MLB Player News

Buxton (foot) went through a workout Monday and will face live pitching Tuesday, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Buxton was able to run but didn't go full speed. It sounds like Buxton has a chance to be in the Opening Day lineup. Buxton suffered a left mid-foot sprain during Monday's intrasquad game and was carted off the field. However, he was back running Saturday.

Ohtani threw 72 pitches over five innings in an intrasquad game Sunday, allowing one run on five hits and four walks while striking out six, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

Ohtani's summer struggles with his command continued Sunday, but he was otherwise effective in his final tuneup before the regular season. According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, Ohtani confirmed Sunday that he'll start the Angels' third game of the season, which will take place Sunday at Oakland.

Buxton (foot) ran in the outfield Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "He looks good. The swelling has not become a real issue. I'm encouraged we're going to see him out there sometime soon," said manager Rocco Baldelli.

Buxton suffered a left mid-foot sprain during Monday's intrasquad game and was carted off the field. It's encouraging that he's running and he has said he plans to be ready on Opening Day. However, he didn't participate in the team's live batting practice, so we'll need to see if he can increase his activities in the next few days.

O'Keefe is benefiting from plenty of instructional time during summer camp, and the possibility exists he could see some action at the big-league level in 2020, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's super excited to be a part of the organization, and a lot of the things that we've thrown at him on the defensive side he's really taken to," manager Scott Servais said. "He's got things to work on, but he's got power and a lot of arm strength. We're trying to focus on his receiving and getting that up to speed."

O'Keefe has yet to play above Double-A despite the fact he's 26 years old, although he does have a trio of double-digit home-run tallies on his minors resume. The Rule 5 pick out of the Cardinals organization appeared in 10 Cactus League games but logged only nine at-bats, hitting .222 with two RBI, two walks and two runs. While Tom Murphy and Austin Nola are set to handle most of the catching reps this season, Johns points out both may need reinforcement at some point -- Murphy has already missed time during summer camp twice due to fouling a ball off his foot and has started a relatively modest 110 games across his first five big-league seasons, while Nola has only four games of experience behind the dish.

Ohtani will likely be the Angels' starting pitcher on Sundays throughout the 2020 season, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani will be on a unique pitching schedule in which he starts exactly once per week on the same day of the week. General manager Billy Eppler indicated that the team is targeting Sunday as Ohtani's designated starting day, and the Angels have already lined up that plan by scheduling his final intrasquad appearance for this coming Sunday. The Angels don't have any Sunday off-days during the shortened 2020 campaign, so Ohtani could get in 10 starts if the plan unfolds without a hitch.

In reference to the likelihood Willie Calhoun's hip injury keeping him out for Opening Day, manager Chris Woodward said Wednesday, "I think Nick [Solak} falls in line to take those at-bats," T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Woodward has discussed wanting to find ways to make sure Solak receives regular at-bats, and the injury to Calhoun provides a clear answer to that problem. Solak had a .293/.393/.491 slash line in 33 games last season and was expected to fill a utility role, but a strong showing in left field could earn him an everyday spot in the lineup even after Calhoun returns.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said Tuesday there's "definitely a good amount of hope that Byron [Buxton] will be out there on Opening Day" despite suffering a foot injury, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

The 26-year-old suffered the left mid-foot sprain during Monday's intrasquad game and was carted off the field, but he's apparently already walking on his own without the aid of crutches or a protective boot. However, it's still early and until Buxton is back on the field it's wise to be skeptical about his availability for the season opener against the White Sox.

Stanton took part in baserunning drills with the Yankees on Tuesday, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

Stanton battled a calf injury in spring training but reportedly feels back to full health. Per Kuty, the slugger was able to move from second base to home plate without incident Tuesday, further suggesting that the calf is no longer an issue. Still, Stanton is slated to open the season in a DH-only role as the team looks to play it safe following an injury-riddled 2019 campaign.

Buxton was diagnosed with a left mid-foot sprain Tuesday and is considered day-to-day, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Buxton was carted off the field during Monday's intrasquad matchup, and while he appears to have avoided anything too serious, the 26-year-old could potentially miss the start of the regular season as a result of the sprain. If he's unable to suit up by Opening Day, Marwin Gonzalez and Jake Cave could see an uptick in playing time.

Buxton was diagnosed with a left foot injury and will receive imaging results Tuesday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said that the initial "once-over" of Buxton when he came off the field didn't appear to show anything serious and the team is cautiously optimistic. The Twins will have more information on his condition after receiving imaging results Tuesday. If the 26-year-old is forced to miss an extended period of time to begin the season, Marwin Gonzalez and Jake Cave are likely candidates to see increased playing time in the outfield.