MLB Player News

Schmitt is in the mix to be the Giants' starting shortstop, though he begins the spring behind Marco Luciano on the depth chart, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Schmitt is a versatile defender who could also slot in at second base or third base. He appeared in 90 games for the Giants as a rookie last season, posting a .206/.255/.324 slash line with five home runs, 30 RBI, 28 runs scored, 15 doubles and two stolen bases. Schmitt could end up being a utility option, but his strong defense should allow him to open the season in the majors.

Wilson (lat) agreed to a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Friday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Wilson was expected to return from Tommy John surgery in the middle of last season but suffered a lat injury just before making his 2023 debut, and he missed the entire campaign. The Brewers wound up declining his $2.5 million club option for 2024. The left-hander last saw significant MLB action with the Reds and Yankees in 2021 with a 5.29 ERA in 42 appearances, and he'll likely fill a lower-leverage role if he earns a spot in the Dodgers' bullpen.

Sanchez did not report to Brewers camp Wednesday with the rest of the team's pitchers and catchers, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

He has still not arrived as of Friday and there's no word on when or if his reported one-year, $7 million contract will be finalized. Rosiak speculated Wednesday that negotiations might still be ongoing. Assuming the deal does eventually become official, Sanchez is expected to see plenty of action at designated hitter as well as backing up William Contreras at catcher.

Manager Mike Shildt announced Friday that Bogaerts will move to second base this season while Ha-Seong Kim takes over at shortstop, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Kim is viewed as the superior defender and won a Gold Glove at the keystone last year, and the Padres new skipper didn't waste any time moving to shore up his defense at a premier position. An eventual move off shortstop always seemed inevitable after Bogaerts joined the team on an 11-year, $280-million contract in December of 2022, but it's a bit of a surprise the transition is happening so soon. Bogaerts' fantasy value for 2024 should rise a bit thanks to dual-position eligibility after he posted a .285/.350/.440 slash line with 19 home runs and 19 steals last season.

Padres manager Mike Shildt said Friday that Kim will be the team's starting shortstop this season, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Xander Bogaerts will shift to second base to form the Padres' new double-play combo. Bogaerts has never played second base before and his defensive metrics at shortstop recently have been solid. However, Kim is undoubtedly the superior defender at short and the Padres don't seem to have any concern about Bogaerts' ability to adapt to the keystone.

Hudson (knee) is trending toward being on the active roster for the March 20-21 series against the Padres in South Korea, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated Friday that Hudson still needs to refine his execution after missing most of the last two seasons with knee issues. However, it does not appear there are any physical limitations for Hudson at this juncture. The veteran reliever is in camp as a non-roster invitee, but it sounds like the Dodgers fully intend to add him to the 26-man roster.

Treinen (shoulder) is trending toward being on the active roster for the team's March 20-21 series versus the Padres in South Korea, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Treinen made just five appearances in 2022 due to right shoulder surgery and had only three rehab outings in 2023. However, he's made progress since then and is evidently throwing without restrictions this spring. Treinen was one of the best relievers in baseball prior to his surgery, but he'll need to show his stuff is all the way back before the Dodgers trust him in high-leverage spots again.

Young (back) is expected to be sidelined for a few days, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Young came out of a throwing session Wednesday with back tightness, but it appears to be a minor issue. The southpaw is expected to open 2024 in Cincinnati's bullpen.

Marquez (elbow) threw off a mound Friday, Patrick Lyons of TheDNVR.com reports.

Marquez is ramping up his throwing program after he underwent Tommy John surgery last May. The hope is that the veteran right-hander will be ready to rejoin the Rockies' rotation at some point after the All-Star break.

An MRI in December confirmed that McNeil is still dealing with a partial tear of the UCL in his left elbow, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The good news for the Mets is that the 31-year-old throws right-handed. McNeil missed the final weekend of last season after being diagnosed with the tear, but doctors have cleared him for full activities this spring. Although he's capable of playing the outfield, McNeil is expected to see the bulk of his starts in 2024 at second base.