MLB Player News

Carlson would be in line to start in center field for the Cardinals on Opening Day if Tommy Edman (wrist) isn't ready, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

It's looking increasingly likely that Edman will need a stint on the injured list, and the Cards prefer to keep Lars Nootbaar in left field rather than shifting him over to center. Carlson would be atop the center field depth chart in that scenario, at least initially. The 25-year-old is coming back from surgery himself, having had his ankle operated on in September. He's been full-go since the start of the Grapefruit League schedule, though. Carlson is expected to be the team's fourth outfielder once everyone is healthy.

Benson went 1-for-3 with an RBI-double in Sunday's spring game against the Royals.

Benson collected his first hit off a left-hander this spring, which has been an area of focus for the lefty-swinging outfielder, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "I requested that when I first showed up at spring training," Benson said. "If I'm going to be the best player that I know I can possibly be, I need to be playing regardless of who is on that mound." During a strong 2023 season, Benson was often rested against southpaws. In 44 plate appearances, he batted .146 with 14 strikeouts.

The Cardinals have growing internal concern that Edman (wrist) will not be ready for Opening Day, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Working his way back from October right wrist surgery, Edman has been going through drills on the back fields but has yet to be cleared to face live pitching. The switch hitter has taken swings from both sides of the plate, but his swing from the left side is considered ahead of his swing from the right side at this juncture. With about three weeks of exhibition games remaining, Edman is running out of time. If Edman requires a stint on the injured list, Dylan Carlson would be the Cardinals' Opening Day center fielder.

Montas allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out one over 2.2 innings in Sunday's spring start against the Royals.

Montas, who shined with two perfect innings in his Cactus League debut, allowed soft contact in the first two innings but managed to prevent runs. The third inning, however, was different. The Royals scored five runs during the frame, including a pair of home runs off Montas. "I didn't really have my fastball command today. It was inconsistent," Montas told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "The difference for any pitcher is fastball command." Reds manager David Bell referred to the pitcher's tiring in the third inning as a "normal part of the build up."

Garrett (lower leg) will play in a simulated game Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.

It will be the first time Garrett has played in a game setting since he needed surgery last August on his left fibula and ankle. The Nationals are still holding out hope that the 28-year-old can be ready for Opening Day, but it's going to be close. Garrett is slated to see lots of action at designated hitter and also the outfield for the Nats this season.

Bednar (lat) is currently shut down from throwing but hopes to be back soon, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Bednar is dealing with some tightness in his right lat but seems optimistic he won't need a long-term absence. Injury optimism from players should be taken with a grain of salt, of course, and those that have already rostered Bednar in fantasy leagues might want to consider late-round insurance of Aroldis Chapman just in case.

Wheeler signed a three-year, $126 million contract extension with the Phillies on Monday, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.

Wheeler had been in line to reach free agency after the upcoming season, but now he'll remain in Philadelphia for a while longer. The average annual value of the deal is a Phillies record and also the largest-ever AAV for a contract extension. The veteran right-hander has collected a 3.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 21.3 K-BB% across 101 starts during his time with the Phillies and will turn 34 in May.

Gurriel went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Sunday's spring game against Milwaukee.

Gurriel delivered a run-scoring double in the fourth inning, giving him extra-base hits in consecutive games. He's 5-for-14 with a home run and three RBI over five Cactus League appearances. He experienced a bounce-back season in his first year with the Diamondbacks in 2023, and the club re-signed him for another three seasons. He provides a needed right-handed bat to complement a lefty-dominant lineup.

Moreno went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI in Sunday's spring game against the Brewers.

After going 1-for-7 over his first three Cactus League games, Moreno made an impact with his bat the fourth time out. He also threw out a runner attempting to steal. Moreno is on track to open the season as Arizona's primary catcher.

Rodriguez allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four over three innings in Sunday's spring start against Milwaukee.

The Brewers ambushed Rodriguez early, taking a 3-0 lead three batters into the game. The left-hander had base traffic in all three innings but managed to avoid further damage with the help of infield defense. The results look similar to his first Cactus League start, when he gave up four runs in an inning, but Rodriguez told Michael McDermott of SI.com that he felt better Sunday. "I threw three innings today, I feel great," Rodriguez said. "I feel I'm on a really good pace for the start of the season." While a 15.75 ERA over four innings might cause concern, it should be noted that spring games are less about results than for getting pitches in shape, working on command and building up pitch counts.