MLB Player News

Ohtani has been named the Angels' Opening Day starter.

He'll get the ball on March 30 in Oakland and is also lined up to pitch the home opener on April 7 against the Blue Jays. The plan is for Ohtani to start on five days' rest regularly in 2023 after he made 16 of 28 starts on six or more days of rest in 2022. He actually performed better last season when going on five days' rest, posting a 1.61 ERA over 12 starts.

Ohtani will make his only Cactus League start of 2023 on March 1 against the Brewers, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani will make only one start in Arizona over the spring because he'll be joining Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic. The Angels are committed to having the two-way star pitch more often in 2023, and it certainly makes sense after he posted a 2.33 ERA and 219:44 K:BB over his 166 innings on top of his offensive heroics. Even in leagues where Ohtani is treated as two different players, he should go off the board early at both positions.

Reyes signed a minor-league contract Wednesday with the Royals, Anne Rogers and Juan Toribio of MLB.com report.

The deal includes an invitation to the major-league side of spring training, where Reyes will try to carve out an Opening Day roster spot. The 27-year-old popped 30 home runs in 115 games for Cleveland in 2021 before slumping to a .221/.273/.365 batting line with only 14 homers over 118 games between the Guardians and Cubs in 2022. If he does make the squad in Kansas City, it will probably be as a part-time designated hitter and bench bat. He can also handle a bit of corner-outfield work, though most defensive metrics would advise against it.

Miller is likely to serve on the strong side of a platoon between left field and designated hitter, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Miller was dreadful in his first season with the Rangers, putting up a lowly .590 OPS over 81 games. He dealt with a nagging hip injury and also a neck issue which would seem to at least partly explain his struggles. Miller is healthy now and his track record suggests he should be a solid option against right-handed pitching. He's probably a better fit at DH, but the 33-year-old will be one of a host of competitors for playing time in left field for the Rangers.

Brantley (shoulder) said last week that he's hopeful of being ready for Opening Day, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Brantley required surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder last August, and even a minor setback could cause a delay in his availability for the early part of the Astros' regular-season schedule. He's trending in a positive direction at the moment, but this is something to monitor throughout spring training. The veteran outfielder re-upped with Houston in December on a one-year, $12 million contract.

Goins signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Tuesday.

It's something of a homecoming for Goins, who played for the Royals in 2018. Goins has spent the last two seasons at Triple-A Gwinnett in the Braves organization and is likely headed to Triple-A Omaha to start 2023. The veteran infielder will turn 35 in a couple weeks.

Ford signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Friday.

It's unclear whether he's received an invitation to major-league spring training, although it seems likely. Ford saw brief action in the majors with four different teams in 2022 -- the Mariners being one of them -- and had a .615 OPS with three homers over 149 plate appearances.

Belt noted Wednesday that he feels back to full health after undergoing surgery in September on his right knee, and he anticipates seeing most of his starts with the Blue Jays as a designated hitter during the upcoming season, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Belt, who signed a one-year, $9.3 million deal with Toronto earlier this week, admitted that his exact role isn't solidified just yet, but he suggested that he expects to play DH in most games while occasionally spelling Vladimir Guerrero at first base. The arrangement should help Belt from a durability standpoint, given that chronic knee issues along with an assortment of other injuries have cost him extensive time throughout his career. When he was available for the Giants last season, Belt posted a career-worst 96 wRC+ in 298 plate appearances, but the Blue Jays are hoping that improved health coming off surgery along with a superior collection of bats around him can help the 34-year-old bounce back.

Belt (knee) agreed to a one-year, $9.3 million contract with the Blue Jays on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt had conversations about returning to San Francisco during the offseason, but he'll ultimately end up wearing a new uniform in 2023. Slusser notes that Belt has completed his physical, and he's also returned to health following a September knee surgery. Belt figures to slot in at the DH spot when Alejandro Kirk is behind the dish or at first base when Vladimir Guerrero needs a day off.

O'Keefe re-signed with the Mariners on a minor-league contract Monday.

He's presumably been given an invitation to big-league spring training. O'Keefe reached the majors for the first time in 2022 as a 29-year-old, seeing action in two games with the M's. He's likely to spend most of 2023 at Triple-A Tacoma again.