MLB Player News

India (foot) is expected to play three infield positions and possibly left field, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Cincinnati's primary second baseman in 2023, India will shift to a utility role, as manager David Bell plans to deploy a middle infield of Matt McLain at second and Elly De La Cruz at shortstop. To keep India's bat in the lineup, the infielder will get acclimated to playing first and third base, though left field is seen as his most unlikely landing spot. For now, India is building up endurance in the foot he injured last season and is expected to be ready for Cactus League play.

McLain is expected to be the Reds' primary second baseman when the season starts, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

McLain played mostly at shortstop in 2023 but made 34 starts at second base, mostly as a replacement when Jonathan India (foot) was sidelined. McLain is considered a plus defender at both middle infield positions. The move to second appears likely, as the club revealed its plans to have Elly De La Cruz focus mostly on shortstop -- he had also played third base last season. As for India, who was the primary second baseman last season, he'll add first and third base to his resume and possibly left field.

The Phillies designated Moore for assignment Wednesday.

Moore will lose his spot on Philadelphia's 40-man roster as a result of Spencer Turnbull officially signing with the club Wednesday. Moore appeared in three games for the Phillies last season, surrendering seven earned runs in 3.1 innings while striking out two batters and walking five. He found consistent success in the minor leagues, however, making it possible another team gives him a look off the waiver wire.

The Giants placed Ray (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Ray's 40-man roster spot will be given to Austin Warren, who signed with the Giants on Wednesday. Ray underwent Tommy John surgery in May and has recently been cleared to throw three times per week, but he is not expected to join the Giants' rotation until the second half of the season.

Warren (elbow) agreed to a one-year contract with the Giants on Wednesday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Warren was designated for assignment and subsequently released by the Angels last week, but it didn't take long for him to latch on with a new team. The right-hander missed most of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May, so he's likely to also be sidelined for the first half of 2024.

Arraez lost his arbitration hearing with the Marlins on Wednesday and will earn $10.6 million in salary for the 2024 season, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Coming off a 2023 season in which he won the National League batting crown with a .354 average, Arraez filed for $12 million, but an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Marlins. The $10.6 million salary still represents a $4.5 million pay increase from 2023 for Arraez, who is set to go through the arbitration process one more time next offseason before becoming a free agent following the 2025 campaign. Arraez will head into his second season as Miami's everyday second baseman, and while he once again projects to rank among the league leaders in batting average, his paucity of power and speed put a ceiling on his overall fantasy value.

The Nationals announced Wednesday that Thompson is dealing with an elbow injury and will be shut down from throwing for at least the next two weeks, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The right-hander apparently suffered the injury over the winter, and his availability for Opening Day is now in question. Thompson made a career-high 51 appearances for the Nationals last season but struggled to a 5.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 44:22 K:BB over 54 innings, so he's hardly guaranteed to make the roster even if fully healthy.

President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that Strasburg (shoulder) won't participate in spring training but could report to Nationals camp at some point to work with the younger pitchers on the staff, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

The 35-year-old right-hander is effectively retired from professional baseball while he's struggled to recover from his July 2021 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. However, Strasburg remains on the Nationals' 40-man roster while he and Washington ownership have thus far been unable to finalize an agreement regarding the $105 million he's still owed over the next three seasons on the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed in December 2019. Strasburg will forfeit the remainder of the salary he's owed if he retires without coming to a formal agreement with Washington, while ownership is presumably keen on recouping at least a portion of their financial commitment. Even if retirement negotiations aren't completed anytime soon, the Nationals will at least be able to open up a spot on the 40-man roster by placing Strasburg on the 60-day injured list.

President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that the Nationals will be cautious with Garrett (fibula) in spring training, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Rizzo didn't explicitly say that Garrett will begin the season on the 10-day injured list, but the 28-year-old may face an uphill battle for Opening Day after undergoing surgery in August to address a fractured left fibula. Per Patrick Reddington of FederalBaseball.com, Garrett started running and hitting in late December, but he looks as though he'll be relegated to completing his rehab program on the back fields at the start of camp before rejoining the Nationals' main group. After serving mostly as a short-side platoon player in 2023 before suffering the season-ending injury, the right-handed Garrett was expected to get a look as an everyday player in 2024, but the Nationals' recent addition of left-handed designated hitter/corner outfielder Jesse Winker could alter those plans.

Mauricio (knee) was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The 21-year-old underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee in early January, so his move to the 60-day IL was an eventuality. He's facing a projected 6-to-8-month recovery, so a return for September is likely the best-case scenario for Mauricio, and there's a real possibility he sits out the entirety of 2024.