MLB Player News

According to his manager, Donaldson (calf) is "moving around pretty good" and not far off from making his spring debut, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet reports.

Donaldson has been hitting outside, long tossing and taking ground balls, but must try running before playing in Grapefruit League games. That hasn't happened yet, but the Jays are encouraged by the third baseman's progress. At this point, his status for Opening Day doesn't appear to be a concern.

Candelario was forced to leave the game Sunday after being hit by a pitch on his ankle, resulting in a bruise, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Candelario seemed to go down in pain after being hit, but the fact that the Cubs are not currently planning on having him undergo X-rays means it's likely just a bruise. The 23-year-old had been off to a hot start this spring, hitting .333 so far while putting together some impressive at-bats. Although Candelario is heavily blocked from a path to the big leagues due to Chicago's immense infield depth, he could end up forcing his way onto the Cubs' roster if he has an especially strong spring.

Manager Terry Francona hinted Ramirez will hit fifth, behind Edwin Encarnacion, in the batting order, Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer reports.

Francona says it's too early for him to establish a definitive lineup, but the Tribe manager is thinking about it. The skipper has penciled in Encarnacion as the No. 4 hitter, replacing the departed Mike Napoli, and said their new slugger needs to be protected. He elaborated, "Jose [Ramirez] did a great job behind Nap last season," indicating Ramirez will once again hit fifth. The Tribe's switch-hitting third baseman batted .312 versus right-handers and .311 against southpaws, producing a .355 batting average with runners in scoring position. The 24-year-old Ramirez dropped 11 home runs with 76 RBI and finished second in the league with 46 doubles.

Riley replaced Adonis Garcia in Saturday's split-squad game against the Marlins and went 2-for-2 with a double.

The No. 6 prospect in a deep Braves farm system, the 19-year-old Riley popped 20 home runs in Low-A Rome last year and has a huge ceiling if he can get his strikeouts under control. He'll head back to minor league camp when it begins next week and is years away from his major league debut, but he's made a good first impression on the big club.

Donaldson (calf) is "very happy" with his progression from a calf strain and "way better" than last week, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet Canada reports.

It's great news to hear Donaldson talk positively about his recovery. The three-time All-Star has been gradually increasing his workload throughout camp and will likely aim to begin running within the coming week. "The fact is we're trying to give it some time to heal up and make sure we're not rushing it at this point," he said. There's still plenty of spring left, so expect Donaldson to receive ample Grapefruit League playing time upon his return.

Chapman was a late scratch from Saturday's Cactus League game after he cracked his toenail on a chair, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Manager Bob Melvin took Chapman out as a precaution, so it's safe to consider him day-to-day. The 23-year-old has one hit in 10 at-bats this spring after slugging 29 home runs at Double-A Midland last season. Expect to see him back in the lineup soon.

Moustakas (knee) is expected to make his Cactus League debut at third base Tuesday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Moustakas, who underwent ACL surgery last July, has been eased back into team workouts this spring and now will finally get his shot on the field. He appeared in just 27 games last season, hitting seven home runs before suffering his season-ending injury. Manager Ned Yost has reiterated that Moustakas will be completely ready by Opening Day, and Tuesday seems to be a major step in that process.

Moncada hit a single and an RBI triple and scored a run in Friday's game against the Padres. He also struck out twice.

Moncada showed off his speed in beating out the triple and later scored from second on a Jose Abreu single. The performance, coming after the White Sox announced the release of second baseman Brett Lawrie, could lead to speculation about the organization's top prospect opening the season as Chicago's starting second baseman. However, general manager Rick Hahn reiterated to the Chicago Tribune that Moncada will open the season in the minors. He still needs some polish as evidenced by his seven strikeouts in 12 spring at-bats.

Longoria went 2-for-3 in Friday's 5-2 Grapefruit League win over the Tigers.

The veteran slugger, coming off a career-high 36 home runs in 2016, has quietly been swinging the bat well this spring. Factoring in Friday's pair of singles, Longoria is hitting .500 (4-for-8) with one RBI over the three games he's seen action in.

Segura will replace Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez (shoulder) on the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic roster, according to Dominican general manager Moises Alou, MLB Network's Jon Morosi reports.

Ramirez's absence will be a precaution heading into the season. Segura, meanwhile, will have less time in camp to work with his new Mariners club, but he gives the Dominican squad a more versatile infielder than Han-Ram. It's an unexpected disruption to Segura's first spring with Seattle, though the leadoff candidate remains a sensible starting shortstop or second baseman for any eligible fantasy owner.