MLB Player News

Rutschman hit home runs in two live at-bats against Grayson Rodriguez and Albert Suarez during Monday's spring training workout, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Rutschman cratered down the stretch last season with a .207/.282/.303 slash line in the second half, but a long offseason to rest up, the 27-year-old catcher looked re-energized on the eve of the Orioles' first full-squad workout of camp. Perhaps in an effort to prevent Rutschman from wearing down again, the Orioles could look to build in more days off for him or deploy him as a designated hitter more frequently, after he started 100 games behind the plate in 2024 between the regular season and playoffs. Rutschman will have a new backup catcher this season, as the Orioles let James McCann walk in free agency while bringing aboard Gary Sanchez on a one-year, $8.5 million deal.

Jenkins spent the offseason working on ways to stay healthy and strong after injuries prevented him from playing up to his standards in 2024, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.

By most prospects' standards, Jenkins performed well while on the field, slashing .282/.394/.439 with six home runs, 17 steals and more walks than strikeouts in 82 games, but he mentioned at TwinsFest that he felt he season was below average, in part because of a hamstring injury. "Being injured somewhat hindered the way I like to play," Jenkins said. "I had to be able to manage my body, and I wasn't able to go what I felt like was full throttle all the time." Jenkins incorporated swimming into his regimen this offseason, while also doing his usual baseball and strength training. The Twins have plenty of outfielders ahead of Jenkins on the organizational depth chart, so he's not likely to reach the big leagues early in 2025, even if he has a strong showing in spring training. However, Jenkins is extremely well-rounded and he has a chance to finish the year as the game's No. 1 overall prospect if he can tap into more power in games while staying healthy in his age-20 season.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Ort experienced left oblique soreness following a recent bullpen session and won't throw for a few days, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The injury will most likely push Ort's Grapefruit League debut back until at least next week, but Espada hasn't suggested that the Astros are worried about the right-handed reliever's availability for Opening Day. Ort covered 24.2 innings out of the Houston bullpen in 2024, logging a 2.55 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 26:4 K:BB while collecting three holds.

Schultz will make his Cactus League debut Feb. 26 against the Padres, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The White Sox were very careful with Schultz's workload in 2024, but he's been throwing live bullpen sessions earlier this season and will be challenged with taking on a bigger workload in 2025. Last year, Schultz never pitched beyond four innings, all the way through the Southern League postseason. However, this year those restraints are being taken off and he's moving into a true five-man rotation. With that in mind, Schultz focused on strength and conditioning this past offseason. He didn't add to his repertoire, instead focusing on throwing his cutter and four-seam fastball more to keep hitters guessing -- Schultz's slider is his best pitch. There's a chance Schultz creates a significant buzz this spring, which could set the stage for a big-league debut this summer.

Ottavino agreed Tuesday with the Red Sox on a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Ottavino pitched for the Red Sox in 2021 prior to spending the last three seasons with the Mets. The veteran reliever held a 4.34 ERA and 70:23 K:BB over 56 innings for New York in 2024 and did not pitch for them in the playoffs. Ottavino can still get right-handed batters out (.536 OPS in 2024) and miss bats (28.6 percent strikeout rate), giving the 39-year-old a decent chance to crack Boston's Opening Day bullpen.

The Blue Jays and Guerrero were unable to reach a contract extension prior to Guerrero's Feb. 18 deadline, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Slated for free agency after the upcoming season, Guerrero does not want to discuss a long-term deal during spring training or the regular season, thus the self-imposed deadline of Feb. 18, which is the day of the Blue Jays' first full-squad workout. When asked whether the two sides came close to a contract extension, Guerrero simply said, "no," adding that while he is still willing to discuss a deal with the Blue Jays after the season, they will now have to compete with 29 other teams. Guerrero will earn $28.5 million in his walk year.

Santana will likely occupy an everyday role to start the 2025 season, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports. The soon-to-be 39-year-old is expected to serve as the primary first baseman.

Santana returned to Cleveland in the offseason and still is a productive hitter in the twilight of his career. He credited former big leaguer Nelson Cruz, who taught him how to age gracefully. "I don't feel 38," Santana said. "This is my No. 1 priority. I eat healthy, sleep well, I'm not doing alcohol, I have training, I have a chef." The Guardians have up-and-comer Kyle Manzardo in the pipeline, but Santana is viewed as the primary replacement for Josh Naylor's power bat at first base. Santana crushed lefties in 2024 (.286/.356/.578), but a repeat of his line against righties (.219/.318/.358) could eventually create a platoon situation.

The Rangers are expected to monitor Carter's back closely throughout the 2025 season, though he's been reluctant to reveal his exact diagnosis, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Carter made it clear that discussing the back injury isn't exactly his favorite topic. However, he noted that the issue could be considered chronic inflammation since it's flared up in two of his last three seasons. "I kind of want to keep it personal," said Carter when asked about his diagnosis. "It's personal to me and we're going to keep it that way. I can't change it. It's a part of me now, but we've got a plan." This update feels a bit ominous after it was previously reported that he'd enter spring training without any restrictions, as it sounds as though the back injury could flare up at various points during the year. Manager Bruce Bochy noted that the level of concern is low entering camp, but the team plans to monitor the 22-year-old closely, which could mean regular rest days.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Gausman looks "sturdier" in spring training after the right-hander deliberately put on added weight over the offseason, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. "I've never really pitched an entire season at over 200 pounds, but I think that might be a possibility for me this year," Gausman said. "We'll see what happens. I usually always lose a good amount of weight during the season, so that's why I try to gain as much as I can, knowing I'll lose some of it."

Gausman is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds on the Blue Jays' official roster, and he's hopeful that by bulking up during the offseason through both his diet and strength training, he'll be able to maintain that weight over the course of the long season. The 34-year-old righty is also optimistic that a sturdier build will boost his odds of staying healthy and having something closer to a normal spring training in 2025. While he didn't go on the injured list at any point in 2024, a bout with shoulder fatigue early in camp slowed his ramp-up process and may have played a part in the steep drop in both his ERA (3.83) and strikeout rate (21.4 percent) compared to his first two seasons in Toronto (3.25 ERA, 29.7 K%).

Astros manager Joe Espada reiterated Monday that Altuve will see action at both second base and in left field this spring, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Earlier this month, Espada revealed that Altuve had been working out in left field for a couple weeks before the start of spring training, perhaps in anticipation of the Astros re-signing third baseman Alex Bregman, which would have resulted in offseason pickup Isaac Paredes shifting over to second base. While Bregman ultimately came to terms with the Red Sox on a three-year, $120 million deal, the Astros aren't yet closing the door on giving Altuve some exposure to left field, a position the 34-year-old hasn't played at any point since beginning his professional career in 2007. Espada said that he's made no permanent decisions on where Altuve will play this season, calling it an "everyday thing" with regard to how Altuve's deployment in the field will evolve throughout the spring based on the feedback he receives from the veteran. Even if Altuve ends up opening the season at his familiar spot at the keystone, the Astros could still look to move him to left field later on in the campaign to make way in the infield for top prospect Brice Matthews, who has spent most of his time at shortstop in the minors but made 11 starts at second base during winter ball in Puerto Rico.