MLB Player News

Tena is competing with Trey Lipscomb for an infield utility job and has a .156/.206/.219 slash line through 11 Grapefruit League games.

The pair appeared poised to battle for the starting job at third base to begin camp, but the Nationals then signed Paul DeJong in mid-February. Tena had a .652 in 44 games between the Guardians and Nationals last season, and he's struggled to get on track during spring action.

The Cardinals optioned Saggese on Sunday, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Saggese reached the big leagues last September but struggled in his limited action with the Cardinals, slashing .204/.250/.306 over 52 plate appearances. The 22-year-old will get some more development time at Triple-A to begin the upcoming season, but he'll likely rank near the top of the list for a call-up if St. Louis requires an extra infielder at any point.

Arias went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's spring game against Kansas City.

Arias launched his second Cactus League home run and has hits in five of his last six outings. Part of the competition for the starting job at second base, Arias may be leading the race, although Tyler Freeman has hit the best of the quartet with a .333/.419/.630 slash line in 31 plate appearances. Juan Brito and Angel Martinez are also in the mix.

Mateo (elbow) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh in Sunday's split-squad game against the Phillies, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Mateo underwent UCL reconstruction surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow in late August and will be making his first start of spring training. The 29-year-old hasn't officially been ruled out for Opening Day, but manager Brandon Hyde recently said Mateo is unlikely to be available.

Dezenzo could make the Astros' Opening Day roster, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Dezenzo has racked up 33 at-bats and 34 plate appearances this spring while playing a combination of first base and both corner outfield spots. He's struck out at a 26.5 percent clip but also has four extra-base hits, and manager Joe Espada has noted the positive overall impression Dezenzo has made on the club. Even so, the status of Christian Walker (oblique) could ultimately dictate Dezenzo's fate to begin the campaign.

Rosario (knee) will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

A knee issue has kept Rosario on the sideline since Wednesday, but he appears to have made a full recovery ahead of Saturday's contest. The 29-year-old has slashed .240/.240/.280 with two RBI this spring while battling for a spot on the Nationals' bench.

Witt (forearm) will start at shortstop and bat second in Saturday's Cactus League game versus the Guardians.

Witt suffered a bruised left forearm after getting hit by a pitch Wednesday, but the soreness has now subsided, and he's been given the green light to resume playing in exhibition games. With a .276/.364/.586 slash line alongside two home runs, four RBI and five runs scored over 11 contests this spring, the 24-year-old looks poised to have another great season in 2025.

Story (back) is starting at shortstop and batting cleanup in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

The veteran shortstop was scratched early in the week due to back tightness but is ready to return to game action this weekend. Injuries remain a concern for Story given that he's played in just 69 games across the past two seasons, but he's currently healthy and on track to serve as Boston's shortstop for Opening Day.

Perez (back) is starting in center field and batting leadoff in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

The 25-year-old has been dealing with lower-back tightness over the past week but will rejoin the starting nine Saturday after recently receiving a cortisone injection. Perez is expected to start in center or right field Opening Day for the Tigers since Parker Meadows (arm) and Matt Vierling (shoulder) will be unavailable to begin the season.

Perez received a cortisone injection in his back Friday but is expected to be ready for Opening Day, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

The 25-year-old has been sidelined for the past week due to lower-back tightness, and he received the cortisone injection after a couple failed attempts to return to game action this week. Parker Meadows (arm) and Matt Vierling (shoulder) are poised to miss the start of the season, so Perez should play a significant role for the Tigers to begin the campaign, assuming he can avoid further complications.