MLB Player News

Manager Aaron Boone said Sunday said Stanton (elbows) won't resume baseball activities in the immediate future, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

The veteran slugger hasn't swung a bat in weeks while dealing with tennis elbow in both arms, which is an injury he also played through last season. Stanton indicated that he's been experiencing a significant amount of pain, and it's unclear if he'll be ready to go by Opening Day.

Crochet allowed no runs on three hits and one walk over 1.2 innings during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays. He struck out four.

The left-hander was on a pitch count for his first spring game, with his departure in the midst of the second inning also being the result of a long wait between his first and second frames, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Crochet had a limited workload last year with the White Sox in his first season as a full-time starter, but he was still one of the top breakout players in MLB with a 3.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 209:33 K:BB across 146 innings. The 25-year-old isn't expected to face any workload restrictions in 2025 after being acquired by the Red Sox.

Barger was removed from Sunday's Grapefruit League game against Boston due to a right hand contusion.

Barger suffered the injury when he was hit by a Garrett Crochet pitch in the first inning. The initial diagnosis of a contusion provides optimism that the 25-year-old isn't dealing with a major issue, though the Blue Jays will likely want to further evaluate the injury. Barger is expected to use spring training to make a case for playing time with the Blue Jays, and he could eventually push Ernie Clement for a starting role at third base if he plays well early on.

Kochanowicz allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk while striking out three batters over two innings in a Cactus League start against Seattle on Saturday.

Kochanowicz is vying for the Angels' fifth-starter opening, so each of his outings this spring could have an impact on his role to begin the regular season. The right-hander began his spring debut Saturday with a 1-2-3 frame but then struggled in the second inning, allowing a pair of singles and a walk to yield two runs before striking out the final two batters he faced. Reid Detmers, who may be Kochanowicz's top competition for a rotation spot, is slated to pitch for the Angels against Cleveland on Sunday.

Jones went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's Grapefruit League loss to Toronto.

Jones impressed during spring training last season, and he got off to a fast start to this year's exhibition slate with a two-run blast to left field in the sixth inning Saturday. The 23-year-old is among the Yankees' top prospects, with contact being the primary area in which he needs to improve after he posted a 36.8 percent strikeout rate at the Double-A level last season. Nonetheless, Jones has an intriguing blend of power and speed and could get his first taste of the big leagues sometime in 2025.

Martinez went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

Hitting ninth as the DH, Martinez launched a fourth-inning offering from Brandon Leibrandt over the fence in right-center field. Martinez could win a spot on the Opening Day roster with a big camp and even take over the starting job at third base, but it's his glovework and not his bat that will determine how quickly he's entrusted with those duties. The fact that he was used as the DH in the Blue Jays' spring opener, while Ernie Clement got the start at the hot corner, is a sign of how much the 23-year-old slugger needs to do on the defensive side to earn that opportunity.

Bichette went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

The 26-year-old shortstop is coming off the worst season of his career, and with free agency looming next winter, Bichette has every incentive to rebound. He hit leadoff Saturday, but George Springer is expected to handle those duties come Opening Day, with Bichette likely to hit second ahead of Vladimir Guerrero and Anthony Santander. Bichette was one of the most reliable hitters in the majors prior to last year's collapse, slashing .298/.339/.476 from 2021-23 while averaging 24.3 homers, 89.3 RBI, 93.7 runs and 14.3 steals a season.

Rodon tossed 2.2 innings against Toronto in Grapefruit League play Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out one batter.

It wasn't a great exhibition debut for Rodon, though he wasn't hit particularly hard -- all five knocks against him were singles. The veteran lefty did log a promising workload with 48 pitches, and his changeup usage was up from his norm last season, which could be an indication of his plans to adjust for the coming campaign after opponents belted 21 homers off his four-seamer last year. Rodon is expected to slot third in the Yankees' rotation behind Gerrit Cole and Max Fried.

Loperfido went 1-for-2 with a double in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

More importantly, the 25-year-old got the start in center field, a spot the Blue Jays will likely need to fill for the first week or two of the season while Daulton Varsho completes his recovery from shoulder surgery. Loperfido, acquired from the Astros last year in the Yusei Kikuchi trade, slashed just .197/.236/.343 over 144 plate appearances for Toronto in 2024, but his defensive versatility in the outfield and 20-20 upside if he puts everything together appear to make him the early favorite to be Varsho's understudy. Jonatan Clase, Nathan Lukes and Myles Straw also figure to get looks in center field during spring training.

The Royals are viewing Bowlan as a reliever, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Two of Bowlan's three big-league appearances to date have come in a starting role, though he's gone a mere 4.2 innings combined in those outings. The right-hander has worked almost exclusively as a starter in the minors as well, but the Royals appear set to deploy him out of the bullpen when he's with the big-league club. Bowlan has one minor-league option remaining, which gives the team some flexibility in terms of managing a relief corps that is comprised of mostly veteran arms.