MLB Player News

Birdsong (forearm/elbow) is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery next week, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

An MRI on Birdsong's right arm Sunday revealed a Grade 2 forearm strain and a UCL sprain. After receiving a second opinion, the 24-year-old righty has opted to undergo surgery to address the issue, which will rule him out for the entire 2026 campaign in addition to the start of 2027.

Smith (forearm) will start at first base and bat third in Thursday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.

Smith was originally expected to return from his forearm injury Wednesday, but he'll now make his return after an extra day of rest. He's posted a .966 OPS through 29 plate appearances this spring and will have one more week of Cactus League games to prepare for the regular season.

Moreno (forearm) will start as Arizona's designated hitter and bat fifth in Thursday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.

Moreno has sat out the Diamondbacks' last several spring games while managing forearm tightness, but he's now ready to return to action after a few days of rest. After beginning Cactus League play 5-for-28 at the dish, he will now use the next week to prepare to work as Arizona's primary backstop.

Wheeler (shoulder) will pitch in a minor-league game Monday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Wheeler will be limited to 40 pitches, but it will mark his first game action of the spring. The veteran right-hander is set to open the regular season on the injured list, but a return at some point in April appears to still be on the table. Wheeler has been throwing bullpens and live batting practice sessions for the past few weeks. Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter figures to open the season in the Phillies' rotation while Wheeler works his way into game shape.

Gonzalez will be sidelined for multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Considered one of the best prospects in the Giants' farm system, Gonzalez is now slated to miss the start of the regular season while he recovers from the injury. The 18-year-old infielder slashed .288/.404/.455 across 228 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year and could be bumped up to Single-A once he's healthy.

Hamilton cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Hamilton doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so the demotion to Triple-A will cost him his place on Atlanta's 40-man roster. The 30-year-old righty made just two appearances in the Grapefruit League this spring, giving up one run on three hits and two walks while striking out one batter in 1.2 innings.

The Mets optioned Gerber to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.

Gerber pitched well during his brief stint in the majors last season, giving up just one earned run while striking out four batters over 4.1 innings. However, he will need to show consistent success before the Mets welcome him into their bullpen, especially after posting a 6.23 ERA and 1.46 across 43.1 frames in Triple-A last year.

Freeman went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored Wednesday in a Cactus League win over San Francisco.

Freeman left the yard for the first time this spring with a solo shot in the third inning. The steady first baseman has hit well this spring, posting a .429/.500/.643 slash line with three doubles, 10 RBI and six runs scored. Freeman should be an everyday fixture in the Dodgers' lineup this season and could see a few more RBI opportunities with his anticipated move to the cleanup spot.

The Mets optioned Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.

Although he slashed .313/.389/.531 with five RBI, three runs scored and two steals through 13 spring games, Mauricio will not be included on the Mets' Opening Day roster. He may be called up during the season to serve as bench depth, but with Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette and Francisco Lindor (hand) projected to start regularly in the Mets' infield, it would still be difficult for Mauricio to crack the starting nine if the infield group stays healthy.

Ohtani tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in a Cactus League start against the Giants on Wednesday, allowing one hit and issuing two walks while striking out four batters.

This was Ohtani's first outing of the Cactus League slate, as he spent much of spring with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. The two-way star didn't pitch during the tournament, but he continued to work on his throwing progression with bullpen and live batting-practice sessions. Ohtani certainly didn't seem to be very far behind in his ramp-up Wednesday -- he threw 61 pitches (34 strikes) and topped out at 99.9 mph on his fastball, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. While Ohtani will likely have some slight innings limitations early in the campaign, he's slated to be part of the Dodgers' rotation from the get-go and may need only a few starts to ramp up to a full workload.