MLB Player News

Hayes (back) was spotted taking part in fielding drills at spring training Wednesday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Hayes didn't play after Aug. 17 last season due to a back injury that had nagged him at various points earlier in the campaign, but he avoided offseason surgery and looks to be back to full health to begin the spring. In addition to costing him considerable time in 2024, the recurring back injuries likely played a factor in Hayes' diminished production; his .573 OPS over 396 plate appearances was easily the worst mark of his five-year big-league career. If healthy, Hayes' playing time should be secure due to his elite defense at third base, but his fantasy utility will hinge on him providing the kind of pop and batting average he supplied in 2023 (15 home runs, .271 average in 525 plate appearances). Because of his poor numbers in 2024, Hayes could find himself in the bottom half of the Pittsburgh lineup to begin the upcoming season.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Tuesday that Reynolds will remain focused on playing the outfield even after the injury to first baseman Spencer Horwitz (wrist), Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Horwitz underwent right wrist/thumb surgery last week and is expected to be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks. Earlier this offseason, the Pirates discussed using Reynolds some at first base, prior to their acquisition of Horwitz. While Reynolds could still eventually see some time at the position, it does not appear he will be one of the prime candidates to fill in there while Horwitz is on the mend. Jared Triolo, Billy Cook and Darick Hall loom as the in-house options to man first base while Horwitz is out.

Jameson (elbow) said that he will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Jameson missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in September 2023. Though he had been able to throw off a mound by July of last season, Jameson is presumably doing so with more velocity and better command this spring now that he's further removed from the elbow procedure. The Diamondbacks could still ease Jameson along more slowly in spring training than their other healthy pitchers, but the 27-year-old right-hander said that there's "no question" he'll ready for Opening Day. If Jameson clinches a spot on the season-opening roster, he'll likely be used in lower-leverage situations initially, but he could quickly move up the pecking order in an Arizona bullpen that looks relatively unsettled.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Wednesday that Nardi is dealing with lower-back inflammation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

McCullough revealed last week that Nardi would be behind schedule at the start of camp, but he didn't disclose the nature of the injury at the time. The good news is the injury is not related to the elbow issue that caused the lefty to miss the final five-plus weeks of the 2024 season. If healthy, Nardi will be in the mix for high-leverage innings in the Marlins' bullpen.

The Cubs outrighted Zastryzny to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday.

Though he's no longer a member of the Cubs' 40-man roster, Zastryzny will stick around in the organization and should still join the big-league group for spring training. The 32-year-old lefty made nine appearances in the majors with the Brewers in 2024, giving up one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out five in 7.2 innings.

Horwitz said Wednesday that the surgery he underwent last week was to repair the extensor tendon in his right thumb, John Perrotto of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports. He's expected to face a recovery timeline of 6-to-8 weeks.

The left-handed-hitting Horwitz's procedure was designed to address chronic symptoms with his wrist, but the surgery itself was actually performed on the thumb of his throwing hand. In any case, Horwitz's projected 6-to-8-week recovery timeline could keep him out of action for most or all of spring training and force him to open the season on the injured list. If Horwitz is shelved to begin the campaign, Pittsburgh could turn to Jared Triolo, Billy Cook or Bryan Reynolds to pick up starts at first base early on.

Thomas enters spring training listed second on Arizona's depth chart in center field.

Jake McCarthy, who was in Thomas' shoes at the start of camp in 2024, is listed as the starting center fielder and deserves to be. Thomas suffered through an injury marred season and barely hit when healthy (.603 OPS). Meanwhile, McCarthy was a competent fill-in during the first half and eventually exploded in July/August (.878 OPS). The Diamondbacks don't lose much in the way of defense with McCarthy -- though Thomas is clearly the best outfield defender on the team -- and the former's bat has been an asset in addition to his work on the basepaths (74 steals from 2022 to 2024). Thomas hit the ball hard last year, but a lot of it was on the ground. If the 24-year-old shows improvement at the plate during spring training, that could force a decision for manager Torey Lovullo.

La Sorsa was not present at spring training Tuesday due to an illness, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

La Sorsa, who is in camp as a non-roster invitee, is due back in a few days. The left-hander appeared in 16 games for the Nationals in 2024, posting a 4.58 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while giving up four home runs in 17.2 innings.

Lux is expected to see time at first, second and third base as well as the outfield this spring, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Lux was projected to be the everyday second baseman upon being acquired by the Reds, but manager Terry Francona indicated Tuesday that Lux will be exposed to several positions. Lux moved between shortstop and second base for the Dodgers in 2024.

Reds manager Terry Francona said Tuesday that he'd like to see Encarnacion-Strand play third base during spring training, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Encarnacion-Strand was expected to be the team's primary first baseman in 2024, but hand and wrist injuries limited him to 29 games. He started seven games at third base for the Reds in 2023, and the hot corner was a regular spot for Encarnacion-Strand in the minors and college. Francona indicated that several infielders will "move around" at the beginning of spring training before the manager settles on a position for players like Encarnacion-Strand, Gavin Lux and Jeimer Candelario.