MLB Player News

Gallo (quad) is starting at designated hitter and batting cleanup for the Nationals on Thursday versus the Mets, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Gallo hasn't played in a little over a week due to a sore quad, but he's feeling well enough to at least hit Thursday. It's not clear when he might be ready to play the field. Gallo is 1-for-7 with a couple RBI so far at the plate so far this spring. He'll be used in left field, at first base and at DH for the Nats this season.

Wendle (shoulder) is starting at second base for the Mets' spring training game against Washington on Thursday.

Shoulder soreness has kept Wendle out of Grapefruit League play this spring, but he is now set to make his spring debut. Wendle posted just a .610 OPS during his two seasons with Miami, and he will most likely compete for at-bats as a utility man with the Mets this year.

Madrigal was diagnosed with a mild right hamstring strain Thursday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Madrigal will be re-evaluated in a week, at which point the team will have a better idea of when Madrigal will be able to return to game action. The 27-year-old infielder landed on the injured list twice last season due to problems with his hamstring, and Madrigal's most recent tweak indicates that it may remain a recurring problem this year as well.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Kilian will be sidelined until around the All-Star break after an MRI revealed a teres major strain in his right shoulder, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Counsell noted that it's the type of injury which can have varying timelines, but Kilian isn't expected to be pitching anytime soon. The loss of Kilian is a hit to the team's starting pitching depth, as he was likely slated to open the season in the Triple-A Iowa rotation.

Lile was diagnosed with a lower-back contusion after he was carted off the field Saturday in a Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

The diagnosis comes as welcome news, as the 21-year-old appeared to suffer a far more significant injury when he was taken off the field on a stretcher after colliding with the right-center wall in the seventh inning. Nationals manager Dave Martinez said after the scary incident that Lile had movement in his arms and legs before tests on his back returned negative a day later. Though he remains without an official timeline to return to the Nationals' spring lineup, Lile is seemingly being viewed as day-to-day. The Nationals' decision to include him on their roster for next week's Spring Breakout game against the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla. is seemingly a positive sign for his recovery.

The Diamondbacks reassigned Hughes to minor-league camp Thursday.

Hughes finished the 2023 season on the Cubs' 60-day injured list while he recovered from left knee surgery, but since he was making minor-league rehab appearances in September, he seemingly entered the offseason with a clean bill of health. After the Cubs non-tendered him in November, Hughes caught on with the Diamondbacks on a minor-league deal in free agency and turned in a 2.45 ERA while striking out five over 3.2 innings through his four Cactus League appearances. Though Hughes' solid spring wasn't enough to help him secure a spot in Arizona's Opening Day bullpen, he could be in the mix for a promotion to the big club if he continues to excel at Triple-A Reno early in the season.

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.

The second baseman took Jesus Luzardo deep in the third inning, the first of three Nats homers off the southpaw and Garcia's first long ball of the spring. The 23-year-old has had a sluggish start to camp, going 2-for-17 with five strikeouts against zero walks, but the team doesn't have an obvious alternative for him at the keystone and seems willing to give him at least one more chance to establish himself as CJ Abrams' long-term double-play partner.

Sanchez (hand) took six at-bats on the back fields Wednesday and could make his Cactus League debut before his initial March 14 estimate, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Working his way back from a right hand injury, Sanchez had a home run, a double and a single in those six at-bats and felt good, with Brewers manager Pat Murphy saying the catcher could play "very soon." The 31-year-old will back up William Contreras at catcher and is also expected to receive ample playing time at designated hitter for Milwaukee this season.

Robles went 2-for-2 with a solo home run and a stolen base in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.

Both the homer and the steal were his first of the spring, as Robles went back-to-back with Luis Garcia in the third inning off Jesus Luzardo. The 26-year-old is in theory competing for the starting center field job with Jacob Young, but he seems to be in little danger of losing it. Through six Grapefruit League games, Robles has gone 4-for-12 with a 3:4 BB:K.

Crews went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, a double and a second run scored in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.

Both extra-base hits came off Jesus Luzardo, including a fourth-inning blast to center field for Crews' first homer in a Nationals' uniform. James Wood has been the prospect star of camp so far for Washington, but Crews hasn't been too shabby either, going 4-for-14 with two doubles, two stolen bases and a 2:3 BB:K along with Wednesday's homer. After being the second overall pick in the 2023 Draft, the 22-year-old Crews could be poised to make his big-league debut over the summer if he gets off to a hot start in the high minors.