MLB Player News

Reds manager David Bell said Saturday that McLain (oblique) took 70 swings Friday and is slated to take live at-bats around Wednesday of the upcoming week, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

McLain no longer feels soreness in his right oblique area after being slowed since the beginning of camp. If he can get through live batting practice mid-week, his Cactus League debut might not be far behind. McLain has time to ramp up for Opening Day, but he can't afford any more bumps in the road.

Hernaiz has been seeing action at third base this spring and could get a shot to start there for the Athletics, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Hernaiz has predominantly been a shortstop in the minors, and the A's aren't exactly set at that position with Nick Allen as the incumbent. However, it sounds like Hernaiz's better shot at a starting gig might come at third, particularly with Aledmys Diaz (groin) likely to require a stint on the injured list. Jordan Diaz, Brett Harris and Abraham Toro are also in the mix at the hot corner. For what it's worth, Gallegos projected Hernaiz on Thursday to win the third base job.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said Friday that it would be "optimistic" to think Diaz (groin) could return before the end of the Cactus League schedule, MLB.com reports.

Diaz is dealing with a strained left groin and is expected to miss at least the next 2-to-3 weeks of action. Barring a rapid recovery, it sounds like an injured list stint should be expected. Diaz is competing for Oakland's third base job, but his injury opens up more chances for Darell Hernaiz, Jordan Diaz and Brett Harris.

Hampson is projected to be the Royals' main utility player this season, Anne Rogers of the Royals' official site reports.

Hampson can cover a number of positions -- he's played everywhere but first base and catcher in his major-league career. Rogers notes it's likely Hampson won't have a single position, but he could still come close to everyday playing time by providing cover around the diamond. He hit a career-high .276 with his second-base OPS (.729) last season with the Marlins, which is impressive given he spent his first five seasons with the Rockies, so his move to the Royals alone shouldn't end up having a negative impact on his play.

Wendle has been dealing with a sore right shoulder, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Wendle's shoulder has prevented him from playing so far during spring training, but he is on track to make his Grapefruit League debut in about a week. The 33-year-old infielder slashed .212/.248/.306 across 318 plate appearances with Miami last season and figures to operate in a utility role for the Mets in 2024.

Manager Joe Espada said Saturday that Machado has a Grade 2 quadriceps strain and could miss the remainder of camp, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Machado sustained the quadriceps injury in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins. He received a non-roster invitation to spring training and this setback likely derails any slim chances he had of making the Opening Day roster. Machado played 74 games with Triple-A Sugar Land in 2023 and slashed .230/.369/.356 with seven home runs and 33 RBI over 293 plate appearances.

Grissom was diagnosed with a groin strain Saturday and could be out for Opening Day, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

The Red Sox had been hopeful to get Grissom into Grapefruit League action within the next few days after he worked his way back from a hamstring injury. However, it appears he could miss the entirety of the spring training schedule as a result of his new groin issue. It's unclear whether or not Grissom will begin the regular season on the injured list, but the Red Sox will likely plan on Enmanuel Valdez being their Opening Day second baseman either way.

McLain (oblique) took groundballs Thursday after passing a series of tests that showed he's no longer dealing with the soreness issue, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

The update also mentions McLain was scheduled for light swinging, but there were no details provided. The plan calls for the infielder to work with a mobility coach to become more flexible in his core. To this point, all updates on McLain's condition have been positive and suggest he'll be ready for Opening Day.

Rocchio is competing with Gabriel Arias for the Guardians' starting shortstop job, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Both Rocchio and Arias are inexperienced options, and while Arias struggled at the plate in 2023, Rocchio wasn't much better. The 23-year-old batted .247 with a .600 OPS, eight RBI, nine runs scored and six doubles over 86 plate appearances. This is one of the more even battles for Cleveland, though Rocchio has a full season of Triple-A ball under his belt and will need to be tested in the majors in the near future.

Abrams went 2-for-2 with a solo homer, an RBI single and a stolen base in Friday's loss to Houston.

The young shortstop has impressed in spring games thus far, logging four hits and three steals without a strikeout over the course of four games. Abrams' impressive rookie campaign with Washington included him setting the single-season franchise record with 47 steals. The 23-year-old will consistently be hitting leadoff for a less-than-stellar lineup, and he will look to explode as perhaps one of the few bright spots on the Nationals.