MLB Player News

Ruiz (finger) said that he'll make his spring debut in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Angels, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

It's unclear if Ruiz will enter the contest behind starting catcher Will Smith or if he'll merely be used as a designated hitter, but the 21-year-old looks to be back to full health in any case after he missed the final month of the 2019 season with a broken pinkie finger on his throwing hand. Rather than the result of any concern about the injury, the switch-hitting Ruiz noted that his spring debut was delayed because he was working on an adjustment to his swing from the left side of the plate.

Sanchez is experimenting with a new catching stance in spring training, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com reports.

Per Caldera, the stance features Sanchez "setting up with his right leg in a slightly lowered position." The catcher is trying out the stance because it puts him in better position to frame low strikes for Yankees pitchers. Naturally, Sanchez will need to get completely comfortable with all aspects of the altered crouch before using it in regular-season games.

Stassi (hip) is slated to appear in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds as a designated hitter.

Based on the information the Angels provided on their lineup card, Stassi is set to replace Shohei Ohtani midway through the contest for what will mark the 28-year-old's spring debut. Stassi has been eased into workouts this spring while recovering from offseason hip surgery, but he's expected to be ready to go for Opening Day. He'll likely see some action behind the plate in Cactus League games within the next week or two.

Stallings went 2-for-2 with a double and an HBP against the Yankees on Monday.

The 30-year-old is expected to serve as Pittsburgh's primary catcher in 2020. He saw his first sustained action last season, slashing .262/.322/.410 with six homers in 309 plate appearances. Primarily known for his defensive skills behind the plate, Stallings has batted .291 (in 523 at-bats) over his last three minor-league campaigns with nine homers and two steals.

Trevino suffered nothing worse than a bruise after getting hit by a foul tip on his knuckle Monday.

Trevino was forced to leave the game and was sent for X-rays, but the tests confirmed he suffered no serious injury. He should still receive plenty of at-bats this spring to make his case for a bench spot.

Marchan earned rave reviews from manager Joe Girardi following Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Girardi called Marchan the "block master" and also praised his arm during an in-game interview. Marchan hasn't played above the High-A level and struggled to a .231/.291/.282 line there in 22 games for Clearwater, so he's unlikely to be considered for a big-league job any time soon. The 20-year-old has good contact ability, with a career .285 average and a 9.3 percent strikeout rate in four minor-league seasons, but he's yet to hit a professional home run. He profiles as a defense-first backup.

Grullon has missed the Phillies last two Grapefruit League games due to an infected tooth, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

The issue doesn't appear likely to significantly impact Grullon's readiness for Opening Day. It's cost him the chance to play a temporarily increased role while Andrew Knapp is out due to a rib injury, but he'll likely still have plenty of chances to state his case to earn the backup catcher job.

Trevino is scheduled to undergo X-rays on his right index finger, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Trevino exited Monday's Cactus League game against the Reds after getting hit by a foul tip on the knuckle of his right index finger. The severity of the injury, along with a timetable for the backstop's return, should come into focus once the test results are disclosed.

Trevino exited Monday's Cactus League game against the Reds with an apparent finger injury, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Trevino was checked out by trainers during the first inning but was able to stay in the game and finish off the inning. The backstop was ultimately replaced by Blake Swihart prior to the start of the second frame. Before exiting, Trevino went 1-for-1 with a pair of RBI.

Manager Rick Renteria estimated that Grandal (calf) would miss between seven and 10 games prior to appearing in Grapefruit League matchups, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Grandal has been battling a mild calf strain over the beginning of spring training, but he's been able to participate in hitting and catching drills. The 32-year-old is scheduled to perform sprinting drills Monday, but he'll likely be sidelined between one and two weeks prior to appearing in Grapefruit League games. However, the injury is not expected to affect his availability for Opening Day if his recovery continues smoothly.