MLB Player News

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.

The Rockies informed Moustakas on Sunday that he'll be included on the Opening Day roster, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Moustakas joined Colorado as a non-roster invitee in early March and pushed his way on the Opening Day squad after slashing .367/.387/.700 with two home runs in 31 plate appearances in the Cactus League. He'll likely get playing time at third base and designated hitter for the Rockies to begin the season, but fantasy players should take a wait-and-see approach before investing in Moustakas, given his struggles over the past few campaigns. Colorado will need to remove someone from the 40-man roster -- or add someone to the 60-day injured list -- before Moustakas' contract is selected.

Moncada went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Friday's Cactus League game against the Athletics.

Moncada was dealing with a bruised rib that he suffered during the World Baseball Classic while playing for Cuba. He showed no ill effects in his return from the issue, as he belted a two-run homer in his first plate appearance. Moncada will be looking to rebound from a poor 2022 campaign, during which he recorded a .212/.273/.353 line across 433 plate appearances.

Urias (thumb) will bat second and play second base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Urias was scratched both Thursday and Friday due to a bruised right thumb, but the issue doesn't appear to be a significant one. After hitting a respectable .248/.305/.414 with 16 home runs in 118 games last season, he appears to be set for a utility infield role this year.

Baty has played well enough this spring at third base to give the Mets a tough decision to make between him and incumbent starter Eduardo Escobar, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

Baty's thumped the ball all spring, batting .325 (13-for-40) with a home run and two stolen bases, but the 23-year-old has struck out 14 times in 50 plate appearances, a sign he could potentially use more time at Triple-A. Escobar, on the other hand, hasn't been able to get going at the plate at all and is hitting just .133 (4-for-30) with one extra-base hit, a double. The veteran Escobar remains the likely Opening Day starter at the hot corner, but a slow start could prompt the Mets to make a quick switch and give Baty a chance to take the job, as there's little margin for error in what should be an ultra-competitive NL East.