MLB Player News

Solak went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's spring training game against Arizona.

Solak hit the first of two homers off Madison Bumgarner in the second inning to put the Rangers on top for good. He started in left field, where he's expected to spend most of his time in 2022 -- and could be the starter -- after serving at second base last season. With Marcus Semien signed, Solak will focus on left field with potential to get time at third base. If he struggles at the plate like he did last season, Solak could eventually be knocked from the starter's job by Eli White, who also homered Tuesday, when his elbow has healed enough for him to play the field.

MLB and the Players Association agreed to a rule Tuesday that will allow Ohtani to remain in the lineup as the designated hitter even once he's done pitching, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

According to Sherman, "the new rule stipulates that if the starting pitcher is also hitting in the lineup, then that player remains as the DH even if he is pulled from the start." Ohtani will now maintain his full value as a hitter on days where he pitches, as a shortened start on the mound won't affect his at-bats. It's also a huge boost for the Angels, as they were previously forced to abandon the designated hitter once Ohtani was done pitching for the day.

Reyes agreed Tuesday with the Guardians on a one-year, $4.55 million contract to avoid arbitration, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Reyes was in his first year of arbitration following a 2021 season in which he hit .254 with 30 home runs and 85 RBI across 466 plate appearances. The Guardians plan to expose him to more work in right field during spring training, but he's still expected to see the bulk of his starts as a designated hitter in 2022.

Reyes will get time in right field during spring training, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Reyes enters 2022 as the Guardians' obvious choice for designated hitter. With the National League adopting the DH as well, there's no guarantee he'll be needed to play the field very often. Instead, this move keeps the 26-year-old familiar with the outfield -- the Guardians have weaknesses in the lineup at both corner outfield spots. Bradley Zimmer and Oscar Mercado are most likely to open the season in those positions, but Reyes' strong bat figures to be an everyday presence in the lineup after he hit .254/.324/.522 with 30 home runs, 85 RBI, 57 runs scored and four stolen bases in 115 games last season.

Angels manager Joe Maddon said Saturday that Ohtani could be the team's leadoff hitter this year, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani's ability to reach base (.372 OBP last season) and speed (26 thefts) are certainly fitting for a leadoff hitter, though the two-way star's big power (46 homers) typically fits best in the heart of the order. Ohtani most often hit in the No. 2 spot last season while David Fletcher was the team's primary leadoff man, but Fletcher posted a below-average .297 OBP on the campaign. Should Ohtani be moved up, Maddon indicated that he could be followed in the order by Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, likely leading to plenty of run-scoring opportunities at the cost of some RBI chances.

Winker went 1-for-3 with a two-run double in a Cactus League loss to the Angels on Sunday.

The recent trade acquisition had gone hitless in his first two at-bats with his new team Friday, but his third-inning two-bagger Sunday brought home Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford to erase an early 1-0 deficit. Winker's timely hit came off right-handed Angeles reliever Janson Junk, but manager Scott Servais has already gone on record with his plans to give the lefty-swinging Winker more opportunities against southpaws than he typically received in Cincinnati.

Ohtani will pitch in his first Cactus League game of the spring Monday against Kansas City, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani had previously been scheduled to make his first pitching appearance of spring training in a minor-league game, but the Angels changed direction and will now have him throw in their fourth Cactus League contest. The two-way star made his spring debut as a hitter Saturday against Arizona, going 1-for-2 with an RBI single.

Carpented signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

While the Rangers made a handful of big additions this offseason, their roster still has plenty of spots up for grabs. Carpenter will presumably be looking to win a bench infield role. There's not a lot left in the 36-year-old's bat, however, as he's been below-average according to wRC+ for three straight seasons. Last year, he hit just .169/.305/.275 while striking out 30.9 percent of the time.

Buxton went 1-for-2 with a single and stolen base in his spring training debut in Thursday's loss to Boston. "My legs feel good, my hips feel good, I feel good. Nothing holding me back now," he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Buxton hit .306 with 16 home runs, a .647 SLG and a 1.005 OPS last season, but he played in just 61 games due to multiple injuries. He's played over 100 games just once in his career, so it's encouraging he's at full strength for the start of spring training. Buxton worked with a nutritionist in the offseason to develop a diet that will try to keep inflammation down to help prevent injuries, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Ohtani tossed his first live batting practice of spring training Wednesday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Aside from nearly being struck in the face by a comebacker off the bat of non-roster invitee Kean Wong, Ohtani had an uneventful throwing session, which qualifies as good news. The Angels are once again planning to implement a six-man rotation in 2022, affording Ohtani at least five days' rest rather than the standard four in between his pitching starts. He'll likely continue to hit for himself on most of his pitching days and should be a near-everyday designated hitter for the Angels on his non-pitching days, making him most valuable in fantasy leagues where he can be moved between both roles freely. Even in leagues with weekly lineup moves where Ohtani has to be locked in exclusively as either a pitcher or hitter, he should still rank among the top fantasy performers in either role.