Tommy La Stella, David Fletcher Could Platoon At Second Base

Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon said the most likely situation to fit both infielders Tommy La Stella and David Fletcher into the lineup together is with La Stella at second base and Fletcher in right field. “Obviously you want to get Tommy out there as often as you can against righties,” Maddon said. “The […]

No Timetable For Ryan Shazier's Return

There remains no timetable for a potential return for Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier (back) as he rehabs from spinal stabilization surgery. Shazier has not played for the last two seasons, and it remains to be seen if he'll ever play again. His contract from the 2019 season will not toll over to 2020, but […]

Jimmy Nelson, Dustin May Dealing With Minor Injuries

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson (groin) is dealing with minor "benign" groin soreness, while Dustin May has some tightness in his side. Of the two, May is the more attractive fantasy option at just 22 years old with a lot of upside. He'll be a late-round upside selection […]

Jurickson Profar To Work Exclusively At Second Base

San Diego Padres infielder Jurickson Profar will work exclusively at second base in camp, according to manager Jayce Tingler. Profar could bounce around at other positions during the season, but that's unlikely if everyone stays healthy. The 26-year-old struggled at second base last year, committing 11 throwing errors. Profar hit .218/.301/.410 with 20 home runs […]

Eugenio Suarez Taking One-Handed Swings

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez (shoulder), who is recovering from shoulder surgery, took one-handed swings in the batting cage and is doing some non-throwing defensive work on Sunday. It's a good sign, but at this point Suarez is a real question mark to be ready by Opening Day, and he must resume regular swinging […]

Jed Lowrie Sporting Brace

New York Mets infielder Jed Lowrie (knee) is in camp with a big brace on his left knee/leg. Lowrie was a big free-agent bust for the Mets in 2019, seeing just seven at-bats because of various injuries, most notably to his knee. That came after his first All-Star selection in 2018 with the A's when […]

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo Will Be Used Primarily As Left Fielder

The Tampa Bay Rays current plan is to use Yoshitomo Tsutsugo as a left fielder, but he'll also be a designated hitter and will work at first base this spring. The Rays are looking forward to acclimating the Japanese power hitter in spring training, but his biggest adjustment will be with the increase in velocity […]

Gregory Polanco Won't Be Limited In Camp

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco (shoulder) reported to camp on Saturday and will not have any physical limitations in workouts. Polanco had left shoulder surgery after the 2018 season and wound up playing in only 42 games last year because of complications with his shoulder. The 28-year-old Dominican says he's finally healthy, which could help […]

Xander Bogaerts Has Sore Ankle

Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (ankle) has a sore ankle and will take the next three days easy. However, this isn't a long-term concern. Bogaerts hit an impressive .309/.384/.555 with 33 home runs, 110 runs scored, 117 RBI and four steals in 614 at-bats for the Red Sox last season. It was a career […]

Chris Sale Says His Elbow Feels Good

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (elbow, illness) said his left elbow is "good, really good," and he felt strong all winter after being shut down last August with pain in his throwing arm. "I feel better than I have in a long time, actually," Sale said. He also said that "no one was […]

Hunter Renfroe Feels 100 Percent Healthy

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Hunter Renfroe (ankle, foot) said on Saturday that he feels "100 percent" healthy after undergoing three procedures for his right foot and ankle. “Everything is good, everything is fixed,” Renfroe said. “I was going to the physical therapist and stuff like that and strengthening the ankle and getting it back to […]

Ty Johnson Not A Lock To Make 2020 Roster

Detroit Lions running back Ty Johnson won't be a guarantee to make the team's roster going into training camp, in the opinion of The Athletic's Chris Burke. Johnson, a sixth-round pick in 2019, ended his rookie season with 63 carries for 273 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and no touchdowns on the ground. The Lions […]

Rashaad Penny Making Progress In Rehab

Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (knee), whose 2019 season ended in early December when he suffered a torn ACL, said he got back on an exercise bike earlier this week. The 24-year-old second-year back is ahead of schedule in his recovery, but he still might be a question mark to be ready for Week […]

Jets Unlikely To Re-Sign Robby Anderson

The New York Jets are highly unlikely to re-sign impending free-agent wide receiver Robby Anderson, according to league sources. Anderson is expected to receiver $13 to $15 million annually on a multi-year deal on the open market, but Gang Green would like to sign him for just $10 million annually. Because the 26-year-old will be […]

Buccaneers Still Undecided On Jameis Winston

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said that the team remains undecided on whether to keep quarterback Jameis Winston or move on from the former first overall draft pick. Arians said they probably won't know what direction they are headed until the start of the three-day legal free-agent tampering period from March 16-18. If […]

A.J. Bouye Could Be Released

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback A.J. Bouye could be released this offseason to clear $11.4 million in salary cap space. Bouye has two interceptions the last two years, while Tre Herndon, who started opposite of Bouye when Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Rams, had three interceptions last season and will make $660,000 in 2020. Jacksonville could […]

Nick Foles A Candidate To Be Traded?

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to continue searching for a franchise quarterback. Rookie Gardner Minshew showed flashes in 2019, but he'll need to prove he's more than just a game manager in a larger sample size. The team could also seek to find a trade partner for Nick Foles, who flopped as a big free-agent acquisition […]

Will Jaguars Pick Up Leonard Fournette's Fifth-Year Option?

The Jacksonville Jaguars must decide this offseason if they will pick up running back Leonard Fournette's $10.1 million fifth-year option for 2021. It's an interesting decision because they are limited for salary cap space, so they could decline the option and wait to see how he performs in 2020 before considering a contract extension. The […]

Joey Votto Motivated To Bounce Back In 2020

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto didn't pick up a bat at all during the winter after a disappointing 2019 campaign, but he also showed up more than a week early to camp, which is something he hasn't done in his 13-year career. The veteran first baseman had a career-low .768 OPS, well below his […]

Tucker Barnhart Gives Up Switch-Hitting

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart will hit exclusively from the left side moving forward after switch-hitting his entire career. Barnhart, 29, batted exclusively from the left side over the final month of the 2019 season. He hit .231/.328/.380 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI in 114 total games last season, hitting .247 from the […]

Sonny Gray Feeling Normal This Spring

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Sonny Gray (elbow), who had right elbow surgery to remove bone chips in September, is feeling normal in spring training. Gray said he threw more than usual this offseason and feels great. The right-hander said he pitched with elbow stiffness for "multiple years," but he didn't miss a single start in […]

Spencer Howard Tweaks Knee During Workout

Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Spencer Howard (knee), the team's top pitching prospect, tweaked his right knee in a pre-camp workout last weekend, according to manager Joe Girardi. As a result, he has yet to throw a bullpen session in camp. A precautionary MRI exam showed that Howard doesn't have structural damage, and he continues to […]

Phillies Acquire Kyle Garlick From Dodgers

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired outfielder Kyle Garlick from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday in exchange for pitcher Tyler Gilbert. Outfielder Nick Martini was designated for assignment by the Phils in a corresponding move. Garlick, 28, hit .250/.321/.521 with three homers and six RBI in 30 games in his first taste of the big leagues […]

Sergio Romo Has Minor Shoulder Strain

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Sergio Romo (shoulder) will be limited in camp the next few days with "the most minor of minor left shoulder strains," according to manager Rocco Baldelli. Romo should be back on the field soon. The veteran reliever had a 3.43 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 20 saves and 60 strikeouts in 60 1/3 […]

No Structural Damage For Miles Mikolas

An MRI exam on St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (forearm) on Saturday found no structural damage in his arm. The flexor tendon issues he's feeling this spring are similar to the soreness he felt last season. Mikolas will hold off on throwing for a few days and go from there on a day-to-day […]

Chris Sale Might Not Be Ready For Opening Day

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (illness) is dealing with a mild case of pneumonia in camp and "still doesn't have full strength back," according to manager Ron Roenicke. Sale is progressing and playing light catch, but the Red Sox acknowledged that he might not be up to speed by Opening Day, and they […]

Ty Buttrey Tweaks Intercostal Muscle

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Ty Buttrey (intercostal) tweaked an intercostal muscle and will be slowed down in camp for a couple of weeks. However, manager Joe Maddon still expects Buttrey to be ready for Opening Day. Relievers don't need as much time to get ramped up for the regular season, so Buttrey might not […]

Tony Watson Not The Official Closer

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Tony Watson is the most experienced arm for the late innings with Will Smith now in Atlanta, but the Giants might start the year without naming a specific closer. New manager Gabe Kapler won't commit to using a traditional ninth-inning closer, but Watson should be seen as the favorite. He […]

Alex Verdugo Has Stress Fracture In Back

Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo (back) is dealing with a stress fracture in his lower back and is now doubtful to be ready for Opening Day, according to manager Ron Roenicke. The team knew about Verdugo's injury before trading for him earlier this week. The youngster also missed the last two months of 2019 […]

Mychal Givens Under The Weather

Baltimore Orioles closer Mychal Givens (illness) will miss his bullpen session on Saturday due to an illness. Reliever Hunter Harvey is also sidelined with an illness to start the weekend. Givens was Baltimore's primary closer in 2019 and had a rough 4.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 11 saves while striking out 86 in 63 innings. […]