MLB Player News
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Nick Madrigal 2B | LAA
Cubs' Nick Madrigal: Could mix in at third
Madrigal is expected to be part of a timeshare at third base for the Cubs along with Patrick Wisdom and Edwin Rios, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Madrigal is likely to face "starters with great swing-and-miss stuff," while Wisdom and Rios figure to form a more natural platoon against certain lefties and righties. How exactly this shakes out remains to be seen, and it seems like Madrigal's playing time may be sporadic. However, the 26-year-old can also play at second base, so he may get more starts if he moves across the diamond for Chicago.
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Patrick Wisdom 3B | SEA
Cubs' Patrick Wisdom: May split time at third
Wisdom may split time at third base for the Cubs along with Edwin Rios and Nick Madrigal, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
This isn't great news for Wisdom, who started 134 games last season. It seems like that number will come down with three players in the mix at the hot corner. Wisdom is expected to play mostly against lefties, while Rios gets some righties and Madrigal works in as more of a contact hitter in certain spots. Someone could emerge and take over most of the playing time, but until that happens, it might be a situation worth avoiding in fantasy.
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Matt Duffy 3B | TEX
Royals' Matt Duffy: Makes MLB roster
Duffy has been informed that he's made the Opening Day roster for the Royals, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Duffy was signed to a minor-league contract and invited to spring training back in January. The veteran infielder struggled last year with the Cubs with a .619 OPS across 247 plate appearances. He's likely to be a bench option for the Royals to begin the 2023 campaign.
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Oswald Peraza 2B | LAA
Yankees' Oswald Peraza: Will play shortstop and second base
Peraza will play both shortstop and second base with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman ruled out third base for Peraza, but the young infielder will be used at both middle infield spots as he awaits a return to the majors. Peraza may have lost out to Anthony Volpe for the shortstop job, but he could still very well play an important part for the Yankees this season before all is said and done.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
White Sox's Yoan Moncada: Remains on track for opener
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Monday that he expects Moncada (back) to be ready to play in Thursday's season opener versus the Astros, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. "That's the expectation right now, yeah. We have an optional workout in Houston on a Wednesday. And hoping that he'll be there," Grifol said of Moncada. "Probably will, needs to get some treatment and do some stuff. Everything checks out, he'll be ready."
Though Moncada looks like he'll remain out of the lineup for the White Sox's final two Cactus League games Monday and Tuesday, he should get the green light for the Opening Day start at third base if he checks out fine following Wednesday's optional workout. Grifol noted that Moncada is still nursing some lower-back soreness, and even though the issue isn't expected to keep the 27-year-old from playing in the opener, he could get his first day off of the season fairly early.
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Drew Maggi 3B | PIT
Pirates' Drew Maggi: Returned to minors camp
The Pirates reassigned Maggi to minor-league camp Monday.
Maggi had a very strong spring with the Pirates, batting .345 with three homers, nine RBI, eight runs and a stolen base over 29 at-bats in 24 contests. He'll likely return to Double-A Altoona Curve to start the 2023 campaign, but he appears likely to move up the ranks quickly this summer if he can stay hot at the plate.
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Jared Triolo SS | PIT
Pirates' Jared Triolo: Wrist surgery on tap
Triolo is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days to address a fractured hamate bone on one of his wrists, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Triolo last appeared in Grapefruit League action for the Pirates on March 14, so he likely suffered the hand injury in that game or in a minor-league contest on the back fields at camp at some point over the past two weeks. The Pirates won't have a timeline for Triolo to make his 2023 debut until after surgery is completed, but the 25-year-old will more than likely be sidelined for at least the first month of the season. When healthy, Triolo is expected to play on an everyday basis at Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Abraham Toro 1B | BOS
Brewers' Abraham Toro: Sent to Triple-A
Milwaukee optioned Toro to Triple-A Nashville on Monday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
As the Brewers thin down their major-league roster ahead of the 2023 campaign, Toro was the latest member of the spring roster to be relocated. The 26-year-old signed a one-year deal with Milwaukee in January and produced a .185 average with a homer, four RBI and two runs scored over 27 at-bats in 13 games during spring training. Toro struggled to a .185/.239/.324 slash line with the Mariners in 2022 and will likely have to heat up from the plate before he'd get recalled by the Brewers this season.
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Austin Riley 3B | ATL
Braves' Austin Riley: Blasts third spring homer
Riley went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.
He crushed a Wil Crowe offering the other way to right-center field in the first inning, giving Riley his third long ball of the spring. The slugging third baseman has gone 11-for-39 (.282) during Grapefruit League play with an 8:8 BB:K, and he'll take aim at reaching the 30-homer plateau for the third straight season in 2023.
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Jace Peterson SS | ARI
Athletics' Jace Peterson: Plays in two games since HBP
Peterson played at third base in both Friday's and Sunday's spring training games against the White Sox and Giants, respectively, after being hit by a pitch Wednesday.
Peterson went a combined 2-for-5 in that pair of exhibitions, and although he didn't play a full nine innings in either, it's clear he's unaffected from having been plunked. The veteran appears set to open the season as the everyday third baseman.