MLB Player News

After initially classifying his calf injury as a minor setback, the Twins will shut down third baseman Trevor Plouffe for a "week-plus," manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB.com on Sunday. Gardenhire said the injury would have landed Plouffe on the disabled list had this been the regular season and the team will exercise caution moving forward. Plouffe apparently aggravated a strained left calf injury during workouts Sunday.

MLB.com reports Twins general manager Terry Ryan said third baseman Trevor Plouffe re-injured his calf Sunday morning, but it's considered a minor setback and he's listed as day to day. Plouffe is batting .407 (11 for 27) with one double and six RBI in nine spring games.

The Philadelphia Phillies continued shaping their roster Saturday and reassigned the following players to their minor-league camp: pitchers Jonathan Pettibone, Adam Morgan, Ethan Martin, J.C. Ramirez, Joe Savery and Kyle Simon, catcher Tommy Joseph, third baseman Cody Asche, outfielder Zach Collier and second baseman Michael Martinez.

After accidentally wearing wearing the wrong jersey (No. 98), Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson belted a pair of home runs in Friday's Cactus League contest against the Mariners. However, Donaldson's numbers won't count since the game was washed away in the third inning. "I don't know if it was the number or not," Donaldson said. "But I might give it another shot."

Nationals prospect Anthony Rendon -- headed to the minors no matter what he does in spring training -- hit his third home run of the spring on Wednesday. Rendon is now batting .400 with three home runs and eight RBI in nine games.

Rangers first baseman Mike Olt has talked a lot in spring training about his willingness to play wherever the team asks, and he seems intent on proving that. With Leonys Martin nursing a hamstring injury, Olt was penciled into the lineup in right field for spring training game, a position he has played just five games at in his career. Unfortunately. Olt was scratched from the lineup, with a trip to the dentist in his near future. It is not clear what he issue is exactly, but it is not expected to be serious.

Rockies infield prospect Nolan Arenado clubbed his second home run of the spring to provide the only offense in Colorado's 6-3 loss to Oakland in Cactus League play Saturday. Arenado, who earned his second straight start at third base, went deep off Athletics reliever Andrew Werner for a three-run shot in the sixth inning. He is now hitting .364 after five games this spring. "I think it's safe to say he's made a good impression," Colorado manager Walt Weiss told MLB.com. "There's a ways to go this spring, but I think he showed up ready to go."

Less than a week into spring training games and the Nationals have already decided the 2013 landing spot for top prospect Anthony Rendon: the minors. Manager Davey Johnson told the Washington Post on Friday that Rendon won't break camp with the parent club despite being among the most impressive players during the early part of spring training. "He needs the reps," Johnson said of Rendon. "He needs to play."

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe made it into the lineup for his spring debut Tuesday against the Blue Jays. Plouffe had been sidelined by a calf injury. He had had a third-inning RBI single. He finished 1 for 2 with one run and one walk.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria went 2 for 2 with an RBI during his Grapefruit League debut in Tampa Bay's matchup against Houston on Tuesday. Longoria, who also scored a run, returned to camp last Saturday after missing three days due to the birth of his daughter. But he showed little rust with his swing and assumed his usual No. 3 spot in the batting order. Longoria missed 13 weeks in 2012 due to a hamstring injury. "I definitely got my baserunning in today," he said. "I felt great. I don't know how it looks, but it feels 100 percent better than it did at the end of the season last year. And that's all that really matters."