MLB Player News

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said in December that Miranda is on track to open the season as the team's primary third baseman following the offseason trade of Gio Urshela to the Angels, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Miranda saw most of his opportunities during his rookie season at first base or as a designated hitter, but he'll get the chance to return to the position where he spent most of his minor-league career now that Urshela is out West. Though Miranda didn't grade out well defensively in the corner infield in 2022, the Twins are optimistic that the decline in the field from Urshela to the 24-year-old won't be a substantial one. At the very least, Miranda should provide an overall upgrade from Urshela at the plate after overcoming a slow start to his rookie campaign to finish with an impressive .268/.325/.426 slash line over 483 plate appearances.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he envisions Donaldson serving as the team's starting third baseman this season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Though the skipper noted that Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres will likely join Donaldson as the preferred starters at three of the infield spots, DJ LeMahieu is expected to rove between first base, second base, third base and designated hitter to maintain a near-everyday role. As a result, Donaldson could be at risk of sitting the most of the trio, given that he endured a rough 2022 campaign in which he finished with a .682 OPS and a 27.1 percent strikeout rate, his worst marks since 2012 and 2011, respectively. Donaldson still graded out well defensively at the hot corner, but his declining bat, advancing age and injury history still might make it difficult for him to match or surpass the 546 plate appearances he logged in his first season in New York.

LeMahieu (toe) confirmed Sunday that he's 100 percent for spring training and will face no limitations during camp, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

LeMahieu's comments about his own health come just a few days after Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that he expects the 34-year-old to be ready to go for the start of the regular season. Due to his veteran status, LeMahieu may not be worked into Grapefruit League games as soon as some of the other Yankees position players who are attending big-league camp, but the infielder should be able to get in the reps he needs to prepare himself for the season. According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, Boone said Wednesday that he envisions Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres and Josh Donaldson serving as the team's primary starters at first base, second base and third base, respectively, but LeMahieu is expected to retain a near-everyday role while roving between all three positions and designated hitter.

Urshela lost his arbitration case against the Angels on Saturday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Urshela will make $8.4 million this season. He may not see everyday at-bats during his first season with the Angels, but he could be the top backup at multiple infield positions.

Ramirez feels great following offseason thumb surgery, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez recorded a respectable .766 OPS after injuring his thumb in mid-June, but his 1.039 OPS prior to the injury demonstrates what he's capable of. It will be good to see the four-time All-Star back up his words with some strong spring performances, but it looks as though there's every reason to believe he'll be fully healthy heading into the year.

Escobar was dealing with an off-field family issue last season that impacted his performance, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

"It was really hard," Escobar said this week. "I love baseball and respect my teammates. My problems are my problems. And I try to separate my problems from the job. But it was really hard throughout the season, especially when you're coming to a big team as a new player. It led to trying too much." The 34-year-old still slugged 20 home runs in 2022 for the fifth time in his career, but his .725 OPS was his lowest over a full season since 2016. The issue got dealt with in August, and Escobar's .321/.385/.596 slash line in September and October suggests he regained his focus in spades. He has extra incentive to rebound in 2023 as well -- prospect Brett Baty will be pushing for the starting job at third base this summer, and Mets owner Steve Cohen could potentially pursue free-agent-to-be Manny Machado next winter.

The Padres placed Rosario (ankle) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

The move frees up a 40-man roster spot while Rosario, aiming for a midseason return from a broken ankle, continues his recover. Rosario had only six plate appearances in his big-league debut last season and, considering San Diego's remarkable infield depth, it might take some injuries for him to find MLB playing time in 2023.

Moncada said Thursday that he probably came back too soon from an early-season oblique injury last year, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Perhaps a lingering oblique injury can at least partly explain a disastrous showing from Moncada in 2022 which saw him post just a .626 OPS with 12 home runs over 104 games. The 27-year-old said he's done "everything" differently this offseason as far as his training goes, including getting more massages. Moncada added that he hasn't been dealing with the shoulder soreness he usually experiences at the beginning of spring training. Obviously, a bounceback season from Moncada would be huge for the White Sox' 2023 outlook.

Kieboom (elbow) is expected to be limited to DH duties in the Nationals' early slate of Grapefruit League games, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Kieboom missed the entire 2022 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, and the Nats are going to ease him into action this spring. He's doing overhand throws from third base but has yet to try sidearm throws or backhand plays. The 25-year-old will likely open the season at Triple-A Rochester as he rounds out his ability to again man the hot corner.

Urias is expected to play more at second base during spring training, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

Urias won a Gold Glove at third base last season, but the Orioles seem to be planning to use Gunnar Henderson there in 2023, with Jorge Mateo at shortstop and Adam Frazier at second. It would appear to leave Urias without a set starting spot, although he should still play plenty. Urias ended last season with a knee injury but reported to camp fully healthy.