MLB Player News

Alvarez (hand) is expected to resume swinging Friday or Saturday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez has yet to swing a bat this spring, though general manager Dana Brown said he is currently pain free. Alvarez's exact timetable to resume baseball activity has been a moving target, though this latest development is a positive for the slugger's outlook. Assuming he remains on track, Alvarez is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Brantley (shoulder) may not be ready to play on Opening Day, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Brantley is recovering from surgery to repair his right labrum and has been progressing slowly. He's currently away from the team due to a personal matter, but prior to that, he had not appeared in any Grapefruit League games. On Wednesday, general manager Dana Brown said Brantley's availability for Opening Day is in doubt, but the team hopes he'll be able to return to the field no later than April 10.

Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that Turner (face) will probably be out two weeks, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.

The timeline offered by Cora suggests that Turner, who was hit in the face Monday and required 16 stitches to seal the wound, will be cutting it close for Opening Day. If the veteran infielder needs to miss time, he likely won't need to spend more than the minimum 10 days on the injured list at the start of the regular season.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Stanton could play "40, 50, 60" games in the outfield this season, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Not only will putting Stanton in the outfield free up more chances for others in the designated hitter spot, but Boone also feels that the veteran slugger is more engaged and that it's good for him physically to play the field some. He's expected to play some right field when the Yankees are at home, with Aaron Judge shifting over to the roomier left field. Stanton will be used in left in places like Fenway Park, where there's not as much ground to cover. Stanton made 38 total starts in the outfield in 2022, so he should already have eligibility at the position in the majority of fantasy leagues heading into 2023.

Alvarez (hand) is hoping to resume swinging a bat next week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday he was hoping Alvarez would be ready to swing a bat by this weekend, but apparently it will take a little longer than that. It does not appear at this point that Alvarez had a setback, but the team clearly wants to make sure the slugger's nagging hand soreness is behind him before he ramps things up again. There's been no indication that the injury could affect Alvarez's Opening Day availability, but it's certainly an uneasy feeling seeing him miss so much time.

Turner (face) has left the hospital and returned home to rest, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

According to an update from his wife Kourtney Turner, Turner had to undergo 16 stitches and is dealing with a lot of swelling, but the veteran suffered no fractures and cleared all of his scans. The injury occurred when he was struck in the face during Monday's Grapefruit League contest against the Tigers. It's very positive news, but the timetable as to when Turner will return to action this spring is not yet known.

Turner (face) is being treated for soft-tissue injuries and monitored for a concussion at a hospital after exiting Monday's game when he was hit in the face by a pitch, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

The Red Sox say Turner is stable, alert and in good spirits, all things considered, which is very nice to hear. It does not appear he suffered any fractures as a result of the hit by pitch, but obviously he's far from out of the woods. Turner will be examined closely over the next few days and more should be known later this week about his status for the coming weeks and Opening Day. If he does need to miss time, it would open up some playing time in the Red Sox' designated hitter spot.

Alvarez (hand) is expected to resume swinging a bat "maybe by this weekend," Astros general manager Dana Brown said on the team's radio broadcast Sunday.

Alvarez has been battling nagging soreness in his left hand which has kept him from swinging a bat the last couple weeks. The slugger also dealt with soreness in both hands last season. There hasn't seemed to be any real concern regarding Alvarez's potential availability for Opening Day, but obviously it would be nice to see him take a step forward later this week.

Turner was taken to a hospital in an ambulance after being struck in the face with a pitch Monday versus the Tigers, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Turner was hit by a Matt Manning pitch in the first inning in a scary situation at JetBlue Park. The Red Sox have yet to offer any additional updates on Turner other than he's been transported to the hospital, but the team should have more on the infielder's condition later Monday.

Turner was removed from Monday's Grapefruit League game versus the Tigers after being hit in the face by a pitch, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

A pitch in the bottom of the first inning got away from Tigers right-hander Matt Manning, striking Turner. He eventually walked off the field with a trainer, holding a bloody towel to his face. The Red Sox should offer an update on Turner's condition before long.