MLB Player News

Moreno (back) is expected to return to the Diamondbacks' lineup Sunday against the Angels, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Moreno has been unavailable for a couple days with lower-back tightness but has evidently made enough progress that his return to action is imminent. The young catcher is 4-for-17 with one home run and a 2:3 K:BB over 20 plate appearances for Arizona this spring.

Vargas was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Dodgers on Saturday, J.P. Hoornstra of DodgersNation.com reports.

Vargas traveled with the Dodgers to South Korea for their upcoming series versus the Padres, but he will not be on the active roster. The 24-year-old has been working out in left field this spring and figures to continue playing the outfield while at OKC.

The Dodgers designated Lipcius for assignment Saturday, J.P. Hoornstra of DodgersNation.com reports.

He's the 40-man roster casualty as the Dodgers freed up a spot for Daniel Hudson. It's the second time in a little over two weeks that Lipcius has been designated for assignment, as the Tigers flipped him to the Dodgers in a trade shortly after removing him from their 40-man roster.

Perez reported soreness in his elbow Thursday following his appearance in Wednesday's spring game against Washington, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Perez had to leave his appearance Wednesday after experiencing discomfort with the broken nail on his right middle finger. Now, Perez's elbow issue poses another threat to potentially delaying his start to the regular season. Perez will undergo further imaging and testing over the next few days to determine the severity of his injury, but it appears increasingly likely that Perez will miss the beginning of the regular season.

Friedl exited Saturday's Cactus League game against the Mariners with a right wrist sprain, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Friedl landed awkwardly on his arm after making an attempt at a diving catch and left the game shortly afterward, and an update on his return timeline should come within the next few days. The center fielder is slashing .185/.296/.667 with six RBI over 27 at-bats in Cactus League games.

The Pirates placed Moreta (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Saturday.

Moreta suffered ligament damage in his right elbow during a spring game March 3, and his move to the 60-day IL officially rules him out for the first few months of the season. Moreta's roster spot will be filled by Michael Taylor, who officially signed with the Pirates on Saturday.

Ynoa (elbow) is available to make his Grapefruit League debut Saturday against the Pirates in relief, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Ynoa missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2022. He started throwing bullpen sessions in mid-February, but was downgraded to long tosses while dealing with right elbow soreness.

Drake left Saturday's Spring Breakout game after suffering a cramp in his leg, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Drake suffered the injury after attempting to make a diving catch in foul territory. He was able to limp off the field under his own power, and it seems Drake avoided any significant damage.

Manager Dave Martinez revealed that Wood was scratched from Saturday's game against the Cardinals after his bat handle hit his right wrist on a check-swing Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Wood was able to participate in batting practice Saturday, but he was not in the lineup in a precautionary move. Martinez added that Wood has been playing a lot in spring training and the team wanted to give the 21-year-old prospect some rest. Wood is hitting .324 with three home runs and three steals in 46 plate appearances this spring.

McNeil (biceps) will make his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday against the Cardinals, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

McNeil has yet to make his spring training debut while dealing with discomfort in his left biceps. The Mets will have the second baseman play five innings in a minor-league game Sunday, and he will be in the lineup Tuesday. Barring any setbacks, McNeill should be good to go for Opening Day. He slashed .270/.333/.378 with 10 home runs and 55 RBI over 648 plate appearances in 2023.