MLB Player News

Colon will be a part of the Reds' 60-man player pool this season.

Colon is not on the 40-man roster but was in camp this year on a minor-league deal. If he plays in the big leagues this year, it would likely be as a bench infielder.

Miller could potentially fill either a primary utility role or serve as the designated hitter frequently during the truncated 2020 regular season, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Catcher is the only non-pitching position the versatile veteran hasn't filled during his seven major-league seasons, so Miller is a clear-cut fit as a roving option for anyone who may need a day off. However, Rogers also points out the 30-year-old could take over designated-hitter duties if, for example, Matt Carpenter is given first crack at the job and doesn't live up to expectations. Miller certainly has experience in that capacity as well, having logged 34 starts at DH between the 2014 and 2018 seasons while playing for the Mariners and Rays.

Carpenter could be manager Mike Shildt's most logical choice to fill the designated hitter role that will be universally implemented during the truncated 2020 regular season, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Earlier in the shutdown of play, it had already been speculated the veteran infielder would make for a strong candidate were the DH to be a National League staple during the 2020 campaign. With official confirmation of such having come to pass, Rogers explains that Carpenter likely remains the odds-on favorite to fill the role most days. Not only is Carpenter an accomplished hitter, but there would be no defensive drop-off with having Tommy Edman replace him at third base. Such a development would not only get Edman's impressive bat in the lineup on a regular basis, it would also have the domino effect of freeing up space in the outfield for another one of the team's array of impressive young players.

Ozuna (facial laceration) could be used as Atlanta's primary designated hitter this season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The 29-year-old's bat will be in the lineup somewhere on a consistent basis, but Ozuna's declining defense over the couple of years could push him to DH rather than left field, while Nick Markakis and Adam Duvall platoon in the other spot. Austin Riley could also be in the LF/DH mix for Atlanta. Wherever he plays defensively, Ozuna's power will keep him in the heart of the batting order.

Winker has another avenue for playing time with the implementation of the universal DH for the 2020 season, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Neither Winker nor Nick Castellanos are considered good defensive outfielders, but both have sufficiently productive bats to try to get them in the lineup more often. They are probably the two outfielders most likely to slot in as the DH. Winker still might sit frequently against left-handed pitching, however -- in 147 major-league plate appearances against lefties, Winker has hit .176/.295/.248 with only two homers.

Angels manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday that he's "very" hopeful Ohtani will be ready to pitch by Opening Day, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Maddon named Ohtani, Griffin Canning (elbow) and Felix Pena (knee) as players who were unlikely to be a go for the original Opening Day but may be fine after the extended layoff. Among that group, Ohtani seems like the surest bet to be with the team when play kicks off as he has -- by all indications -- completed his Tommy John recovery. Ohtani reached 55 pitches in a live batting practice session at the end of last month. Maddon followed up by saying he plans to keep Ohtani on his once-a-week pitching schedule this season.

Blackmon and organization mates Phillip Diehl and Ryan Castellani tested positive for COVID-19 after recent workouts at Coors Field, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports.

The league and the MLBPA announced an agreement on a 60-game season earlier Tuesday, so the positive tests provide an immediate reminder regarding the realities of resuming baseball amid the pandemic. The season is expected to begin July 23 or 24, so Blackmon will have about a month to receive clearance from the coronavirus and ramp up his activity before games start.

Choi plans to leave his native South Korea later Tuesday to join the Rays in anticipation of the 2020 MLB season resuming, Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News Agency reports.

Choi's impending return to the United States comes on the heels of MLB owners voting Monday to implement a 60-game season that will reportedly begin around July 24, per Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. The plan would require players to sign off on a health-and-safety protocol to arrive at their home stadiums by July 1 to prepare for the season, but it's unclear how that timeline may impact foreign players like Choi, who could need to self-quarantine for a two-week period before partaking in workouts with the Rays. Assuming that Choi is cleared for full team activities at least a week or so before the season kicks off, however, he shouldn't face any restrictions when games begin.

Ohtani posted a video of himself deadlifting 495 pounds on his personal Instagram page Wednesday.

Given the strain of lifting nearly 500 pounds, it's safe to say that Ohtani is feeling good after undergoing elbow and knee surgeries over the previous two years. Ohtani has put on added muscle as the result of a heavyweight, low-rep routine over the offseason, giving the Angels hope that he can increase his durability upon his return to the mound during a potential 2020 campaign.

Ozuna's facial laceration is considered minor and he continues to work out daily, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Ozuna was able to drive himself to the hospital after the incident, a clear sign that the laceration he suffered was a minor issue. His participation in daily workouts also suggests the issue won't have any effect on his ability to ready for the start of the 2020 campaign, assuming there is one.