MLB Player News

Lindor (calf) wil play in a controlled minor-league game Wednesday, T.J. Zuppe of The Athletic reports.

Lindor will receive three at-bats but will only jog to first base if he puts the ball in play. He'll also play what the team is calling "controlled" defense. It's tough to tell exactly what that means, but the fact that he's taking part in something approximating game action 15 days before Opening Day is a positive sign.

Crawford, acquired from the Phillies in an early-December trade, is hitting .240 with two extra-base hits (double, triple), two walks and three runs over 25 spring at-bats.

The 24-year-old has picked it up at the plate as spring has unfolded, as he'd hit safely in four straight exhibitions prior to rain wiping out Tuesday's Cactus League tilt versus the White Sox. Crawford could form the left-handed side of a shortstop platoon with veteran Tim Beckham this coming season, although the latter has the advantage of being a much more accomplished hitter at the big-league level. Crawford has scuffled with the bat in his two prior major-league stints, most recently slashing .214/.319/.393 over 137 plate appearances with the Phillies in 2018.

Chang was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Monday.

Chang is reportedly also carrying a minor finger injury, T.J. Zuppe of The Athletic reports. The young shortstop could earn his first callup at some point this season after hitting a decent .256/.330/.411 with 13 homers for Columbus last year.

Wendle went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in an 8-1 Grapefruit League win over the Red Sox on Sunday.

Wendle squared up against Red Sox starter Rick Porcello for his second round tripper of spring in the second inning. The versatile infielder's first Rays season in 2018 was a success, as Wendle slashed .300/.354/.435 across 545 plate appearances while contributing 46 extra-base hits (33 doubles, six triples, seven home runs), 61 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Looking ahead to the coming campaign, the 28-year-old profiles as the left-handed side of a platoon at second base with Daniel Robertson, but he can also fill in at shortstop, third base and left field as needed.

Velazquez was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

Velazquez had a strong start to spring training but ended up 4-for-21 with one double and four RBI in 11 games. The 24-year-old could make his way to the majors at some point this season and would likely serve in a utility role.

Bichette went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and a second run scored in Friday's split-squad game against the Pirates.

Seen as the Robin to Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s Batman in the Jays' prospect pipeline, Bichette is actually putting together a more impressive spring so far, slashing .368/.429/.684 with two home runs over 21 plate appearances. The 21-year-old will begin 2019 next to Guerrero on the left side of Triple-A Buffalo's infield after more than holding his own over 131 games with Double-A New Hampshire in 2018, and while Bichette's big-league debut will almost certainly come later in the year than Vladito's, he may not be all that far behind his more heralded organization-mate.

Adames went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Friday against the Twins.

Adames delivered a two-run blast in the fourth inning to give the Rays a 3-2 lead. The 23-year-old shortstop is batting just .235 so far this spring but is evidently beginning to come around at the dish.

Anderson went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Thursday's game against Milwaukee.

Anderson is 11-for-22 with five extra-base hits and six RBI while playing error-free defense at shortstop this spring. The 25-year-old has made gradual advancement since his rookie 2016 season, including last year's 20-20 campaign, and could make a sizeable leap in 2019.

Lindor (calf) took batting practice and fielded groundballs Wednesday, but manager Terry Francona noted that the shortstop hasn't been cleared to move laterally while fielding, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

While it's encouraging that Lindor is able to take part in baseball activities in some capacity as he battles the right calf strain, a good portion of his value to the club comes from his speed on the basepaths and range in the infield. With the injury still inhibiting him in both capacities, his return to the Cactus League lineup doesn't appear imminent. The Indians haven't yet closed the door on Lindor being ready for the March 28 season opener versus the Twins.

Urena appears to be the favorite to begin the season as the Blue Jays' utility infielder, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

Devon Travis' latest knee woes have pushed Lourdes Gurriel Jr. into the starting second base job, opening up a spot for Urena on the bench. Journeyman Eric Sogard is also competing for that role, but since Urena is already on the 40-man roster he has a potentially decisive edge despite his lackluster .257/.311/.341 slash line in 61 career MLB games. Whoever wins it may only stick around until Vlad Guerrero Jr. joins the team, likely in mid-April.