Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday that he's leaning toward batting Bichette third this season, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

He'll be preceded by Francisco Lindor (hand) and Juan Soto and likely followed by Jorge Polanco. It's a phenomenal RBI spot for Bichette, who slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI over 139 regular-season games for Toronto in 2025. Bichette will primarily play third base for the Mets this season, although he could be needed at shortstop early in the year if Lindor's recovery from hamate bone surgery lingers past Opening Day.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Lindor will undergo right hamate bone surgery Wednesday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

President of baseball operations David Stearns noted Tuesday that surgery for Lindor was a possibility, and it's now confirmed that the shortstop will be going under the knife. Rehab is expected to take six weeks, and while the Mets are optimistic Lindor will be ready for Opening Day, it's hardly a sure thing. If Lindor needs to miss time, the Mets could shift Bo Bichette over to shortstop and install Brett Baty at third base.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said Wednesday that Alexander is a candidate to start at second base while Jackson Holliday (hand) is out, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The Orioles acquired Alexander via trade Feb. 5, and the next day Holliday suffered a hamate bone fracture that will result in a stint on the injured list to begin the season. Alexander slashed .230/.323/.383 with seven homers and four steals over 74 games for the Diamondbacks in 2025. Jordan Westburg (oblique) will also be in the mix for reps at second base while Holliday is shelved.

Holliday will undergo surgery Thursday for a fractured right hamate bone and will begin the season on the injured list, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

A clearer timetable should become available after the operation, but Holliday will shelved for several weeks in any case. Additionally, it's a procedure that can often result in an initial loss of power for a player upon their return. Blaze Alexander and Jordan Westburg (oblique) are candidates to handle second base while Holliday is out.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday that Lindor (elbow) is being evaluated for a possible stress reaction in his left hamate bone and could require surgery, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

If an operation is needed, Lindor would need six weeks to recover. In that instance, Stearns said it's possible Lindor would be ready in time for Opening Day, but it would be a tight window given that the Mets' opener is just over six weeks away. Lindor is also coming back from a right elbow debridement procedure that he had last October, one from which he seems to be fully recovered. If Lindor gets a late start to the season, the Mets could slide Bo Bichette over to shortstop and install Brett Baty at third base.

Mayer's starting position has yet to be determined, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. He played both second base and third base during his rookie season in 2025.

Mayer had been ticketed for a starting role at third base, replacing the departed Alex Bregman, but Monday's acquisition of Caleb Durbin from Milwaukee creates uncertainty. Both Mayer and Durbin have experience at the hot corner and second base in the majors, and manager Alex Cora was hesitant to make any decisions Monday. An early indicator of the infielders' eventual landing spot should come Feb. 15, when Boston's position players report to Fort Myers and where the two are stationed during spring training drills.

Lee is the favorite to start at shortstop for the Twins but must show improved range and more consistent offense, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Lee took over as the everyday shortstop last season after Carlos Correa was traded, but he struggled at the position defensively. The Twins have very little depth behind Lee at shortstop, so they have little choice but to throw him out there and hope for improvement with the glove. If Lee falters, Ryan Kreidler and Orlando Arcia would be next in line at shortstop for Minnesota.

Shewmake was outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday.

Shewmake was booted from the 40-man roster Thursday after the Yankees claimed Osvaldo Bido off waivers. Shewmake appears destined to begin the 2026 campaign at Triple-A, where he hit .243 with four home runs, 29 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 85 games a year ago.

Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said Monday that Williams will be given some third-base reps during spring training, Jack Stern of BrewerFanatic.com reports.

Williams has yet to play third base at the professional level, but he's very familiar with the left side of the infield and has a plus arm, so it could be a smooth transition. The hot corner is now wide open for the Brewers after they traded Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio to the Red Sox on Monday. While it's probably a long shot that Williams breaks camp as the starter at third base, showing he can handle the position would give him another path to playing time. The 22-year-old Williams was acquired from the Mets in the deal that sent Freddy Peralta to New York.

The Brewers acquired Hamilton on Monday in a trade with the Red Sox, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Hamilton is a former Brewers farmhand who has slashed .222/.283/.359 over the past three seasons in Boston. While he's mostly played second base and shortstop, Hamilton will be given lots of reps at third base during spring training, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. That position currently looks wide open in Milwaukee, though another addition from outside the organization can't be ruled out.