MLB Player News
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Marcelo Mayer SS | BOS
Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Confirmed as starting 2B
Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Mayer will begin the season as the Red Sox's primary second baseman, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Cora's announcement comes shortly after he named Caleb Durbin as the team's starter at third base and the Red Sox's decision to option Nick Sogard to Triple-A Worcester. Mayer has posted just a .710 OPS this spring across 44 plate appearances, but the organization feels he has done enough to win the battle at the keystone. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio remain in camp as bench pieces.
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Gavin Lux SS | TB
Rays' Gavin Lux: Battling shoulder injury
Lux isn't in the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins due to right shoulder discomfort, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
Manager Kevin Cash said he expects Lux to return to the starting nine Sunday, so the 28-year-old doesn't seem to be dealing with anything serious. Through six spring training games, Lux has gone 4-for-18 (.222) with two runs scored and seven strikeouts.
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Hao Yu Lee SS | DET
Tigers' Hao-Yu Lee: Appears in exhibition game
Lee (oblique) played in a minor-league spring training game on Wednesday and could be ready for the start of the Triple-A season, MLB.com reports.
Lee sustained an oblique strain sometime earlier this spring that caused him to be removed from Chinese Taipei's World Baseball Classic roster right before the start of the tournament. The 23-year-old now appears to be in better shape on the health front, and he appears primed for the start of the minor-league season. Lee will likely head to Triple-A Toledo, where he spent all of last year, and the infield prospect could push for his MLB debut at some point in 2026 if he impresses in the minors.
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Cole Young SS | SEA
Mariners' Cole Young: Huge day vs. Guardians
Young went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, a double, five total RBI and four total runs scored in Friday's 20-8 Cactus League victory over the Cleveland.
Young started the Mariners' offensive outburst with a solo shot off Logan Allen in the second inning before blasting a two-run, 478-foot moonshot off Matt Festa in the sixth. Young has been on a tear this spring, batting .349 (15-for-43) with six homers in his last 13 Cactus League games. The 22-year-old infielder seems to have locked up a spot on Seattle's Opening Day roster, especially with J.P. Crawford's (shoulder) status still up in the air.
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Brooks Baldwin SS | CHW
White Sox's Brooks Baldwin: Limited progress
Baldwin (elbow) has yet to resume throwing, MLB.com reports.
Baldwin hasn't appeared in a spring training game since March 6 due to right elbow soreness and has been considered day-to-day since. Manager Will Venable said that Baldwin has felt some improvement, but he hasn't progressed much in terms of on-field work.
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Austin Martin SS | MIN
Twins' Austin Martin: Begins running
Martin (concussion) ran in the outfield Friday and is said to be showing signs of improvement, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Martin was removed from Monday's game after three innings after sustaining a concussion. It's unclear if he'll be placed on the injured list to begin the regular season, but his activity Friday could indicate whether he'll be ready to play.
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Shay Whitcomb SS | HOU
Astros' Shay Whitcomb: Sent to minors
The Astros optioned Whitcomb to minor-league camp Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Whitcomb has slashed .280/.369/.520 over the past two seasons at Triple-A Sugar Land but owns just a .491 OPS in 78 career plate appearances in the majors. He'll officially return to the minors to begin 2026 after posting a .649 OPS in the Grapefruit League, but his defensive versatility will keep the door open for a return to the big leagues sometime this year.
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Marcelo Mayer SS | BOS
Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Likely starter at 2B
Mayer is expected to open the regular season as the primary second baseman, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
While Boston manager Alex Cora hasn't said Mayer will be part of the Opening Day roster, all signs point to that being the case. On Thursday, the manager named Caleb Durbin the starter at third base, and the club optioned Nick Sogard to Triple-A Worcester, which clears a path to second base for Mayer. All that's left is for Cora, who has lauded Mayer's play during Grapefruit League games, to tell the player face-to-face before announcing it to the public.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Fine after HBP
Neto was removed from Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after being hit by a pitch, but he is OK, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
The 25-year-old shortstop was plunked to lead off the bottom of the first inning, but it never seemed to be a serious issue as he remained in to run the bases and recorded a steal. Neto was then replaced by a pinch hitter in a precautionary move, which makes sense given that he recently returned from a wrist sprain that sidelined him for a couple days.
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Jackson Holliday SS | BAL
Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Progresses to live ABs
Holliday (hand) took live batting practice Thursday with no issues and is doing so again Friday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
The 22-year-old continues working his way back from surgery to repair a fractured hamate bone in his right hand, which he underwent in mid-February. Holliday won't be ready to join Baltimore for Opening Day, but he could begin a rehab assignment at the start of the Triple-A season.