MLB Player News

Angels manager Ron Washington said Monday that Anderson will see some action in the outfield later this spring, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

Anderson's main focus will be competing for time at shortstop, where the Angels will likely need a fill-in for the injured Zach Neto (shoulder) for a bit. However, it appears the 31-year-old will also attempt to add to his versatility with some reps in the outfield. Anderson started two games at second base for the White Sox in 2023, which is the only time he's ever played a position other than shortstop.

Angels manager Ron Washington said that Neto (shoulder) began his throwing progression Monday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Washington added that Neto is not yet throwing with full effort, but the process of the shortstop ramping things up following last November's right shoulder surgery has begun. The expectation is that Neto will likely need a stint on the injured list to begin the season, but a clearer picture on his timetable should be available in the coming weeks.

Macko has a meniscus tear in his left knee that will likely require surgery, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Macko injured the knee during a bullpen session this past weekend. He will be examined further Wednesday, at which point a decision on surgery will be made. The 24-year-old is on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster but has yet to appear in the majors. He spent most of the 2024 season at Double-A New Hampshire, where he posted a 4.87 ERA and 90:30 K:BB across 81.1 frames.

Means (elbow) agreed Monday with the Guardians on a one-year, $1 million contract that includes a $7.5 million club option for 2026, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

The two sides reportedly had made progress on a deal over the weekend and now they've crossed the finish line. Means underwent his second Tommy John surgery last June and could miss the entire 2025 season, so the Guardians are essentially making a roll of the dice on him for 2026. The left-hander has made just 10 starts at the major-league level since 2022 due to injuries but held a 3.62 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 134:26 K:BB over 146.2 frames covering 26 starts in 2021.

Devers said Monday that he views himself as a third baseman and would be unwilling to serve as a designated hitter in 2025, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. "Third base is my position. I don't know what [the team's] plans are. I made it clear my desires and whatever happens, we'll see," Devers said through a translator.

Devers has made 942 of his 951 career MLB starts at third base, but his poor defense at the hot corner had already called into question his long-term future at the position, and the Red Sox's signing of Alex Bregman last week has only further fueled the notion that Boston is looking to move Devers off third base. Manager Alex Cora has yet to make any formal pronouncements about the makeup of the Boston infield for 2025, as the possibility exists that Bregman could be used at second base to keep Devers at his normal position. However, prospect Kristian Campbell has worked out exclusively at the keystone so far during camp and could eventually settle in as a full-time regular at the position whenever Boston deems him big-league ready. Whether he stays at third base or is eventually asked to move to DH or first base, Devers should retain a spot in the heart of the Red Sox lineup, coming off a 2024 season in which he hit. 272 with 28 home runs, 83 RBI and 87 runs over 138 games.

Rocker doesn't project to make the Rangers' rotation if the five starters ahead of him are healthy, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

With Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Cody Bradford and Tyler Mahle all healthy, Landry expects Rocker to begin the year at Triple-A as a depth option. Of course, those five starters may not all remain healthy between now and Opening Day, and Rocker has little to prove on the farm, so he should still make the majority of his 2025 appearances in the big leagues.

Dominguez could bat leadoff in 2025, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Per Hoch, manager Aaron Boone said he believes Dominguez's skill set fits well atop the lineup, pointing to his blend of on-base ability, power and solid base-running skills. Nothing has been decided yet, but it shouldn't be assumed Anthony Volpe will bat leadoff after a second consecutive season with an OBP below .300 in 2024. Hoch also notes the Yankees would prefer to have Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm in a position to drive in runs, but he adds they could be options to lead off if neither Dominguez nor Volpe earns the honor.

Jung's wrist is fully recovered from December surgery, and he put on a show during batting practice Saturday by hitting homers out to all fields, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

With Alex Bregman choosing Boston over Detroit and a couple other teams, the third-base job is an open competition between Jung and Matt Vierling this spring. Jung has a chip on his shoulder and reported to camp early to show that he's regained the explosiveness in his swing that was more apparent in 2023. His exit velocities were below expectations last season, but Beck reports those metrics have been on the rise since minicamp in January. Jung mentioned that he did 100 push-ups a day to strengthen the wrist and also put in a lot of time with his brother, Rangers third baseman Josh Jung, working on his footwork at third base. Vierling will make the team regardless, but Jung will likely open the season at Triple-A if he can't win the third-base job in spring training.

Buchanan will be sidelined for about a week after badly spraining his left ankle during a fielding drill, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The injury shouldn't have any long-term ramifications, but Buchanan was already a longshot for a roster spot, and the injury won't help his case. The 35-year-old made one big-league appearance with the Reds in 2024, which marked his first MLB action since 2015.

Pederson will be away from Rangers camp for a few days while battling the flu, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The 32-year-old will get a bit of a late start to spring training, but his bout with the illness shouldn't prevent him from being ready to go for Opening Day. Pederson is slated to serve as Texas' designated hitter against right-handed pitching this season, though Grant relays that the Rangers also intend to give Pederson some work at first base this spring to see if he's capable of making occasional starts at the position when Jake Burger requires a day off.