MLB Player News

Suarez (shoulder) swung with both arms off a tee Friday for the first time since late-January surgery to remove loose cartilage in his right shoulder, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

He continues to take small steps in his recovery, throwing lightly Thursday and then progressing to swings. Suarez says his arm and shoulder feel OK and that he is feeling better every day as he tries to get more comfortable but added that he is not close to 100 percent yet. He says taking swings feels better than throwing. The goal remains for him to be ready for Opening Day, but that is not a certainty.

Escobar went 1-for-2 with two RBI in Friday's spring game against the Mariners.

Escobar slotted into the third spot in the batting order while starting at third base. He may also qualify as a second baseman after playing 32 games there in 2019, but Ketel Marte is expected to see more action at second in 2020. That is the domino effect of adding Startling Marte, who will start in center field, allowing Ketel Marte to return to his natural spot at second.

Riley is the underdog in the third base competition with Johan Camargo, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Camargo hit a home run off Yankees prospect Deivi Garcia in Friday's game, while Riley is 2-for-10 with just one strikeout. Riley has a much higher offensive ceiling, so the Braves wouldn't be opposed to him winning the job with a great spring training performance, but it sounds like it is Camargo's job to lose, at least in Bowman's estimation.

Moustakas left camp Friday because his wife is about to give birth, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Moustakas will presumably miss a few games to be with his wife and newborn child, but his preparation for the upcoming season shouldn't be significantly impacted. He lines up as the Reds' starting second baseman this season, though he could return to his typical position of third base if Eugenio Suarez isn't recovered from his shoulder injury by Opening Day.

Manager Bud Black expects McMahon to play over 150 games for the Rockies this season, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. "He's walking around with a sense of knowing that he belongs, that he's a big leaguer and going to be a productive big leaguer, and I love that confidence," said Black.

McMahon figures to get the bulk of his starts at second base, but he can also handle third base and first base when needed. He said that he lost 16 pounds during the 2019 season, as the 162-game schedule took its toll. With that in mind, he began his workouts earlier this winter in an effort to be better prepared for the six-month grind. McMahon had elite exit velocity/hard hit data according to Statcast and has a significant room for improvement over the .250/.329/.450 slash line he posted in his first full big-league season.

Suarez (shoulder) was cleared to resume light throwing Thursday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Suarez isn't yet taking full swings during spring training, but his ability to start throwing again represents another step forward in his recovery from late-January shoulder surgery. The Reds remain hopeful that Suarez will be ready to go for Opening Day, but he could be in store for a brief stint on the injured list to begin the season if he's unable to make it back in action before the Cactus League schedule ends. Suarez is probably at least two weeks away from appearing in spring games.

Davis is confident he'll be available on Opening Day after an MRI on his left shoulder revealed no serious injuries Wednesday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

A player's optimism about his own timeline is nothing new and certainly shouldn't be taken as gospel, but the Mets don't appear to be overly worried, calling the issue simply a jammed shoulder. Davis figures to factor into the mix at third base and left field this season after hitting .307/.369/.527 with 22 homers in 453 plate appearances last year.

Robinson (elbow) will serve as the Giants' designated hitter and bat ninth in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Brewers, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Though Robinson won't see any defensive work Wednesday, he previously saw action at second base and right field in his prior two spring appearances. As such, it appears safe to conclude that he's reasonably healthy after requiring progressive Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in August. Robinson is attending camp as a non-roster invitee and will compete for a utility spot on the Giants' Opening Day roster.

Davis' MRI on his jammed left shoulder didn't show much inflammation or any new structural damage Wednesday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Davis left Tuesday's game against the Tigers after diving for a groundball, but he seems to have escaped without serious injury. The MRI did reveal a previous injury to Davis' shoulder that the Mets and Davis apparently both didn't know about, but that issue hasn't produced any previous symptoms and doesn't appear to be a major worry. Despite the good news, it remains unclear when Davis will return to game action.

Anderson (hand) will start at third base and bat second in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Anderson exited early in Monday's contest against the Cardinals after being struck on the hand by a pitch, but he was fortunate to escape without any structural damage. After taking Tuesday off while waiting for the soreness to subside, Anderson is ready to reclaim his usual spot in the field and batting order.