MLB Player News

Saggese is in the mix to start games in left field for the Cardinals while Lars Nootbaar (heels) is shelved, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

An infielder by trade, Saggese learned the outfield on the fly this spring and missed out on some development time while on Team Italy's roster for the World Baseball Classic. However, he showed enough aptitude defensively in the outfield -- and also posted a .907 OPS this spring -- to convince the Cardinals to carry him on the Opening Day roster. Nathan Church and Jose Fermin will also see action in left field, and Fermin and Saggese are options to play several other positions, as well. Nootbaar is being evaluated for potential placement on the 60-day injured list, so the trio of competitors could have ample time to make a good impression.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Monday that Nootbaar (heels) will be evaluated this week for potential placement on the 60-day injured list, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Bloom noted that the team's current wish is to avoid the 60-day IL with Nootbaar, as the transaction would leave him ineligible to make his season debut until late May. However, that decision will be made after the Cardinals get a better sense of how far Nootbaar is along in his rehab from offseason surgery on both heels. Per Brian Walton of TheCardinalNation.com, Nootbaar is slated to take batting practice with minor leaguers at the team's spring training complex Tuesday. St. Louis will use a combination of Nathan Church, Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin in left field until Nootbaar is ready.

Wetherholt is likely to bat leadoff on Opening Day against the Rays, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Wetherholt not only won the Cardinals' second-base job, but the top prospect is also in line to receive the team's first at-bat of the season against right-hander Drew Rasmussen. The left-handed-hitting Wetherholt could hit lower in the order versus southpaws, with Masyn Winn a candidate for the leadoff spot those days. Wetherholt finished Grapefruit League play with a .386 on-base percentage thanks in large part to a 9:7 BB:K, and he added two home runs and two stolen bases.

Oviedo will open the season in Boston's bullpen, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

The Red Sox are going with Connelly Early as their fifth starter, with Oviedo occupying a piggyback/long-relief role. Early is expected to receive at least a couple turns in the rotation before the club reassesses its options. Oviedo came into spring training as the favorite to round out Boston's rotation, but his Grapefruit League showing ended on a sour note Monday versus the Twins when he showed diminished velocity and yielded six runs over 3.1 frames.

Early will open the season in the Boston rotation, garnering his first start Sunday in Cincinnati, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Johan Oviedo also made the Opening Day roster but will open the season in the bullpen as a possible piggyback option. The Red Sox plan to give Early at least a couple turns in the rotation before reassessing their options. Early was stellar in Grapefruit League play, posting a 1.59 ERA and 16:5 K:BB over 17 innings, which came after he held a 2.33 ERA and 29:4 K:BB across 19.1 regular-season frames down the stretch last year. He will have to pitch well to retain a rotation spot over the long haul, but the news is a big boost to Early's fantasy prospects.

The Rangers informed Wade on Monday that he won't be included on the Opening Day roster, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Wade and Mark Canha are two non-roster invitees that lost out on spots, while the Rangers announced Ezequiel Duran, Sam Haggerty and Andrew McCutchen secured bench jobs. Texas hopes Wade is willing to stick with the organization as a depth option at Triple-A Round Rock.

The Rangers informed McCutchen on Monday that he will be included on the Opening Day roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

McCutchen was a late addition to spring training, signing with Texas as a non-roster invitee earlier this month. He slashed .444/.583/.778/1.361 in 24 plate appearances in the Cactus League. McCutchen is expected to serve primarily as a designated hitter against left-handers.

The Rangers informed Canha on Monday that he won't be included on the Opening Day roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Canha, who slashed .300/.333/.525 during Cactus League play, fell short in his battle for a spot on the Opening Day roster, as Texas elected to keep Andrew McCutchen over him as a right-handed-hitting option at designated hitter and in the corner outfield. The 37-year-old indicated he doesn't plan to report to Triple-A Round Rock but will stay with the Rangers through their final exhibition game Tuesday.

Friedl started in left field and went 1-for-2 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Monday's spring game against Milwaukee.

Friedl is capping off a productive spring, during which he's slashed .326/.400/.442 with six walks, two doubles, one home run, six RBI and nine runs scored over 16 Cactus League games. The start in left field was his fourth, as manager Terry Francona continues to toy with various outfield alignments. Friedl is expected to mostly play center field and be the team's leadoff batter in the regular season.

Casas (knee) will continue his progression in Fort Myers for the next couple weeks before getting into extended spring training games, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Per Cotillo, sliding is the next big hurdle for Casas, who has already been cleared to run. Casas has been working on his rehab in Florida all offseason and is noticeably carrying less weight this spring.