MLB Player News

Thomas started in center field and went 1-for-4 with a solo homer, an additional run scored and a stolen base in Thursday's Cactus League loss to the Angels.

Thomas opened the scoring by taking Yusei Kikuchi deep to center field in the first inning. The outfielder has put together a strong spring, slashing .289/.349/.579 with a double, two triples, two homers, 12 RBI and two stolen bases across 13 games, although his 4:17 BB:K is a little concerning. The 30-year-old inked a one-year deal with the Royals this offseason after undergoing right foot surgery in September and has looked healthy. Thomas doesn't project to be an everyday player for Kansas City, but his ability to handle all three outfield spots could get him semi-regular at-bats.

Walls received a cortisone injection in his right oblique and is expected to be sideline at least three-to-four weeks, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

The 29-year-old sustained the injury earlier this week and will begin the season on the injured list. It wouldn't be surprising if Walls is sidelined beyond that estimate given the nature of oblique injuries. Top prospect Carson Williams is expected to step in at shortstop for the Rays and may not cede the job back to Walls, who had a meager .584 OPS since making his MLB debut in 2021.

Lugo threw five innings in a minor-league game Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Lugo threw 72 pitches without issuing a walk and worked through some traffic, reportedly feeling great as he returned to camp after participating in the World Baseball Classic for Puerto Rico. After posting a 4.15 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 26 starts and 145.1 innings in 2025, Lugo was shut down in September due to a back injury, though the issue doesn't appear to be lingering into the spring. The veteran righty will slot into the Kansas City rotation and look to get closer to his 2024 production, when he posted a 3.00 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 206.2 innings.

Rocchio is projected to be the Guardians' Opening Day starter at second base, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

This comes as no surprise, as Rocchio was pegged all along to be the team's starting second baseman. He and Gabriel Arias will form the double-play combo for Cleveland. Rocchio's strong second half in 2025 carried over into the Cactus League, as he's slashed .313/.389/.531 with four doubles, one home run, four RBI, two steals and three runs scored over 12 contests. The job may not be his for the whole season, however, as prospect Travis Bazzana, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is expected to make his debut some time this summer.

Messick allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out three over 5.2 innings in Thursday's spring start against Kansas City.

The positives are that Messick ran his pitch count up to 87 (57 strikes), didn't walk a batter and pitched into the sixth inning for the first time this spring. Unfortunately, the left-hander was touched for three solo home runs in his fourth Cactus League appearance (third start). Messick entered the game with a 1.93 ERA and a strong case to be named the fifth starter over fellow lefty Logan Allen. A roster projection posted Friday by Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal has Allen winning the job and Messick headed to Triple-A Columbus, however. Each pitcher has minor-league options remaining, so the decision could come down purely to spring performance, and even after Friday's outing Messick would seem to have the edge there -- Allen has an 18.00 ERA and 9:8 K:BB through 10 Cactus League innings, compared to Messick's 3.60 ERA and 11:4 K:BB in 15 innings.

Basallo went 3-for-3 with two solo homers during Thursday's Grapefruit League win against the Pirates.

Basallo has crushed the ball during spring training and is batting .375 with four doubles, three homers, nine RBI and nine runs in 12 games. The 21-year-old is expected to open the season as Baltimore's primary designated hitter while also operating as the No. 2 backstop to Adley Rutschman. Basallo had a .165/.229/.330 slash line over 31 games in his first taste of the majors last year, but he enters 2026 with high expectations as one of the top prospects in baseball.

Ramirez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's spring game against the Royals.

Ramirez returned to the lineup for the first time since an issue with his left shoulder cropped up last Sunday. He showed the shoulder was in fine shape when he swatted a no-doubt home run in his first plate appearance. The homer was Ramirez's third of the Cactus League, and an indicator that he'll be ready for Opening Day next week.

Singer (blister) expects to make his next start, MLB.com reports.

The Reds haven't announced their pitching plans beyond Friday, so Singer's next scheduled start is not known. Given a typical five-game rotation, the right-hander would be in line to pitch the final Cactus League tilt for Cincinnati next Tuesday. Singer was removed early from his start Wednesday when a blister developed on his right index finger, but the issue doesn't appear to be serious. He cited the Arizona heat as a factor.

Smith started at first base and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's spring game against the White Sox. He also stole a base.

Smith, who returned to action after missing a week of Cactus League play due to a forearm injury, immediately extended his spring hit streak to eight games. His first-inning single plated Arizona's first run, before he stole his first base of the spring later in the frame. Steals are not typically a feature of Smith's game; he's swiped seven bags (10 attempts) over six MLB seasons. The lefty-batter is slashing .303/.303/.606 with two doubles, one triple, two home runs and five RBI through 11 spring contests. That's likely enough to retain his projected role as the primary first baseman against right-handers.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo mentioned Sewald as a potential closer candidate Wednesday, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Lovullo has yet to name a closer and said he probably won't until the regular season begins, but Sewald has the most experience of the group competing for the role. "I love where [Paul] Sewald is at," the manager said. "He's been throwing the heck out of the ball. We have other guys that have been doing the exact same thing. So, out of fairness to the group, I probably won't say anything until Opening Day." Those comments came after Sewald authored a fourth consecutive scoreless Cactus League appearance. Overall, he has allowed two runs over six innings (3.00 ERA) with zero walks and four strikeouts. Kevin Ginkel (11.81 spring ERA) and Ryan Thompson (6.14 ERA) are also among the relievers that could get save opportunities early in the regular season.