MLB Player News

Moustakas (shoulder) didn't practice Wednesday, but the Reds are confident that he will be fine, and could return to game action as soon as Saturday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Manager David Bell is taking extra precautions with Moustakas, who missed a considerable portion of the season last year with an injury that lasted longer than he or the Reds expected. "(I) don't want to push him," Bell said. "I already took him out of the lineup for (Thursday) and we'll shoot for Saturday. I haven't heard any indication why it would be any longer than that."

Kreidler went 1-for-1 with a grand slam in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

Kreidler is making a push for an Opening Day roster spot, and grand slams definitely help that cause. The 24-year-old is still probably ticketed for Triple-A Toledo to begin the year, but after slashing .304/.407/.519 in 41 games with the Mud Hens in 2021, he may not be too far away from his MLB debut.

Jung no longer requires the use of a sling to stabilize his surgically repaired left shoulder, independent baseball journalist Jeff Wilson reports.

Now four weeks removed from arthroscopic surgery, Jung has taken the first notable step forward in his recovery by ditching the sling. Though Jung is seemingly progressing well at this early stage of his rehab program, the Rangers are still preparing for him to be sidelined for 6-to-8 months. That timeline means that Jung likely isn't on track to make his MLB debut this season, unless the Rangers find themselves in playoff contention in September and are looking to add an impact bat to the active roster.

Bregman (wrist) is starting at third base and batting cleanup in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Bregman underwent surgery on his right wrist in November, and he'll make his first start of spring training Wednesday. The 27-year-old hit .270/.355/.422 with 12 home runs, 54 runs and 55 RBI in 91 games last season, but he struggled over the final couple weeks of the regular season and had a .604 OPS during the playoffs. It's unclear exactly how much the wrist issue affected his production, but Bregman is now healthy entering 2022 with a chance for a rebound campaign.

Farmer agreed to a one-year, $3.155 million contract with the Reds on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

Farmer appeared in 147 games for Cincinnati last year and hit .263/.316/.416 with 16 home runs, 60 runs and 63 RBI in 529 plate appearances. The 31-year-old is poised to open the 2022 campaign as the Reds' primary shortstop.

Vargas 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners.

Vargas did not go deep in 34 games at the MLB level last season with three different teams, so the power is a bit of a surprise. With the Cubs adding Andrelton Simmons in the offseason, and Nick Madrigal (hamstring) also getting healthy and joining the mix in the middle infield, Vargas may get squeezed from the MLB roster. A strong spring could help his cause, or at least make him a more likely call-up candidate down the road if he plays well at the Triple-A level.

Manager David Bell said Moustakas is fine and has full range of motion in his left shoulder after exiting Tuesday's spring game against the Dodgers, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Moustakas suffered the injury when he landed on his shoulder while making a diving attempt in the field Tuesday. The 33-year-old could take it easy for a couple days, but by the sounds of it he should be able to return to game action before too long.

Devers signed a one-year, $11.2 million deal with the Red Sox on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Devers will more than double his salary in his second year of arbitration eligibility. He'd earn far more on the open market, as he's coming off a season in which he hit .279/.352/.538 with 38 homers, a line he backed up with an excellent 15.0 percent barrel rate.

Davis and the Mets agreed Tuesday on a one-year, $2.76 million contract, avoiding arbitration, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Davis won't receive much of a pay increase from his 2021 salary ($2.1 million) after his offensive production lagged well behind the pace of his breakout 2019 campaign (.896 OPS) for the second straight year. Though the 28-year-old was at least a well-above league-average performer in 2021 with a .285/.384/.436 slash line (130 wRC+), his lack of defensive utility along with the Mets' improved options at the corner-infield and corner-outfield spots hampered his playing-time outlook. Davis is healthy again after undergoing a procedure in October to address a hand injury that nagged him at points last season, but even with the designated hitter coming to the National League, the Mets don't look like they'll have room in the everyday lineup for him.

Moustakas left Tuesday's game against the Dodgers with an apparent left arm injury, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Moustakas appeared to hurt either his shoulder or wrist after attempting a diving defensive play. The nature and severity of the injury are not yet clear. Moustakas looks like the Reds' primary third baseman this season provided he's able to remain healthy following an injury-plagued 2021 season.