MLB Player News

Pena (finger) is slated to play shortstop during Tuesday's exhibition, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Pena was cleared for batting practice Monday, and the fact that he's been given the green light to see game action Tuesday is a clear sign he's progressing. If he's able to make it through Tuesday's exhibition without issue, there is certainly a chance he could see his name in the starting lineup for Thursday's opener against the Angels.

Lee went 2-for-4 in Monday's spring training win over Boston. He's hitting .308 (16-for-52) with a .743 OPS this spring.

Lee looks set to begin the season as the everyday shortstop. He was underwhelming at the plate last year in his sophomore season with a .655 OPS, though he did hit 16 home runs. He has a good eye at the plate and makes excellent contact (just a 17.5 K%) but struggles to generate power (just a a 28.0% hard-hit rate). It's not clear if he'll have the glove to stick at shortstop as he was -8 in Defensive Runs Saved last season, so it's a big season for Lee to show he can be a building block for the next Twins playoff team.

The Rangers informed Baumler on Monday that he's made the Opening Day roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Baumler was told that he'd made the Opening Day roster when manager Skip Schumaker trotted out for a mound visit during Monday's exhibition against the Royals. The right-hander is expected to be deployed out of the bullpen to handle low-leverage situations after failing to surrender a run in eight spring appearances (9.1 innings).

Alcantara was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Monday, per MLB's transactions log.

Alcantara failed to secure a spot on the Cubs' Opening Day roster and will now report to Triple-A, where he'll open the 2026 campaign. He slashed .266/.348/.468 with 17 home runs, 69 RBI, eight stolen bases and 56 runs a year ago with Iowa and should be in the running for a promotion later in the year.

The Mets released Barnes on Sunday.

Barnes signed a minor-league deal with the Mets over the offseason and was brought in to big-league camp to compete for a roster spot, but he'll test free agency after failing to secure a place on the Opening Day roster. He appeared in 13 games for the Dodgers last season and hit .214 with two RBI and four runs in 42 at-bats.

Montgomery (elbow) will throw his fifth bullpen session Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Montgomery has successfully completed four other bullpen sessions so far this spring, and he's slated to throw around 30 pitches during Tuesday's side session. If all goes according to plan, Grant mentions the southpaw will throw one more 30-pitch bullpen, and then potentially progress to two-inning sessions. There is still a long road ahead before Montgomery returns to game action, but it's a positive sign that he's feeling strong at this point in his recovery after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery last April.

Hoglund was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday due to a sprained right knee.

It's been reported that Hoglund has been dealing with both a knee and back injury during camp, but it's the knee issue that has landed him on the IL to begin the 2026 campaign. The club has yet to reveal a timetable for his return, but he'll miss at least the first week or so of the regular season -- if not longer -- while on the mend.

De Jesus, who was recently added to Detroit's 40-man roster, seems likely to secure an Opening Day bullpen role, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

De Jesus looked good for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, and Detroit was impressed enough to add the non-roster invitee to its 40-man roster. That move seems to suggest that the 29-year-old lefty will ultimately make the Opening Day roster, though nothing has been made official yet. De Jesus pitched briefly in the majors back in 2023 and has spent the past few seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization.

Oviedo is expected to open the 2026 season in the major leagues, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Oviedo and Connelly Early competed for the fifth rotation spot during camp, but it now looks as though Boston will name both pitchers to the Opening Day roster. Cotillo notes this may be due to the fact that Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello aren't as stretched out as much as the club would like, so Oviedo and Early could be relied on to eat up innings in the early stages of the season. This is a creative approach by the Red Sox, so it's not yet clear whether it'll be Oviedo or Early who gets the first crack at starting, or if the duo could each draw opportunities to prove they belong in the rotation.

McGonigle remains an option for Detroit's Opening Day roster, and the Tigers could take the decision down to the wire, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

The fact that McGonigle hasn't been reassigned to the minors yet seems to suggest he's still in the mix for an Opening Day role, though manager A.J. Hinch said no decisions have been made. The Tigers kick off their season Thursday in San Diego, and they may take all the time they can to make final roster moves. If McGonigle does make the team out of camp, he could push someone like Wenceel Perez or Parker Meadows to the minors, with veteran Javier Baez sliding into a utility role and McGonigle ultimately seeing a lot of time at shortstop. The 21-year-old has a ton of potential, and it's just a matter of time until he's showcasing his talent at the MLB level.