MLB Player News

Manager Aaron Boone said Sunday in an interview with Jomboy Media's "Talkin' Yanks" podcast that LeMahieu will be the Yankees' Opening Day leadoff hitter.

Though LeMahieu isn't expected to be the primary starter at any one position, his ability to play either corner-infield spot as well as second base essentially guarantees him a near-everyday role while the Yankees rotate off days between him, Josh Donaldson, Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo. LeMahieu's production at the plate has taken a step back the past two seasons, but he reported to spring training 100 percent healthy and has looked the part during Grapefruit League play. In 12 games this spring, LeMahieu has slashed .371/.421/.486 while striking out in only seven of his 38 plate appearances (18.4 percent). LeMahieu doesn't project to run much or hit for much power at this stage of his career, but he should be a strong source of runs and batting average if health prevails and he can stick as the Yankees' leadoff man for the bulk of the season.

De La Cruz suffered a left hamstring strain March 18 and will miss the start of the minor-league season, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The 21-year-old apparently suffered the injury shortly after being reassigned to minor-league camp in mid-March, and he has a tentative return date of April 12. De La Cruz is one of the top prospects in baseball, and he's poised to play for Triple-A Louisville once healthy after he posted a .947 OPS between the High-A and Double-A levels last year.

Wisdom is batting .343 with a 1.036 OPS and two home runs across 35 Cactus League at-bats.

Wisdom has had a strong spring to solidify his spot as the Cubs' regular third baseman. The team added infielders Dansby Swanson and Eric Hosmer in the offseason, which pushed Nick Madrigal out of a starting role, but it appears that Wisdom will stick at the hot corner with Madrigal likely more of a utility player off the bench. Wisdom blasted 53 home runs over the last two seasons, so he should give fantasy managers some power production, though he typically struggles to maintain a high batting average.

Rivera was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Sunday.

Rivera was acquired by Arizona at the trade deadline last season and had a .227/.304/.424 slash line with six home runs in 39 games, but he won't begin the 2023 campaign in the majors. The 26-year-old should be one of the top candidates for a call-up if the Diamondbacks require depth in the corner infield.

The Marlins optioned Groshans (shoulder) to Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Groshans' bid for a spot on the Marlins' Opening Day roster may have been derailed by a left shoulder injury that sidelined him for two weeks earlier this month, but he returned to Grapefruit League action Friday and Saturday, going 0-for-2 between those games while also seeing some time in the field at third base. He'll ultimately head to Triple-A to continue playing on an everyday basis, but Groshans could be first in line for a promotion if the Marlins are without one of their regulars in the infield for any period of time this season.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch confirmed Sunday that Nevin (oblique) will begin the season on the injured list, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports. "He will open up on a rehab assignment if all goes well this week," Hinch said.

Nevin has been dealing with an oblique injury through much of camp. The 26-year-old shouldn't need a long stay on the injured list before returning to the Detroit lineup, and he is expected to serve as a bench option who can fill in at the corner infield positions.

Busch went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in a Cactus League contest against the Royals on Saturday.

Busch was optioned to minor-league camp nearly two weeks ago, but he's shown that he can hold his own against major-league pitching this spring. The 25-year-old has posted a .937 OPS over 36 plate appearances while driving in four runs. Busch will begin the campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City but is likely to make his big-league debut at some point this season.

Arenado (hand) was in the lineup for both of the Cardinals' last two Grapefruit League games Friday and Saturday, picking up starts at third base and designated hitter while going a collective 3-for-5 with three RBI.

As anticipated, the hand injury that Arenado suffered last Sunday while playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in a game against Cuba didn't prove to be a major concern, even though it kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the tournament. Upon reporting back to Cardinals camp, Arenado was cleared to check back into the Grapefruit League lineup Friday, and he looked to be fine at the plate while mashing a trio of base hits. He'll be ready to handle an everyday role at the hot corner once Opening Day arrives.

Burger is in the running to earn a roster spot to begin the season, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Burger has made a strong case for a roster spot with both his bat and glove this spring. He's slugged four home runs and a double across 59 plate appearances during Cactus League action, though that's been offset by 18 strikeouts. Adding to Burger's appeal is that he added first base to his defensive repertoire, giving him some additional versatility as compared to the 2022 campaign.

The Mets optioned Baty to Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

Baty more than held his own before the demotion with a .325/.460/.425 slash with a home run and two steals over 50 plate appearances. One of the top hitting prospects in the Mets' system, Baty will head to Triple-A to begin the season, but he has a real chance to help New York and fantasy players before 2023 comes to a close.