MLB Player News

Neto (shoulder) has been throwing across the diamond in addition to participating in other defensive drills, Jack Janes of The Sporting Tribune reports.

Neto began throwing from shortstop to first base this week after being limited to shorter throws during the first half of March. The 24-year-old is also doing "just about every defensive drill that the rest of the team is doing" aside from throwing and was recently cleared to take swings off a hitting machine. It's not yet clear when he'll be able to face live pitching, and Neto remains likely to begin the season on the injured list, but he continues to be described as "ahead of schedule" in his rehab from the right shoulder surgery he underwent last November. Neto made it clear that he's pleased with his progress to this point, saying, "Honestly, I feel really great with my shoulder and where it's at. I'm feeling way stronger since when I first walked in here. I'm trusting our training staff and our coaches to get me in the right spot. I'm feeling great every day I walk in here."

The Blue Jays optioned Jimenez to Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Jimenez was in contention for a backup infielder spot but ultimately didn't make the cut. The 23-year-old will receive regular reps at Buffalo.

Story was scratched from Friday's Grapefruit League lineup versus the Pirates due to lower-back tightness, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

It's the second time this month that Story has had to be scratched from the lineup because of a back problem, which is not ideal. He missed nearly a week of action the first time around, but it's not clear how long he might out this time. The Red Sox should have more on Story's condition later Friday.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Henderson (side) will take live batting practice Saturday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Hyde admitted Thursday that Henderson is "running out of time" to be ready for Opening Day, but he doesn't appear far off from being cleared for game action. Even if the 23-year-old begins the season on the injured list, he doesn't seem likely to miss much time given where he's at in his rehab program.

The Guardians optioned Martinez to Triple-A Columbus on Friday.

Martinez was competing for a utility job but managed just a .553 OPS this spring. He still figures to see plenty of action in the majors this season but will head to Columbus for now.

The Guardians optioned Brito to Triple-A Columbus on Friday.

The 23-year-old posted a .177/.222/.529 slash line with four homers over 13 games in spring training and was unable to earn a place on the Opening Day roster. Brito still has a strong chance to make his MLB debut at some point in 2025, especially if he can replicate or improve upon the .808 OPS he produced at Triple-A last year.

Bichette went 3-for-4 in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

While all three hits were singles, it was still another strong effort at the plate from the shortstop as he looks to put his shaky 2024 behind him. Bichette is batting a cool .400 (18-for-45) this spring with three doubles, four homers and a 4:6 BB:K, and the only blemish on his Grapefruit League performance has been a 1-for-3 showing on the basepaths.

Volpe went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League win over the Orioles.

Volpe went deep to left-center field in the sixth inning. The 23-year-old is tied for third on the Yankees with three long balls this spring and is tied for the team lead with three stolen bases. Volpe is batting just .200 in spring play, but he's locked in as New York's primary shortstop and appears slated to hit in the middle of the order on a near-everyday basis.

Hamilton started at second base and went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run scored in Thursday's spring game against Minnesota.

Hamilton now has eight stolen bases in 19 Grapefruit League games. Boston's decision to assign Vaughn Grissom to minor-league camp Wednesday leaves Hamilton and Kristian Campbell as the last two candidates standing for the starting gig at the keystone, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Chad Jennings of The Athletic that final roster decisions may not be made until 48 hours before Opening Day. "Maybe Monterrey," he said, referencing next week's pair of exhibition games in Mexico. "We're getting close, but we're not in a rush." Jennings' report also includes a roster projection that has Hamilton making the roster, either in a platoon at second base or as a utility player that gets a lot of playing time off the bench. Jennings also indicates that both the industry and the Red Sox seem to value Hamilton more than his fantasy profile suggests.

The Blue Jays optioned Martinez to Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.

Martinez missed a few days of spring training after he was hit by a fastball on the hip Monday. He was able to return to action Thursday and log an at-bat. The infielder has been slashing .320/.393/.480 with a home run across 28 plate appearances in Grapefruit League play. At Triple-A Buffalo, the 23-year-old will play every day and wait for his next chance to prove himself in the big leagues.