MLB Player News

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday that Crick could miss all of spring training with a calf strain, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Crick is in Mets camp as a non-roster invitee, but his bid for a roster spot could come to an end before it begins. The veteran reliever didn't pitch anywhere in 2023 after opting out of his minor-league contract with the Rays last spring.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed at the team's Fan Fest event Feb. 3 that Freeman will remain the team's No. 2 hitter in 2023 even after the offseason signing of Shohei Ohtani (elbow), Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Ohtani batted out of the two hole in 71 of his 135 starts with the Angels in 2023, but Roberts said that the reigning American League MVP will slot in as the No. 3 hitter to begin his tenure with the Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will maintain continuity atop the order with Mookie Betts in the leadoff spot and with Freeman as the No. 2 hitter, after the latter made all 161 of his starts out of that lineup spot in 2023 en route to producing a .977 OPS and scoring a career-high 131 runs. Assuming Ohtani doesn't experience any major delays in his recovery from last September's internal brace procedure and is ready to serve as a full-time designated hitter early in the season, Freeman could have a chance to improve upon his already immense counting stats from 2023. Catcher Will Smith was a solid performer as the Dodgers' primary No. 3 hitter a season ago, but Ohtani's OPS in 2023 was still 269 points greater than Smith's.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Feb. 3 at the team's Fan Fest event that Betts will remain the team's leadoff hitter in 2024, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Roberts' announcement doesn't come as a major surprise after Betts hit leadoff in all 151 of his starts in 2023 on his way to finishing second in the National League MVP balloting while slashing .307/.408/.579 with 39 home runs, 107 RBI, 126 runs and 14 stolen bases. His run total was good for fourth in baseball last season, and if health prevails, Betts could have a chance at besting his previous career high of 135 runs during the 2024 campaign. He'll be batting in front of Freddie Freeman and free-agent pickup Shohei Ohtani (elbow), whom Roberts confirmed would hit second and third, respectively. Freeman had already hit regularly out of the two hole in 2023, while Ohtani should represent an upgrade in the No. 3 spot over catcher Will Smith, who made 88 starts out of that lineup spot last season. In addition to the arrival of Ohtani, Betts' fantasy appeal should also get a boost by virtue of having eligibility at both outfield and second base, something he didn't have in most fantasy leagues to begin the 2023 season. Roberts previously said earlier in the offseason that Betts will be a full-time second baseman in 2024 after moving between both the infield and outfield last season.

Ohtani (elbow) will hit on the field Monday for the first time since he underwent an internal brace procedure in September, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani said last week that he's been swinging the bat at around 100 percent effort and he'll now get to test things out against live pitching. The Dodgers plan to ease Ohtani into workouts during spring training, but the full expectation is that he'll be ready to serve as the designated hitter when the club opens up its season March 20 in South Korea. Per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com, manager Dave Roberts said at the Dodgers' Feb. 3 Fan Fest event that he has penciled Ohtani in as the team's No. 3 hitter during the upcoming season.

The Dodgers plan to give Yamamoto a start during their two-game season-opening series against the Padres in South Korea on March 20 and 21, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports.

If Yamamoto pitches on the 20th or 21st, he could be in line to receive one final tune-up outing in Cactus League play, depending on how the Dodgers want to line up their rotation when they return for their domestic home opener March 28. The Dodgers are expected to use at least a modified version of a six-man rotation, which should make the transition for Yamamoto easier, given that he pitched on five days' rest during his career in Japan.

Cavalli (elbow) isn't expected to see game action this spring or face hitters as the Nationals take a cautious approach to his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The 25-year-old right-hander is almost 12 months removed from the surgery, but the Nats have little reason to push him to get back on a mound as they plan for another rebuilding year. Cavalli is likely to remain in extended spring training after camp breaks, and he could join the big-league rotation in June if everything goes smoothly. He made his big-league debut in 2022 after posting a 3.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 104:39 K:BB through 97 innings at Triple-A Rochester, and the 2020 first-round pick remains the organization's top pitching prospect despite the setback with his elbow.

Profar agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Padres on Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

He can earn an additional $1.5 million in incentives based on plate appearances. Profar had a nice finish with the Padres last season (.776 OPS in 14 games) after a disastrous run with the Rockies (.680 OPS in 111 games) and is back for another stint in San Diego. As things stand currently, Profar probably vaults to the top of the Padres' depth chart in left field, although it wouldn't be a surprise to see the club bring in additional help.

Paxton said Sunday that he "has no doubt" he'll be ready for Opening Day, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The Dodgers wound up lowering the guaranteed amount of Paxton's contract due to an unspecified physical issue, adding in roster bonuses based on the left-hander's availability. The injury concern is considered minor, so it's not a surprise to hear Paxton isn't worried about being ready to roll by the opener. He'll remain a major injury risk, of course, as the 35-year-old has made just 25 combined starts at the big-league level since the start of the 2020 season.

Dodgers manager Dave Robert said Sunday that there's "no hard start date" for Buehler's (elbow) season debut, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

The Dodgers are slow-playing Buehler's throwing progression this spring after he made just one rehab appearance last year following Tommy John surgery. In addition to an undetermined date for his season debut, Buehler will also no doubt be facing workload restrictions during the 2024 campaign. It's a tricky situation for fantasy managers to navigate.

Lowder will participate in the Reds' major-league camp this spring, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Lowder was selected by the Reds with the seventh-overall pick in the 2023 Draft but did not pitch in organized ball following the draft, although he did impress in fall instructs, per his draft profile on MLB.com. The move to hold him out of game action could be due to the 120.1 innings the right-hander rung up at Wake Forest during a season in which the Demon Deacons reached the college World Series. The MLB.com profile believes Lowder will be fast mover through the system, noting an advanced feel for pitching and one of the college game's best changeups.