MLB Player News
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Brett Baty 3B | NYM
Mets' Brett Baty: Stays hot Friday
Baty went 2-for-3 with a double and a two-run home run in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
The 25-year-old has been the most impressive hitter in camp for the Mets. Baty is batting .354 (17-for-48) through 18 spring appearances with six doubles, a triple and three homers, and he's shown improved defense as well as he splits time between second base and third base. Baty is expected to begin the season on the strong side of a platoon at the keystone with Luisangel Acuna while Jeff McNeil (oblique) is on the shelf, but he'll need to do better than his career .607 OPS in the majors to retain a significant role.
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Austin Shenton 1B | SEA
Mariners' Austin Shenton: Sent to Tacoma
The Mariners optioned Shenton to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.
In his first spring with the Mariners after being traded from Tampa Bay during the offseason, Shenton went 9-for-34 with two RBI, four runs scored and 13 strikeouts. He'll now head to Triple-A to begin the 2025 campaign but could soon work his way back to Seattle, as he owns a .932 OPS across his Triple-A career.
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Justyn-Henry Malloy 3B | DET
Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy: Back in action
Malloy (illness) is in the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.
After turning the page on a stomach bug, Malloy will resume his bid for a bench spot on the Opening Day roster. The 25-year-old has made a compelling case so far, going 13-for-43 in exhibition play, though only three of those hits have gone for extra bases (all doubles).
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Ryan Kreidler 3B | MIN
Tigers' Ryan Kreidler: Optioned to Triple-A
Kreidler was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Kreidler hit two homers and drew 10 walks in 19 Grapefruit League games, but it wasn't enough to secure a spot on Detroit's bench to begin the regular season. The 27-year-old has appeared in the majors in each of the past three seasons, topping out at 84 big-league plate appearances in 2022.
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Justyn-Henry Malloy 3B | DET
Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy: Scratched with illness
Malloy was scratched from the lineup for Friday's split-squad game against the Yankees due to an illness, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
The 25-year-old was penciled in to bat leadoff but will instead sit out due to a stomach bug. Malloy likely isn't in danger of missing Opening Day and should be back in action within a few days.
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Curtis Mead 3B | CHW
Rays' Curtis Mead: Makes Opening Day roster
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Friday that Mead has made the Opening Day roster, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
Mead has been one of the best performers during Grapefruit League play, going an absurd 19-for-35 with one home run in 13 contests. Once the regular season begins, much of Mead's playing time likely will come versus left-handed pitching, although he could play his way into at-bats against righties, too, if he's able to carry over his performance from this spring. The 24-year-old has just a 78 wRC+ across 224 big-league plate appearances.
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Ramon Urias 2B | HOU
Orioles' Ramon Urias: Returns to lineup Thursday
Urias (hamstring) will start at third base and bat eighth in Thursday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Yankees.
Urias was unavailable for a little over a week as he battled through some hamstring soreness but is ready to give it a go in this one. The 30-year-old could see increased reps early on in the season if Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) isn't ready.
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Brett Baty 3B | NYM
Mets' Brett Baty: Bangs out two XBH on Wednesday
Baty went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, a run scored and an RBI in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
Both extra-base hits came off Ronel Blanco, and Baty is now batting .333 (14-for-42) this spring with four doubles, a triple and two homers, plus a sharp 4:5 BB:K. The 25-year-old has emerged as the favorite to start at second base for the Mets while Jeff McNeil (oblique) is on the shelf, or at least handle the strong side of a platoon with Luisangel Acuna, and while Baty has yet to provide consistent offense in the majors, his career .273/.368/.531 slash line at Triple-A with 26 home runs in 416 plate appearances will earn him at least one more chance to turn his potential into production.
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Austin Riley 3B | ATL
Braves' Austin Riley: Slugs second spring homer
Riley went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
The third baseman took Fernando Cruz deep in the sixth inning for the first runs of the game after Spencer Schwellenbach and Carlos Carrasco engaged in a pitcher's duel through the first part of the contest. It was Riley's second homer of the spring, and a good sign that the pitch he took off his right hand over the weekend won't be a lingering issue. Through 14 Grapefruit League appearances, Riley is batting .294 (10-for-34) with a 3:9 BB:K and three doubles in addition to his long balls.