for some playing time at third base for the Cubs.

The Brewers informed Monasterio on Monday that he'll be included on the Opening Day roster, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Monasterio will be part of his first Opening Day roster after he impressed the Brewers with his on-base skills and defensive versatility last season upon receiving his first call to the big leagues in late May. While picking up 77 total starts between second base, third base and shortstop, Monasterio slashed .259/.330/.348 across 315 plate appearances. Though injuries to other infielders helped him secure steady playing time for much of his time in the big leagues last season, Monasterio is likely to handle a short-side platoon role to begin 2024. He'll be a candidate to replace Brice Turang at second base or Sal Frelick at third base when the Brewers face left-handed pitching.

Lipscomb finished the spring batting .400 (20-for-50) through 21 Grapefruit League games with one home run, one stolen base and a 5:7 BB:K.

The 23-year-old hasn't played above Double-A yet after being a third-round pick in 2022, but Lipscomb was one of the most impressive prospects the Nationals had in camp, looking big-league ready as a defender at multiple infield positions while raking at the plate. The organization wants him to play every day and he isn't yet on the 40-man roster, which would seem to have him ticketed for Triple-A to begin the season, but presumed starting second baseman Luis Garcia has struggled this spring -- in the Grapefruit League finale against the Mets on Sunday, he committed his fourth error in 17 games. As a result, Washington is giving serious consideration to having Lipscomb be the double-play partner for CJ Abrams on Opening Day.

The Diamondbacks reassigned Newman to minor-league camp Sunday.

After joining Arizona in January on a minor-league deal that included an invitation to big-league spring training, Newman posted an underwhelming .599 OPS over 20 games in Cactus League play to take himself out of consideration for a utility role. Unless he opts out of his minor-league deal and pursues opportunities with another organization, Newman is set to begin the season at Triple-A Reno.

Baty was informed Sunday he has made the Mets' Opening Day roster, and he could begin the season as the club's everyday third baseman since Mark Vientos was optioned, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports.

A platoon at third base with Baty and Vientos seemed plausible after New York signed veteran slugger J.D. Martinez on Thursday, but Vientos will instead begin the campaign at Triple-A Syracuse. Baty posted a .212/.275/.323 slash line and 28.2 percent strikeout rate in 108 games last season, so he likely won't have a ton of job security if he continues to struggle in 2024.

Candelario started at third base and went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's spring game against the Rockies.

Candelario, who launched his first spring home run, took awhile to get the bat going, but he now appears locked in. After going 2-for-25 (.080) over his first 10 Cactus League games, Candelario is 6-for-15 with three extra-base hits in his last four appearances. At the time he signed as a free agent, the 30-year-old corner infielder was expected to bounce between first and third base (with occasional starts at DH), but the 80-game suspension handed out to Noelvi Marte means Candelario will primarily handle the hot corner for the first three months of the season.

De Los Santos cleared waivers Saturday and was returned to the Diamondbacks, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

De Los Santos was selected by the Guardians during the Rule 5 Draft in December, but he wasn't able to make the team's 26-man Opening Day roster. He'll now return to the Diamondbacks organization, losing his 40-man roster spot in the process. The 20-year-old infielder spent all of last season at Double-A Amarillo, slashing .254/.297/.431 across 481 plate appearances, but he could receive a bump to Triple-A Reno to begin 2024. The Guardians also experimented with giving De Los Santos reps in the corner outfield positions, but it's unclear whether that experiment will continue as he returns to Arizona.

Triolo is expected to be Pittsburgh's regular second baseman after Liover Peguero was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Triolo was initially projected for a utility role this season, but he's maintained a .436 wOBA across 39 plate appearances this spring. His underlying 30.8 percent strikeout rate and .500 BABIP make it clear that Triolo won't enjoy the same success over a larger sample, but he did enough to beat out Peguero for the second base job to begin the regular season.