MLB Player News

Ohtani will hit in the leadoff or second spot in the order on days when he is in the lineup as a batter, Taylor Blake Ward of Locked on Angels reports.

Ohtani has been scorching at the plate this spring, slashing .571/.594/1.107 with five home runs and eight RBI. David Fletcher typically bats leadoff for the Angels, so Ohtani could be used most frequently in the second spot as a tablesetter for Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.

Belt (heel) felt good after making his first start of spring training Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt debuted in spring training as a pinch hitter Wednesday, but he made his first start at first base Thursday. While he admitted he's not quite at full strength, he felt good in the field and is hoping to be ready for the start of the season.

Belt (heel) could be ready for Opening Day, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Belt is making his initial spring training appearance at first base Thursday after being slowed by offseason heel surgery. Based on his struggles to ramp up during camp it appeared that an injured list stint to begin the season was likely, though there is optimism surrounding the situation depending on how Belt responds to game action.

Belt (heel) is starting Thursday's spring game against the Brewers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Belt has had a slow start to spring training after offseason heel surgery and various illnesses, but he'll make his first appearance at first base during Thursday's Cactus League game while batting second. The Giants haven't yet announced whether Belt will be ready for the start of the regular season in a week.

Martinez will sit for the second straight game Thursday against the Twins due to food poisoning, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Per manager Alex Cora, Martinez has been sidelined after eating some bad sushi earlier in the week. His absence shouldn't last much longer, however, as he'll be able to hit on a back field Thursday.

Jimenez will miss five to six months after being diagnosed with a ruptured left pectoral tendon, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Jimenez suffered the injury while attempting to rob a home run Wednesday. He'll undergo surgery and miss the majority of the season. The expected recovery timeline places his return date sometime between late August and late September. Leury Garcia and Adam Engel (hamstring) are the primary candidates to start in left field in his absence, though the White Sox could also look to bring in a free agent like Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig or Josh Reddick. The team is also considering trying Andrew Vaughn in left field, though he's been purely a first baseman in the minors.

Jimenez could be out for most of the year with a torn pectoral, Jim Duquette of Sirius XM Radio reports.

Jimenez was initially diagnosed with left shoulder discomfort after injuring himself while trying to rob a home run Wednesday, but it appears as though he might be dealing with a much more serious injury. The White Sox are expected to update his status Thursday afternoon. An extended absence would likely open up starts for Leury Garcia or Adam Engel in left field, though Engel is currently dealing with a strained hamstring.

Turner is noticeably slimmer this spring, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Turner has typically clocked in over 200 pounds in recent seasons, but he reportedly got down to as low as 192 pounds as the result of a diet that the veteran hopes will help make him "lighter, more mobile and more durable." Manager Dave Roberts noted that Turner has improved his defensive range as a result of the weight loss, though it remains to be seen if it will have an effect on his offense. The third baseman is slugging .278/.395/.472 with one home run and six RBI in Cactus League play.

Cabrera has impressed manager A.J. Hinch with his play at first base this spring, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Hinch has said he wants to play Cabrera at first at least one or two times per week, and the veteran has looked up to the task so far, The manager said Cabrera is "arguably the best first baseman we have," but even if that's true, the Tigers will still likely limit his time there to keep the 37-year-old fresh. Jeimer Candelario is expected to see the bulk of the time at first, and Renato Nunez could be in the mix too if he makes the team.

Belt (heel/illness) is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Wednesday against the Padres as a pinch hitter, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The 32-year-old has been playing catch-up throughout camp after undergoing heel surgery in October and then coming down with COVID-19 in January and mononucleosis in February, but he's set to make his spring debut Wednesday. There's only eight days before Opening Day, so Belt is running out of time to play the field in a spring game before the start of the season. A short trip to the injured list to open the campaign wouldn't be surprising, though the Giants have yet to indicate whether he's expected to be ready for the season opener.