MLB Player News

Yoshida's role for the 2026 roster is uncertain entering training camp, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Yoshida enters the fourth year of a five-year contract having underwhelmed since his arrival in Boston. Injuries have played a part, but the 32-year-old has also been passed on the depth chart by younger options. A shoulder injury to open 2025 limited him to 55 regular-season games in which he recorded an unremarkable slash line of .266/.307/.388, but an .837 OPS during the month of September suggests the shoulder was still an issue most of the year. Designated hitter appears to be his best fit, but the Red Sox also need to figure out a spot for Triston Casas (knee) when he's cleared to play, and the team already has four other outfielders pushing for regular at-bats.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday that Uceta arrived at camp with a "cranky shoulder" and won't be available to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic as a result, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Cash labeled the decision to pull Uceta out of the WBC as precautionary and indicated that the Rays fully expect the right-hander to be ready to go for Opening Day. The team heads into the upcoming season without a set closer after letting Pete Fairbanks walk in free agency, and Uceta could factor into the team's late-inning mix if his shoulder isn't a concern. The 28-year-old netted one save and 21 holds over 70 appearances last season while racking up an impressive 103 strikeouts across 76 frames.

Casas (knee) will be doing individual drills when the Red Sox have their first full-squad workout Sunday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

He'll be taking part in drills similar to the rest of the team. For the first time in three seasons, Casas does not enter camp as the primary starter at first base, as offseason trade acquisition Willson Contreras will handle the position. That leaves designated hitter as a potential landing spot for Casas once he's healthy, and he could provide a boost to a lineup that, on paper, lacks power. Any of Boston's four main outfielders could also slot in at DH, however, and Masataka Yoshida will be in the mix as well. Casas, who is recovering from May 2025 knee surgery, isn't expected to be ready for game action by Opening Day.

Tolle plans to mix in more secondary offerings to complement his fastball during the upcoming season, Christoper Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Over his 16.1 regular-season innings in the big leagues last season, Tolle's fastball averaged 96.7 miles per hour with a perceived speed of 98.7 mph due to extension and ride. The heater can be a weapon for the young left-hander, but opponents were able to hit the pitch in 2025, going 13-for-46 (.283 average) against it with a .565 slugging percentage. That's likely due to Tolle's heavy reliance on the offering, which he threw 64.1 percent of the time. Tolle feels his changeup -- which he threw just 6.9 percent of the time -- can be featured more often in 2026. Though Tolle will be given the chance to compete for the fifth spot in Boston's Opening Day rotation this spring, the fact that the 23-year-old has minor-league options remaining could work against him. Along with Tolle, Kutter Crawford, Connelly Early, Johan Oviedo and Patrick Sandoval are vying for back-end rotation spots.

Valera enters spring training under no restrictions and will compete for a spot on the 26-man roster, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Valera's previous three springs were marred by injuries, with two of them impacted by offseason rehab. He's had a normal offseason this year, and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt hopes to see the outfielder in a spring training game for the first time since he was named Cleveland's skipper prior to the 2024 season. Valera made his MLB debut in 2025, posting a .220/.333/.415 slash line with two home runs, five RBI and a 13:7 K:BB ratio over 16 contests down the stretch and into the postseason. He regularly started against right-handers and was often used as the No. 2 hitter. "He can manage an at-bat," Vogt said. "He makes great swing decisions. He's got power. He's just a good, good hitter." The 25-year-old will compete with current prospects Chase DeLauter and CJ Kayfus for a spot in the outfield/DH mix.

Benintendi anticipates focusing on getting on base rather than hitting for power in 2026, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Benintendi has hit 20 home runs in consecutive seasons, but he's gotten on base at just a .289 and .307 clip during those two campaigns. He explained that he felt added pressure to deliver power based on the lack of pop elsewhere in the White Sox's lineup, something that is expected to change in 2026 with Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami a part of the everyday starting nine. Benintendi shed weight this offseason to take pressure off his Achilles, after suffering an injury in July that nagged him for the rest of the 2025 season.

The Orioles aren't going to push Bautista (shoulder) to pitch in 2026, per MLB.com.

The hard-throwing right-hander is progressing well from right shoulder surgery in August of 2025 to repair a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum, but Baltimore has no intentions to rush Bautista back into the fray. His throwing progression will be worth monitoring, but the expectation remains that Bautista won't be much of a fantasy factor in 2026, if at all. Ryan Helsley signed a two-year contract with the O's in November and is all set to start the new season with a big opportunity to bounce back as the club's top closer, after limping to a 7.20 ERA through 20 regular-season innings with the Mets to finish last year.

DeLuca (hamstring/quad) is likely to see regular at-bats against left-handed pitching this season, per John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times.

DeLuca stands out as one of Tampa Bay's few right-handed-hitting outfielders, considering the club's primary options consist of as lefty-hitters Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley. DeLuca ended the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list due to a right quadriceps strain, so he'll need to prove he's healthy during spring training before the Rays trust him to handle this role. The 27-year-old posted a promising .812 OPS with six stolen bases through 59 regular-season plate appearances amidst an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, and it doesn't sound like he'll open the new year in a spot for everyday action.

Narvaez (knee) will serve as Boston's starting catcher again in 2026, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

According to manager Alex Cora, Narvaez's knee was a problem throughout the entire 2025 season. Narvaez was able to avoid the injured list and remained an excellent defensive backstop, but the injury helps explain his offensive downturn in the second half, when he posted a .187/.233/.387 slash line. Following a left knee meniscectomy in October, Narvaez will slot back in as the No. 1 catcher for the Red Sox ahead of Connor Wong.

The Orioles placed Selby on the 60-day injured list Saturday due to right shoulder inflammation, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

Selby's move to the 60-day IL will ensure he remains sidelined until at least late May and opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for Jackson Kowar, who was acquired in a trade with the Twins on Saturday. Selby isn't reportedly dealing with any structural damage, which increases the likelihood that he could return to the Orioles' bullpen after a minimum-length IL stint.