MLB Player News

GM Jerry Dipoto said Monday that Lewis (knee) isn't expected to be ready to start on Opening Day, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Lewis has yet to be cleared for full workouts in spring training, as the Mariners are expressing significant caution early on in camp after the 26-year-old missed the final four months of the 2021 campaign. Lewis could also see more action at designated hitter early on to help reduce his workload once he's cleared for game action.

The Mariners are acquiring Winker and Eugenio Suarez from the Reds on Monday in exchange for Jake Fraley, Justin Dunn and minor-league pitcher Brandon Williamson, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Winker earned an All-Star nod with the Reds last season and finished the campaign with a .305/.393/.556 slash line to go along with 24 home runs, 32 doubles, 77 runs and 71 RBI in 110 games. The 28-year-old is arbitration eligible for 2022 and 2023, so he'll be in Seattle for at least the next two seasons, barring another trade. Winker will step into an everyday role with the Mariners and be a key piece of the lineup.

Turner (hamstring) was spotted taking live at-bats against teammate Clayton Kershaw on Monday during the Dodgers' team workout, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Turner and Mookie Betts were among the lineup regulars who took hacks against Kershaw in the ace's first live batting practice throwing session of 2022, indicating that all three players are healthy again after tending to injuries during last year's playoff run. Los Angeles could still look to add another major piece to an already prolific offense before Opening Day, but Turner's status as an everyday player won't be in question regardless of what moves the Dodgers might make. After inking a two-year, $34 million contract last February, he made good on the first season of the deal by hitting .278 with 27 home runs, 87 RBI and 87 runs over 151 games.

Lewis will get his surgically repaired knee checked out before he's cleared to go through full workouts during spring training, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Lewis didn't appear in a game after the end of May last season while recovering from a torn meniscus. While it initially appeared as though he had a chance to return late in the season, a setback wound up sidelining him for the rest of the campaign. It doesn't appear as though the reports of the Mariners' caution are linked to any specific setback, but it makes sense for the team not to push him. Assuming that the careful approach, which may include frequent starts at designated hitter, is able to keep him in the lineup on a regular basis this season, he could be a good late-round value, as he posted a 14.0 percent barrel rate alongside a career-best 25.2 percent walk rate in his 36-game stint last season.

Cabrera may see more time as the designated hitter in 2022 if the team wants to play Spencer Torkelson at first base, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Torkelson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 first-year player draft, will be competing for an Opening Day roster spot in camp. Whenever Torkelson arrives in the majors, he'll likely see time at first, with the veteran Cabrera working as the DH and Jonathan Schoop shifting over to second. After a few injury-plagued seasons, the 38-year-old Cabrera appeared in 130 games for the Tigers last year, recording a .702 OPS, 15 home runs and 75 RBI.

Arizona general manager Mike Hazen did not have an update on Beer (shoulder) this weekend but said he should in a few days, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Beer's five-game entree into MLB last September was a success before he dislocated his shoulder. Team personnel were barred from communicating with 40-man roster players during the lockout, so the Diamondbacks are still in the process of acquiring information on players' health. Now that MLB has adopted the designated hitter for the NL, Beer is considered a leader to become the team's primary DH or at least the left-handed component in a platoon. Beer has consistently posted a slugging percentage above .500 and an OPS over .900 in the minors.

Colon is planning to retire, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.

Colon has been in professional baseball since 2010, and he first reached the majors in 2014. He spent the majority of his career as organizational depth, including 2021 when he played at Triple-A Buffalo. For his career, he logged a .249/.312/.310 line across 418 major-league plate appearances.

General manager Jerry Dipoto said Wednesday the team is counting on Lewis to produce as a hitter in 2022, but is unsure if he will play center field, left field or designated hitter, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Considering Lewis has missed so much time in recent seasons with lower-body injuries -- he finished the 2021 season on the 60-day injured list with a bone bruise in his right knee -- it makes sense for Lewis to get more starts at designated hitter going forward. The Mariners may add other players still this offseason, but for now Lewis should be able to play pretty regularly as long as he's healthy.

Ford was non-tendered by the Nationals on Tuesday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Ford was claimed off waivers by the Nationals in August, and he'll depart the organization without making a big-league appearance. He struggled with the Yankees earlier in the year and hit .133/.278/.283 in 72 plate appearances.

Vogelbach was non-tendered by the Brewers on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was overtaken as the Brewers' primary first baseman by Rowdy Tellez, so the team opted not to tender him a contract for 2022. Vogelbach hit .219/.349/.381 with nine home runs, 24 RBI and 30 runs scored in 258 plate appearances last season.