MLB Player News

Arenado went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Friday's Cactus League opener against the Rockies.

It might seem odd that a starting position player would play in the first spring game, but Arenado needs to get the work in before suiting up for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Arenado is looking for a bounce-back season in the desert after two consecutive seasons of diminished power.

Rumfield will have a chance to win a roster spot at first base this spring, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

The Rockies acquired Rumfield in an unheralded trade in late January, but he'll have the chance to immediately contribute for his new club. Colorado has competition across most of its infield this spring, and manager Warren Schaeffer said that the starting role at first base is "wide open." Rumfield was previously blocked in the Yankees organization, but he posted a 121 wRC+ across 587 plate appearances at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2025. He also won a Gold Glove with Double-A Somerset in 2023, so his glove could also help his case for a roster spot.

Triolo is expected to start at third base for the Pirates to begin the 2026 season, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Triolo is an elite defender at both second and third base, and he is also capable of filling in at shortstop. The Pirates value that versatility, but the team has failed to land any of their targets at third base this offseason. That leaves Triolo as the favorite to start at the hot corner, though his productivity as a hitter could dictate his ability to remain an everyday player. Triolo has a career 87 wRC+ across 1,031 plate appearances, though he posted a 117 wRC+ across 216 plate appearances in the second half of 2025.

Reimer worked hard on improving his defense at third base in the offseason, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The 21-year-old is coming off a breakout campaign with his bat, as he slashed .282/.381/.490 over 123 games between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton with 17 homers and 15 steals, but scouts have long believed Reimer will need to move across the diamond to first base at some point. He's not shifting down the defensive spectrum without a fight, however. "I understand it, obviously," Reimer said of that speculation. "It's fair. But I want to show that I can definitely go out there and be an elite-level defensive player." He'll get his first look at Triple-A at some point this season, but even if he performs well, it could take some injuries ahead of him on the depth chart to get Reimer a 2026 big-league debut.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that Baty will be eased into spring training action after experiencing hamstring discomfort during offseason workout two weeks ago, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

It doesn't sound like an overly serious issue for Baty, but the Mets are going to bring him along slowly early in camp. Baty figures to have a chance to beat out top prospect Carson Benge for the starting job in right field this spring, but if he doesn't, Baty is still projected to see plenty of playing time around the diamond in a utility role in 2026.

Riley didn't have any limitations this offseason and worked with Atlanta hitting coach Tim Hyers on finding his old swing, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The third baseman underwent sports hernia surgery in early August that ended his 2025 campaign prematurely, but he was fully recovered in time to get back to his normal offseason routine. That's a marked contrast to the previous offseason, when hand surgery left Riley in a cast until January and had him playing catchup during spring training. While he missed a total of 112 regular-season games over the prior two seasons, Riley appears to be in good shape to regain the form that saw him average 36 homers, 99 RBI and 159.3 games played from 2021-23.

Suarez is taking reps at first base to start each day of spring training, Charlie Goldsmith of The Dayton Daily News reports. "I'm a guy who likes work," Suarez said. "I want to be better at first base. I know they're going to need me there."

Suarez is still likely to get most of his starts as the Reds' designated hitter, with Ke'Bryan Hayes starting at third base and either Sal Stewart or Spencer Steer playing first base, but every bit of flexibility helps. Suarez played the first three games at first base of his major league career last season.

Freeman has been slowed early on in Rockies camp by back soreness, MLB.com reports.

Freeman was given an anti-inflammatory injection weeks before camp opened and the hope is that he will be cleared for full activities soon. The 26-year-old slashed .281/.354/.361 with two home runs and 18 stolen bases for Colorado in 2025 and, assuming health, appears slated for a utility role in 2026.

The Cardinals designated Ramos for assignment Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Ramos was scooped up by St. Louis via waivers earlier this month and could now be on the move again. The 23-year-old infielder has slashed just .198/.244/.333 in a limited sample at the big-league level and hit .216/.309/.396 with 16 home runs in 2025 at Triple-A Charlotte in the White Sox organization.

The Dodgers signed Espinal to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

He will likely begin the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but Espinal provides the Dodgers with some experienced infield depth while Tommy Edman (ankle) and Enrique Hernandez (elbow) are shelved. The 31-year-old slashed only .243/.292/.282 with zero home runs over 114 regular-season contests in 2025 with the Reds.