MLB Player News
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Injuries deemed severe
Stanton said Saturday that his injuries are "considered severe in both elbows," Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Stanton went on to cite bat adjustments from last season as the cause for his tennis elbow, and there is no telling how far he is from resuming baseball activities -- let alone playing in games. The veteran slugger also brought up the possibility of undergoing surgery to address the issue, which would force him to miss the entire 2025 campaign.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Getting more PRP injections
Stanton will return to New York on Monday to receive a third round of platelet-rich plasma injections in his elbows, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Stanton has been dealing with tennis elbow in both arms, and the PRP injections are an effort to aid in the recovery process while avoiding surgery. Stanton will begin the regular season on the injured list, and how long he stays on the IL will depend on the progress in his recovery. He finished the 2024 regular season with a slash line of .233/.298/.475 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI across 459 plate appearances.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Not expected to play this spring
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Stanton (elbows) has returned to camp but is unlikely to play in any games this spring, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
Stanton was given a second round of PRP injections to combat tennis elbow in both arms, which he and the club hope will allow him to avoid surgery. However, Stanton will still not be able to do much in terms of baseball activities, and it's probably going to be a long time before he's ready to play in games. His timetable to return is open-ended.
-
J.D. Martinez DH | NYM
J.D. Martinez: Yankees in contact, deal unlikely
The Yankees did reach out to Martinez, but the two sides don't seem close to a deal, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
At least for now, New York appears content to fill the DH spot internally in the absence of Giancarlo Stanton, who is facing an uncertain timetable for his return to action following a second round of PRP injections in his elbows. That leaves Martinez still looking for a job with less than three weeks to go until Opening Day. Martinez's numbers cratered last season and he is now 37 years old, but he was an All-Star as recently as 2023 when he hit 33 homers with 103 RBI in 113 regular-season games for the Dodgers.
-
Mitch Garver C | SEA
Mariners' Mitch Garver: Crushes two-run homer Thursday
Garver went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Angels.
Garver is off to a sizzling start this spring, as he's now gone 6-for-15 with two homers and three RBI in six outings. It's an encouraging sign for the veteran slugger, who struggled at the dish while logging a .627 OPS in 430 plate appearance during his debut season in Seattle a year ago. Garver appears ticketed for a bench role as the Mariners' backup catcher to begin 2025, but he could push Mitch Haniger for at-bats at designated hitter if the former continues to swing a hot bat.
-
Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Slowing down pitching rehab
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Thursday that Ohtani will not face hitters as a pitcher leading up to the season-opening series in Japan so that he can ramp up his preparations as a hitter, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Ohtani threw his last bullpen Feb. 25. He has continued to playing catch, but the organization is giving him a pause from ramping up his pitching so he can intensify his hitting. Roberts also talked about May as a potential time for Ohtani's return to pitching but added that they "just don't know" when the NL MVP will be able to take the mound, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Second round of PRP injections
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday that Stanton will rejoin the club in Florida this weekend after he receives a second round of platelet-rich plasma injections in his elbows, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Cashman added that Stanton -- who is dealing with tennis elbow in both arms -- will still not be able to do much when it comes to baseball activities, but the hope is that the PRP injections help hasten the recovery process and allow him to avoid surgery, which is seen as a "last resort." Stanton has already been ruled out for Opening Day, and his timetable to return is currently open-ended.
-
Byron Buxton CF | MIN
Twins' Byron Buxton: Blistering start to spring
Buxton went 1-for-2 with a home run and stole third base in Sunday's spring training tie with Tampa Bay. He's hitting .556 (5-for-9) with two stolen bases and a home run in five games this spring.
Buxton enters 2025 coming off a rare season during which he finished the year healthy and didn't have any offseason surgeries or rehabilitations. An uncommon steal of third base shows he and the Twins are feeling very confident about his health this spring. While he's played over 100 regular-season games just twice in 10 seasons, perhaps this is the year he finally puts it all together.
-
Luken Baker DH | LAD
Cardinals' Luken Baker: Team rejected overseas overtures
The Cardinals declined overtures from teams overseas this offseason that wanted to acquire Baker's rights, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Goold says the Cardinals see Baker as being able to contribute as a right-handed batter off the bench and decided to keep him in that role instead. Baker will turn 28 soon and has topped 30 home runs each of the last two seasons at Triple-A Memphis, so there's nothing left for him to prove in the minors. However, it would probably take an injury or two for him to see regular at-bats with the Cardinals this season.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Starting season on IL
Stanton (elbows) will begin the season on the injured list, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.
Stanton has been away from the team tending to a personal matter in New York since Monday. However, he's been continuing his rehab while away, receiving platelet-rich plasma injections in both of his elbows to help treat his tendinitis. He's expected to rejoin the team within the next week, but there is currently no timetable for his return.