MLB Player News

Miller went 1-for-2 with a pinch-hit home run in Monday's spring training game against the Mariners.

Miller hit for starting third baseman Andy Ibanez and stayed in the game to play the hot corner. The home run was the third of the Cactus League for Miller, who is 7-for-16 with six RBI over five games. Third base appears to be Ibanez's position to lose, but the multi-positional Miller is in the mix there as well as left field, two positions that were wide open when spring training began.

Alvarez (personal) will serve as Houston's designated hitter and No. 4 batter in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Alvarez was scratched from Sunday's spring lineup due to a personal issue, but the matter apparently won't keep him away from the Astros for more than a day. The 24-year-old slugger has logged just five at-bats in spring games thus far, but he still has plenty of time to get in the reps he needs to prepare himself for Opening Day.

Tampa Bay plans to use Ramirez as the team's right-handed DH and occasional outfielder against lefty pitchers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Ramirez hit .268 with seven home runs last season, but he fared better against left-handed batters. He hit .288 with a .774 OPS against lefties, compared to .258 with a .665 OPS against righties. Ramirez was 37th in the majors last year with an average exit velocity of 91.3 mph but lacked plate discipline (3.9 BB%, 45.2 O-swing%). Tampa Bay must be banking that he can make better contact this season in a platoon role.

Ohtani will serve as the Angels' leadoff hitter to begin the regular season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani has hit from the leadoff spot for the majority of spring training, and he's delivered a .455 on-base percentage across 11 plate appearances. He spent the majority of the 2021 season hitting either second or third, so his shift up the order will not be drastic. However, it will give him the opportunity to maximize volume, of particular importance if he receives days off when he takes the mound.

Alvarez was scratched from Sunday's Grapefruit League lineup due to a personal matter, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Alvarez was penciled in to start in left field but will instead step away from the team, and it's unclear when he'll retake the field. Kyle Tucker will shift to left field in his place while Lewis Brinson enters the lineup in right.

Ozuna went 1-for-2 with a walk, a three-run home run and a second run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.

Chi Chi Gonzalez left a pitch over the heart of the plate in the third inning and Ozuna sliced it down the right-field line, watching it carry over the fence for his first homer this spring. The veteran slugger played in only 48 games last season before spending the rest of the year on administrative leave due to domestic violence charges, but the league made his eventual suspension retroactive and he will be available for Opening Day, likely as Atlanta's designated hitter. Ozuna's .644 OPS in those 48 games might be the more immediate concern for prospective fantasy investors, but if the 31-year-old can find a middle ground between his 2020 and 2021 performances, he'll have plenty of value.

Torrens, who went 2-for-3 with a run in a Cactus League tie against the Brewers on Saturday, is hitting .500 (6-for-12) with a double, an RBI and two runs over his first five exhibitions.

Torrens signed a one-year deal to avoid arbitration on Wednesday and seems to be building plenty of momentum ahead of the fast-approaching start to the regular season. The 25-year-old made good use of his most extensive playing time in the majors yet last season, slugging 15 home runs and 33 extra-base hits overall across 378 plate appearances. With Tom Murphy and Cal Raleigh potentially set to absorb the majority of the catching opportunities, Torrens could log plenty of time at designated hitter to open the season.

Soler went 3-for-4 with two runs on Saturday during the Marlins' 9-2 win over St. Louis.

Soler was making his Marlins debut after signing a three-year, $36 million contract a week ago. The slugger hit leadoff Saturday against a lefty and should see an everyday role between left field and DH for the Marlins this season.

Winker took grounders at first base during Saturday's practice, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

A single spring drill is by no means an indication that Winker will spend a considerable amount of time at first base this season, though it would certainly benefit the Mariners if he proves capable at the position. He's not a good defender in the the outfield, an area that's full already in Seattle and will become overcrowded once Julio Rodriguez debuts and once Kyle Lewis (knee) gets healthy. At first base, Ty France is the only viable option due to Evan White's (groin) injuries and underperformance. France could shift to second or third base at times to accommodate Winker at first.

Ohtani will make his next Cactus League start Thursday against Milwaukee, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani was scratched from his scheduled start as a pitcher Saturday, but manager Joe Maddon reiterated that the move wasn't due to an injury or fatigue. Ohtani is expected to be built up to around 90 pitches by Opening Day, and he simply preferred to start Thursday as he continues his spring progression.