MLB Player News

Anderson (shoulder) is starting Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Anderson missed the end of the 2021 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair his left shoulder capsule in mid-September, but he'll make his spring debut Saturday. The 28-year-old will start at the hot corner and bat sixth against Houston. He should see added competition at third base this year after the Marlins brought in Joey Wendle, but Anderson has expressed a willingness to play left field in 2022.

Lewis started at shortstop and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in his spring debut during Friday's loss to Atlanta. It was his first game action since tearing his ACL before the 2021 season.

Lewis is fully healthy as spring training begins. He hasn't played in a minor-league game since 2019 (with the 2020 minor-league season having been canceled), so he'll need some time in the minors to reacclimate himself. The first overall pick in the 2017 Draft is still regarded by many as Minnesota's top prospect, but the long layoff clouds his outlook. It's also not clear if he'll stick at shortstop or move to center field. He could begin the season at Triple-A, but the Twins may also ease him into action at Double-A.

Kieboom was scratched from Friday's lineup due to right elbow soreness and he will have an MRI on Saturday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. "It worries me a little bit," manager Dave Martinez said.

This seems a bit ominous, especially considering an MRI has already been scheduled. Kieboom should be considered questionable for Opening Day. Maikel Franco and Alcides Escobar are options to fill in at third base while Kieboom is out.

Kieboom was scratched from the lineup for Friday's Grapefruit League matchup against the Marlins for an undisclosed reason, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

It's not clear whether Kieboom is dealing with an injury or whether he'll be available as a pinch hitter against Miami. Maikel Franco will start at third base and bat seventh Friday.

Miranda went 1-for-2 in his spring debut in Thursday's loss to Boston. The Twins want him to work hard on his defense this spring, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Miranda was so impressive in the minors last season while hitting .343/.397/.563 with 17 home runs in 80 games at Triple-A that he could be a factor at third base in the majors early in the season with the Twins trading Josh Donaldson to the Yankees. However, he's never played in the majors as the Twins didn't elect to call him up last September, so it would be surprising if he was given a real chance to break camp with the big league club.

McMahon could continue to serve as the Rockies' primary third baseman in 2022, even after the team signed Kris Bryant to a seven-year, $182 million contract Wednesday, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

McMahon has had steady playing time across the last several seasons, and he performed well in 2021 while mainly playing at third base after the team traded Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals. McMahon appeared in 151 games last year and slashed .254/.331/.449 with 23 home runs, 86 RBI, 80 runs and six stolen bases. Given the 27-year-old's strong results and Bryant's ability to serve as a corner outfielder, McMahon will likely continue to serve as the team's primary third baseman while Bryant takes over in left field. With Bryant in line for a spot in the top half of the order, McMahon should also see increased run-producing opportunities while hitting near the middle of the lineup in 2022.

Moustakas will likely get the lion's share of playing time at third base for the Reds following the trade of Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "Obviously, Mike has earned that," Reds manager David Bell said. "We know what kind of player he is. You lose Geno - huge loss - and you have Mike Moustakas to kind of step right in. He was already factoring in there anyway."

Moustakas had three different injuries last season, missing 85 games. He'll no longer have to scramble to play out of position, though it's possible he'll still see some time at DH.

Duffy agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Angels on Wednesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Duffy appeared in 97 games for the Cubs last season and hit .287/.357/.381 with five home runs, 45 runs, 30 RBI and eight stolen bases in 322 plate appearances. The 31-year-old saw most of his action between third base and second base with Chicago but also made brief appearances at first base, shortstop and the outfield. Duffy should primarily operate as a infield option off the bench for the Angels.

Anderson (shoulder) is willing to play left field this season, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The addition of Joey Wendle to the Marlins lineup creates extra competition for Anderson at third base, but the 28-year-old says he's willing to give left field a try if necessary. "I'm always open to it," said Anderson. "I haven't done it [played outfield] in a couple of years. But the last couple of times that I did it, it helped me out and helped the team out. That's my job now, especially getting a guy like Wendle that can play multiple positions. We've got guys like [Jon] Berti, [Miguel Rojas] [and Jazz Chisholm Jr.] who play multiple positions. So I think we're just going to run the best lineup out there every single day. And if that means I'm in the outfield, then I'm in the outfield." Anderson last saw outfield action in 2019 when he played 55 games in right field, but he's never played left as a professional. Before he plays anywhere, however, he'll have to demonstrate his surgically repaired shoulder is back to 100 percent.

Kieboom will compete with Maikel Franco for the starting job at third base during spring training, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

The Nationals are hopeful that Kieboom will be able to serve as the Nationals' starting third baseman to begin the season, but manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday that the 24-year-old will need to earn the job. The 24-year-old appeared in 62 games for Washington last year and slashed .207/.301/.318 with six homers, 26 runs and 20 RBI.