MLB Player News

Crawford (finger) will start at shortstop Monday against the Rangers, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford received reps at designated hitter Friday and Saturday before having Sunday off. It appears his finger has fully healed to give manager Bruce Bochy confidence to slot him in the lineup.

Seager (elbow) is scheduled to be in the lineup as designated hitter Monday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Seager doesn't yet have a timetable for a return to the field, but the fact he's OK to swing a bat is certainly encouraging. To further the story, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com says Seager will begin throwing to bases Monday, but it seems unlikely to be in live game action based on the other report. Despite an illness going around the clubhouse costing Seager a bit of time, manager Dave Roberts remains optimistic about his shortstop's Opening Day status.

Cecchini hit a solo home run in his only at-bat during Friday's split-squad game against the Nationals.

While there doesn't appear to be room for Cecchini on a big-league roster that already features Asdrubal Cabrera, Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores, the 24-year-old is doing his best to force the Mets to make a tough decision, collecting four hits -- including two homers and a double -- in his first seven spring at-bats while also walking twice. If Cecchini keeps raking, it could encourage the front office to pull the trigger on a trade to clear space for him.

Crawford (finger) served as the Giants' DH on Friday and went 0-for-3 at the plate.

While Crawford didn't return to his normal spot at shortstop Friday, his presence in the lineup was a step in the right direction. The Giants haven't indicated when he'll be back in the field, but there's no reason for them to rush the three-time Gold Glove winner's return.

Seager (elbow) won't play in games for a few days, but manager Dave Roberts still thinks his starting shortstop has enough time to be ready for the start of the season, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

His throwing program was interrupted by an illness that has spread through Dodgers camp, but he is expected to get in a light workout Friday before going home. The concern with Seager is that his elbow won't be fully ready for him to play the field in the first week of the season, but it sounds like he has time to get right by Opening Day if he can avoid further setbacks. The Dodgers estimate that Seager will only need 7-to-8 spring training games in the field to be ready defensively for the start of the season. Seager's injury has opened up a buying opportunity, as he has been slipping too far in many recent drafts.

Crawford will sit out of Thursday's Cactus League outing after jamming his right index finger Wednesday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford suffered the injury while sliding back to first base on a pickoff throw. He was able to stay in the game and even ripped off an RBI single after sustaining the injury, but the club may choose to hold him out for a few days as a precaution.

Crawford jammed his right index finger during Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Brewers, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic Bay Area reports.

Crawford, who was serving as the Giants' designated hitter, suffered the injury while sliding back to first base on a pickoff throw. The good news is he was able to stay in the game and didn't need any X-rays afterwards, so it doesn't appear to be anything overly serious, though it could ultimately keep him from playing the field for a few days.

Ahmed (wrist) is 2-for-4 with a double in two spring games.

Ahmed missed time last season due to hand and wrist injuries, but it seems like that is all behind him at this point. He's currently in the mix for starting duties in the Diamondbacks' middle infield, and his chances of garnering a prominent role increased following the trade of Brandon Drury to the Yankees. Ahmed will need to outperform Ketel Marte and Chris Owings (finger) this spring to prove he deserves regular playing time.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez plans to use Turner as the No. 2 hitter in the Washington lineup in 2018, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.

Turner handled leadoff duties for most of 2017 after Adam Eaton (knee) suffered a season-ending ACL tear in late April, with the 24-year-old parlaying the favorable lineup slotting into 75 runs and 46 stolen bases. Though a healthy Eaton is set to reclaim the table-setting role during the upcoming season, Turner shouldn't lose out on any run-scoring opportunities while batting directly in front of 2015 National League MVP Bryce Harper in most games. It's less certain if Turner will remain as active of a basestealer upon moving down a spot in the order, though for what it's worth, Martinez said that the shortstop will have "free rein" on the bases, according to Collier. "I told [Turner], 'If you hit second, leadoff, wherever you hit in the lineup, it doesn't change anything,'" Martinez said. "I want him to be aggressive on the bases, and he knows that."

Manager Dave Roberts reported Sunday that Seager is still limited in the "volume and distance" of his throwing, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Seager is in the lineup Sunday as the team's designated hitter but does not necessarily appear close to returning to the defensive side of the ball. "The [trainers] have him on a throwing program, a progression," Roberts said Sunday. "Probably not very aggressive but it's what we think is best for Corey." Roberts also conceded Seager would likely need 10 spring-training appearances at shortstop before he's deemed ready for Opening Day. It sounds like the Dodgers' star shortstop is slowly making progress when it comes to ramping up his throwing intensity, but it obviously remains a situation worth monitoring.