MLB Player News

Ohtani will hit in the leadoff or second spot in the order on days when he is in the lineup as a batter, Taylor Blake Ward of Locked on Angels reports.

Ohtani has been scorching at the plate this spring, slashing .571/.594/1.107 with five home runs and eight RBI. David Fletcher typically bats leadoff for the Angels, so Ohtani could be used most frequently in the second spot as a tablesetter for Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.

Martinez will sit for the second straight game Thursday against the Twins due to food poisoning, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Per manager Alex Cora, Martinez has been sidelined after eating some bad sushi earlier in the week. His absence shouldn't last much longer, however, as he'll be able to hit on a back field Thursday.

Jimenez will miss five to six months after being diagnosed with a ruptured left pectoral tendon, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Jimenez suffered the injury while attempting to rob a home run Wednesday. He'll undergo surgery and miss the majority of the season. The expected recovery timeline places his return date sometime between late August and late September. Leury Garcia and Adam Engel (hamstring) are the primary candidates to start in left field in his absence, though the White Sox could also look to bring in a free agent like Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig or Josh Reddick. The team is also considering trying Andrew Vaughn in left field, though he's been purely a first baseman in the minors.

Jimenez could be out for most of the year with a torn pectoral, Jim Duquette of Sirius XM Radio reports.

Jimenez was initially diagnosed with left shoulder discomfort after injuring himself while trying to rob a home run Wednesday, but it appears as though he might be dealing with a much more serious injury. The White Sox are expected to update his status Thursday afternoon. An extended absence would likely open up starts for Leury Garcia or Adam Engel in left field, though Engel is currently dealing with a strained hamstring.

Cabrera has impressed manager A.J. Hinch with his play at first base this spring, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Hinch has said he wants to play Cabrera at first at least one or two times per week, and the veteran has looked up to the task so far, The manager said Cabrera is "arguably the best first baseman we have," but even if that's true, the Tigers will still likely limit his time there to keep the 37-year-old fresh. Jeimer Candelario is expected to see the bulk of the time at first, and Renato Nunez could be in the mix too if he makes the team.

The White Sox announced that Jimenez was removed from Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Athletics due to left shoulder discomfort.

The initial diagnosis doesn't provide much clarity regarding the extent of Jimenez's injury, but the White Sox should have a better idea about his condition when he's re-evaluated Thursday. The 24-year-old slugger sustained the shoulder injury while attempting to rob a home-run ball at the left-field fence.

Jimenez exited Wednesday's spring game against the Athletics in the top of the second inning with an apparent left shoulder injury, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Jimenez sustained the injury while reaching over the wall in left field to try to save a home run in the second inning. He was shaken up on the play and immediately left the game with a trainer. The exact nature and severity of the injury isn't yet known.

Choi received a second cortisone injection in his sore right knee Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The Rays remain optimistic that nothing is structurally wrong with Choi's knee, and manager Kevin Cash suggested that the first baseman could be ready to ramp up his activity as soon as Wednesday. Despite the positive news, Choi still appears unlikely to be available for Opening Day, though he'll likely only require a brief stint on the injured list to begin the season.

Rooker is in the mix to start in left field after Alex Kirilloff was sent to the minors, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Rooker started in right field in Tuesday's spring training loss to Pittsburgh and went 0-for-3. He's hitting .320 (8-for-25) with a home run this spring.

The Twins haven't revealed their plans, but a platoon of Jake Cave and Rookier, with Luis Arraez also getting some starts, seems like the most likely strategy until Kirilloff is recalled for everyday duty. Rooker will likely be in the mix given his strong spring; he's shown he's healthy after his 2020 season ended in mid-September due to a fractured right forearm that required surgery, and he's one of the few right-handed bats among the outfielders likely to make the final roster.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's spring game against Atlanta.

Martinez has extra-base hits in each of last two Grapefruit League games and is 11-for-41 with a .652 OPS over 14 spring contests. He's looking to bounce back from a miserable 2020 when he posted a .680 OPS over 54 games.