MLB Player News

Ohtani may be available to pitch from the start of the season, given that Opening Day has been delayed indefinitely, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani's value has always been heavily dependent on how various leagues allow him to be used. Previously, fantasy owners could count on him to hit all season, but he wasn't expected to pitch before mid-May as he's still working his way back from Tommy John surgery. With mid-May now seeming like the earliest play is likely to resume, Ohtani could now be a full two-way player for the entirety of the campaign. Manager Joe Maddon did note, however, that the Angels won't be wanting to give Ohtani a full workload in his first season back from injury, so whether he pitches right away could depend in part on how long the adjusted regular-season schedule ends up being.

Soler hit .172/.250/.448 with two home runs and a 14:3 K:BB in 32 plate appearances this spring.

Soler's 43.8 percent strikeout rate is pretty alarming, but this was a small sample and his strikeout rate has been below 27 percent in each of the last two big-league seasons. His place in the middle of Kansas City's lineup will be safe whenever the 2020 season gets underway.

Mercedes has been reassigned to Triple-A Charlotte, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Mercedes, all 5-foot-11 and 235 pounds of him, was a darling of spring training. Known for his big swing and exuberance, Mercedes hit .381 and launched four home runs. He was hoping to land a roster spot as the 26th man, but the White Sox are expected to go with someone more versatile when they break camp.

Stanton (calf) could be ready to play by the start of the regular season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Stanton suffered a Grade 1 right calf strain in late February and was originally expected to start the season on the injured list. However, MLB announced Monday that Opening Day will not take place for at least eight weeks, clearing a path for Stanton to be healthy for the start of the campaign. The slugger has been targeting a return in April, well before the new mid-May estimated date for the commencement of the regular season.

Collins was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Collins' path to making the Opening Day roster as the backup catcher disappeared once the White Sox signed Yasmani Grandal to start ahead of James McCann. The 25-year-old didn't make much of an impression in 102 plate appearances in his debut last season, striking out 38.2 percent of the time while hitting .186/.307/.349 and earning poor marks for his defensive work behind the plate. It may take an injury or a trade for him to fill a notable role in the majors this season.

Ohtani will not be shut down from throwing in spite of the suspension of spring training and delay of the regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

General manager Billy Eppler noted Friday that Ohtani, as well as the remainder of the Angels' pitching staff, will continue throwing during Major League Baseball's hiatus. That keeps the righthander's timeline to return to game action set at mid-May. Depending on when the regular season commences, Ohtani could end up pitching for a significantly larger portion of the season than originally planned.

Ohtani will serve exclusively as a designated hitter early in the regular season and will pitch once a week when he returns to the rotation in mid-May, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The current plan will have Ohtani pitching on the same day each week, as he did during his rookie campaign when he took the mound exclusively on Sundays. Bollinger suggests that Wednesday could be Ohtani's target day this season to take advantage of numerous Thursday off-days in the Angels' schedule. Of course, that outlook may change depending on how the calendar is adjusted following Thursday's announcement of a delay to the start of the regular season.

Buxton will work out Thursday but not hit, and then face live pitching again on Friday, La Velle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He reported normal soreness in his surgically-repaired shoulder after he took his first live batting practice session of the spring Tuesday.

Buxton could play in a game as soon as next week, as he's been cleared for all baseball activities. If he doesn't have a setback, it looks like he could be ready for Opening Day in his return from surgery for a torn labrum.

Stanton (calf) completed a live batting practice session Wednesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

While the on-field activity amounts to a step forward for Stanton, the real test for his strained right calf will likely come Thursday, when he's expected to resume running outside. The 30-year-old slugger had been working out on an anti-gravity treadmill in recent days, so he'll now see if he can run the bases and cut in the outfield without issue. Stanton remains unlikely to be ready to go for Opening Day, but he may be tracking toward only a brief stint on the injured list.

Buxton (shoulder) took his first live batting practice session of the spring Tuesday and reported no issues, MLB.com reports.

If Buxton's shoulder responds well, he'll next take live batting practice again Thursday and Friday. Buxton could then play in a game as soon as next week as he's been cleared for all baseball activities. If he doesn't have a setback, it looks like he could be ready for Opening Day in his return from surgery for a torn labrum.