Manager Dave Roberts recently said that Rushing will not see playing time in the outfield this season, Aaron Coloma of Dodgers Nation reports.

After GM Brandon Gomes indicated over the winter that Rushing could get outfield reps again this season, Roberts has shut that down. "Outfield is not on the table," Roberts said. Rushing will serve as Will Smith's backup and could get some time at first base if Freddie Freeman needs a day off. It would seem Rushing may only get into a couple games a week to begin the season as a part-time player.

Herrera's (knee) return to Grapefruit League play is considered imminent, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Herrera played in a "B" game Wednesday and has been returning to full workouts as he recovers from inflammation in his knee. The Cardinals could choose to ease him back into games at designated hitter before giving him more reps a catcher, but either way it seems Herrera will be back in the lineup in a day or two. Herrera is 2-for-7 at the plate in limited action so far this spring.

Herrera (knee) got eight plate appearances in a backfields game in Cardinals camp Wednesday, Brian Walton of TheCardinalNation.com reports.

Herrera -- who homered in his first plate appearance Wednesday -- has been slowed recently by knee inflammation. He had hoped to return to Grapefruit League action by now, but his participation in a "B" game suggests that should be coming soon. Herrera is expected to open the season as the Cardinals' primary designated hitter but will also see action at catcher.

Lee could serve as the White Sox's backup catcher to begin the regular season with Kyle Teel (hamstring) sidelined, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The White Sox are planning to only carry two catchers on their Opening Day roster, which would have almost certainly left Lee on the wrong side of the roster bubble. However, with Teel set to miss the start of the regular season, Lee is the favorite to serve as the backup to Edgar Quero for the first few weeks. Drew Romo, in camp on a minor-league deal, is Lee's primary competition.

Quero will serve as the White Sox's starting catcher to begin the regular season with Kyle Teel (hamstring) sidelined, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Quero was originally slated to back up Teel behind the plate while also drawing some at-bats as DH. However, he should now see more consistent playing time at catcher for the first few weeks of the season. If Quero performs well in that span, he could force a more even playing-time split than originally anticipated once Teel returns.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Wednesday that Teel has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain and could be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Teel suffered the injury while legging out a double in Team Italy's win over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday. With Teel shelved for at least the first couple weeks of the regular season, Edgar Quero will serve as Chicago's primary catcher, and Korey Lee will also get some reps behind the plate. Additionally, more playing time should be freed up at designated hitter for Lenyn Sosa.

Diaz (hand) will start at designated hitter and bat leadoff in Friday's Grapefruit League tilt versus the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Diaz missed more than a week of action while nursing a sore left hand, but he upped workouts in recent days to clear the way for his return to action. The 34-year-old is slated to serve as the Rays' primary DH this season and will also see some playing time at first base.

Mountcastle said Friday that his right hand is "all good" and that he should return to the Grapefruit League lineup Saturday against the Pirates, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The veteran first baseman departed Wednesday's contest after being hit by a pitch on the hand, but he quickly had X-Rays come back negative and should rejoin the lineup after a couple days off. Mountcastle was limited to 89 games last season due to a hamstring strain and struggled to a .653 OPS when available. He's looking like the odd man out of Baltimore's lineup in 2026 after the club signed Pete Alonso to take over at first base.

Loftin (thumb) is starting in left field and batting third in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Padres.

Loftin has been sidelined the past couple days due to a jammed thumb, but he's ready to rejoin the lineup Thursday. The 27-year-old is expected to open 2026 in a reserve role for Kansas City after posting a .635 OPS in 67 regular-season games last year.

Olson went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

He took Nick Martinez deep in the first inning, giving Olson his third homer in nine spring games. The 31-year-old first baseman has four 30-homer campaigns in his career and three other seasons with 29, and well as six 90-RBI seasons on his resume, including five straight. While his batting average can waver, Olson remains one of the most reliable power sources in the league.

Pasquantino went 3-for-4 with three solo home runs and a walk Wednesday in Team Italy's 9-1 win over Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

Pasquantino had gone 0-for-12 through Italy's first three WBC games, but his bat woke up in the final game of Pool B. The Royals first baseman's solo blasts in the second, sixth and eighth innings were all the offense that Italy needed to dispatch Mexico and advance to the knockout round of the WBC after going a perfect 4-0 in pool play.

Torkelson (forearm) will start at first base and bat cleanup in Thursday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Yankees.

Torkelson had to be removed from a simulated game Tuesday after being hit on the right forearm by a pitch. He managed to avoid fractures, though, and is back in action after a day to rest. Torkelson is 4-for-19 with two doubles and a 1:6 BB:K so far this spring for the Tigers.

Moore is batting just .189 this spring, but he's shown increased exit velocity and less swing-and-miss, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Per Fletcher, Moore ended play Monday with the 11th-highest average exit velocity in the majors this spring, with his 96-mph mark considerably higher than the 89 mph he registered in the majors last season. Despite the lack of results in terms of hits, Moore didn't seem concerned about his bad luck, saying, "Whether it falls or not, I'm not really worried about that right now. I just want to make sure I'm making consistent contact every day and making sure I'm at least catching one barrel a day, and a legit barrel. That's kind of where my focus has been and it's been good so far." It's also promising that Moore has been making decent contact -- his strikeout rate so far this spring is at 22.5 percent after he whiffed at a 33.7 percent clip last year. Moore is battling for the Angels' starting job at second base, with light-hitting journeyman Adam Frazier possibly his greatest competition for the role.

Wagner is dealing with an oblique strain and hasn't done any baseball activity since the beginning of March, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Per Acee, Wagner will "almost certainly" start the season on the injured list. The infielder had been slated to battle for a reserve role during spring training, but he got into only five games before getting hurt, going 0-for-9 with two walks and two strikeouts. Even if Wagner was healthy, his likelihood of making the Opening Day roster had been considered slim.

Kim, who hurt his left hand March 8 while playing for Team Korea during the World Baseball Classic, doesn't seem to be dealing with a serious injury, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Kim suffered the injury while stealing a base and missed Korea's subsequent contest against Australia. However, the infielder/outfielder seems to be fine. Korea's next game takes place Friday against the Dominican Republic, so it bears monitoring whether Kim will be in the lineup for that contest.

The Red Sox placed Gonzalez (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for new lefty reliever Danny Coulombe, who was signed to a one-year deal in a corresponding move. Gonzalez has been sidelined for the entirety of spring training due to shoulder inflammation that will now require a "left shoulder arthroscopic debridement" operation, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. With Gonzalez set to miss at least the first two months of the regular season, Kristian Campbell, Nate Eaton and Andruw Monasterio will be competing for at-bats and playing time.

Ibanez started at second base and went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and an additional RBI in Wednesday's Cactus League win over the Diamondbacks.

Ibanez opened the scoring for the Athletics, driving his first homer of the Cactus League in the second inning off Ryne Nelson. The veteran has put forth strong numbers this spring, slashing .387/.441/.613 with a homer, four doubles and six RBI across 11 appearances. Max Muncy entered spring training as the presumed favorite for the third-base job, but Ibanez's impressive spring showing, coupled with his defensive versatility and track record of hitting left-handed pitching, gives him a compelling case to make the 26-man roster and see regular-season opportunities for the Athletics.

Lowe was scratched from the lineup for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles due to lower-body tightness, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

According to the Pirates' medical staff, Lowe is scheduled to go through a normal practice session at camp Wednesday, so his removal from the lineup appears to be mostly precautionary in nature. Acquired from the Rays in a three-team deal in December, Lowe is projected to serve as the Pirates' primary second baseman this season, though he could occasionally sit against left-handed pitching.

Monasterio has emerged as the frontrunner for a utility role with Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) placed on the 60-day injured list, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. Monasterio served as the designated hitter Thursday and went 1-for-4 in a spring game against the Twins.

Gonzalez's injury -- he underwent surgery Thursday and was placed on the 60-day IL -- has meant ample opportunity for Monasterio, who was a minor piece in the six-player trade with Milwaukee that brought Caleb Durbin to Boston. Over 10 Grapefruit League games, Monasterio has made appearances at third base, shortstop, first base and DH, going 8-for-23 (.348) with four walks, a double, a home run, five RBI and two stolen bases. Additionally, the latest roster projection from Ian Browne of MLB.com has Monasterio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa making the 26-man roster in utility roles.

Jung (groin) remained out of the Rangers' Cactus League lineup Thursday against the Athletics, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Jung had been targeting Thursday for his return to action after missing the past two weeks with a Grade 1 adductor strain, but he's not quite ready yet. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday of Jung's injury that "it wasn't just progressing like we hoped," but the third baseman could be ready for games in "a couple of days." Schumaker remains "optimistic" about Jung's availability for Opening Day, but the 28-year-old can't afford to be delayed any further.

Marte went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Wednesday's spring game against the Brewers.

Marte led off the second inning with his second Cactus League home run before stroking a two-run double an inning later. In addition to his work at the plate, Marte, who converted from infield to outfield mid-stream in 2025, made a couple of nice plays in the field. It was a promising development for the relatively new right fielder, who had misplayed a ball earlier in the week, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "He's got to be our best right fielder," Reds manager Terry Francona said Wednesday. "We certainly think he's capable. I do think there's some more to show. We've told him that." Cincinnati has a few options in the outfield beyond Marte, who is the frontrunner of a group that includes Will Benson, JJ Bleday and Dane Myers.

Mastrobuoni will return to Mariners camp after suffering a calf injury during Team Italy's win over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The severity of Mastrobuoni's injury will likely be revealed once the Mariners' medical staff gets a chance to look at him. The 30-year-old infielder had been having a strong spring before his injury, going 4-for-15 with a grand slam through seven Cactus League games, and he also went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI with Team Italy.

Jung (groin) ran the bases Tuesday and is hoping to return to Cactus League play Thursday versus the Athletics, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Jung has been shelved since late February after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 adductor strain. When coming back from a leg injury, running the bases is typically the final hurdle one needs to clear, so Jung appears to be in a good spot to return to action and avoid a stint on the injured list. If healthy, Jung is expected to open the season as the Rangers' primary third baseman.

Pauley (forearm) played five innings of defense in a backfields game Monday but did not throw, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Tuesday that Pauley will remain limited to designated-hitter duty in Grapefruit League games "for a while." Pauley is working his way back from right forearm tightness and the club is deliberating rebuilding his throwing before he's allowed to play in games without restrictions. If healthy, Pauley could open the season as Miami's primary third baseman.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Lawlar will get looks at corner outfield before spring training is over, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Lawlar has played center field during Cactus League action, but that could change after Alek Thomas' Team Mexico was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic by Team Italy. With the likelihood that Lourdes Gurriel (knee) will be out until at least mid-April, Lawlar will have opportunities in both center and left field when the regular season opens. He's hit well this spring, posting a .323/.432/.742 slash line with four home runs and six walks over 10 Cactus League games, and could add a speed-power dynamic to the bottom third of the order.

Turner went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Toronto.

Turner finally broke out of his spring slump a bit, but he's still gone just 4-for-24 (.167) with a trio of doubles and RBI over nine Grapefruit League contests thus far. It's not yet settled if Turner will open the season batting first or second in Philadelphia's lineup, but he's all set to reprise his role as the Phillies' everyday shortstop in 2026 either way. Last year, the All-Star shortstop recorded 36 stolen bases, his most since 2018, while hitting .304 with 15 homers, 69 RBI and 94 runs scored and over 589 regular-season at-bats.

Shaw played first base for the first time in his career during Wednesday's Cactus League contest, and he could be a contingency option there for the Cubs during the regular season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Shaw is adding to his defensive acumen in an effort to grow into more of a super utility role for the Cubs, though he had to borrow Carson Kelly's first baseman's glove to try out the new position Wednesday. With Tyler Austin (knee) set to miss a few months, Chicago is looking for added versatility off the bench, and Shaw would give the Cubs some depth behind starter Michael Busch if he can hold his own at first. Shaw almost exclusively played third base as a rookie last year, with a handful of appearances at second, but he's already played in right field, center field and now first so far this spring. It seems like the 24-year-old could play regularly for the Cubs across the diamond in 2026 even without a regular starting position.

Baldwin has been diagnosed with right elbow inflammation Thursday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Baldwin underwent imaging after he felt soreness throwing to the bases recently, and he figures to be shut down for at least the next few days. Baldwin is expected to fill a utility role for the White Sox this season after posting a .697 OPS across 328 plate appearances during the 2025 campaign.

Martin went 0-for-3 in Thursday's win over Boston and is hitting just .231 (6-for-21) with three stolen bases this spring. Despite the lackluster spring, he's still seen as making the final roster and getting regular time as a platoon option in left field, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Martin is a right-handed batter in a left-handed heavy outfield, so he'll likely work on the short side of a platoon in left field to begin the season. Martin has also had some playing time at second base this spring, so he could get some time there as well in a limited bench role. Martin got regular duty the final two months last season and made the most of it by hitting .282 with a 113 wRC+. While he lacks power, he had 11 stolen bases in just 50 games in the majors last season.

Volpe (shoulder) went through a high-intensity defensive workout at full speed Thursday and is expected to be about two weeks away from taking live batting practice, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

The 24-year-old shortstop continues to progress in his rehab shoulder labrum surgery, which he underwent in October after playing through the injury for much of last season. Volpe will begin the season on the injured list but could be ready to make his 2026 debut before the end of April.

Palacios (back) will start at third base and bat eighth in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Palacios is ready to roll after missing a week-plus of action with back tightness. The 28-year-old is 2-for-15 at the dish so far this spring and is projected for a utility role this season in Tampa Bay.

Gurriel (knee) could return to game action by mid-April, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel is pushing to be ready by Opening Day, and an appearance in a Cactus League game as a designated hitter is still on the table, per Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. While Gurriel is hopeful to play Opening Day, comments made earlier this spring by manager Torey Lovullo suggest the team will take a more precautionary approach.

Langford went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in Thursday's spring game against the Athletics.

The Rangers put up a six-spot in the bottom of the second inning highlighted by Langford's three-run home run. It was the third round-tripper of the Cactus League for Langford, who also extended a hit streak to six contests. He's batting a robust .455 (10-for-22) with three walks and 10 RBI over nine spring games.

Kiner-Falefa started at first base and went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's spring game against Minnesota.

Kiner-Falefa is adding first base to his already expansive list of positions. With Willson Contreras away at the World Baseball Classic and Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) possibly in need of surgery, Kiner-Falefa has made four appearances at first, while also seeing time at shortstop (one game), second base (two), third base (two), and designated hitter (one). Through 10 Grapefruit League games, he's batting .409 (9-for-22) with four walks, two doubles, two RBI and one steal. The latest roster projection by Ian Browne of MLB.com includes both Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio as backup utility infielders.

Outman is hitting .280 (7-for-25) with two home runs and six stolen bases this spring. He remains in the mix to win a spot on the major league roster though the outfield competition is still unsettled, The Athletic reports.

Outman is out of minor league options which could help his case to win a final roster spot. The Twins have a glut of left-handed outfielders, however, which could hurt his case. Outman is likely competing with Alan Roden for the final spot. Outman looked like a potential star in 2023 when he hit 23 home runs as a rookie in 151 games with a .790 OPS (and a 117+ wRC+), but he has struggled since. He hit just .147 with a .558 OPS and four home runs in 37 games after he was traded to the Twins last season. If he makes the roster in a reserve role, he could be a source of stolen bases for deep leagues.

Manager Pat Murphy revealed Thursday that Baddoo's left quadriceps injury is worse than initially believed and he will miss at least three to four weeks, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Baddoo suffered the quadriceps strain playing in Monday's Cactus League game versus the Mariners while running to first base. The 27-year-old does not have a guaranteed Opening Day roster spot, but he may add key outfield depth for the Brewers.

Gaddis (forearm) threw off a mound Thursday, MLB.com reports.

The report described it as a "touch‑and‑feel" session -- a low‑intensity mound workout that emphasizes mechanics over velocity. It's typically an intermediary step between flat‑ground throwing and a full bullpen, helping a pitcher transition back toward facing live hitters.

Cecconi allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six over four scoreless innings in Thursday's spring start against the Brewers.

Cleveland's pitchers dominated in a 1-0 over Milwaukee with Cecconi leading the way. In his fourth Cactus League outing, the right-hander worked up to 67 pitches (43 strikes) and lowered his spring ERA to 2.13. Over the last three starts, Cecconi has recorded 13 strikeouts and three walks over 10.2 frames.

Lodolo allowed six runs on six hits while striking out three over four innings in Thursday's spring start against the Dodgers. He also hit a batter.

The Dodgers jumped on Lodolo early with four runs on four hits and a hit batsman in the first inning. The fastball wasn't locating well in that inning, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The left-hander then hung a curveball that Max Muncy drove out of the park for a two-run home run in the third. The good news is that Lodolo got through four innings (61 pitches) in his third Cactus League start. Earlier in the day, Reds manager Terry Francona said Lodolo will open the season as the team's No. 2 starter and will pitch the second game of the regular season against Boston on March 28.

Yamamoto will stay with Team Japan for as long as the team remains alive in the World Baseball Classic, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Yamamoto is scheduled to make his final start of the tournament Saturday versus Venezuela. Initial reports indicated that the reigning World Series MVP would then join the Dodgers in Arizona for spring training, but it's since been clarified that Yamamoto will remain with Team Japan for the duration of its time in the WBC. Yamamoto is fully expected to be ready for a near-regular workload once the MLB regular season kicks off.

Waldron (lower body) threw "about 25 pitches" in a live batting-practice session Thursday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The session marked Waldron's first time throwing to live hitters since he underwent hemorrhoid surgery in late February. The knuckleballer said Thursday that he expects to throw a bullpen and then get into a Cactus League game in the next 5-to-6 days, but he also stated that he isn't going to be ready for Opening Day. That means Waldron will likely begin the campaign on the IL, though he could be ready to be activated around mid-April.

Gipson-Long (oblique) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and appears to be on track for the start of the regular season, MLB.com reports.

Gipson-Long strained his left oblique early in spring training but has been throwing over the past few weeks as he attempts to get back to full health. It looks like the righty should be good in time for Opening Day, though it remains to be seen what his role might be. The Tigers added depth to their rotation in the form of Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander, so Gipson-Long would likely need to settle for a bullpen spot if he makes the MLB roster.

Sborz allowed two runs on three hits and one walk over one inning in Thursday's spring game against the Athletics.

Sborz allowed runs for the first time in five Cactus League relief appearances, which bodes well for the non-roster invitee's hopes of making the roster. After not pitching in 2025 following a shoulder procedure, Sborz worked hard during the offseason to re-establish the velocity he showed when pitching for the Rangers from 2021-24 (95 to 97 mph). On Thursday, the four-seamer averaged 94.1, the highest it's been this spring.

Hendriks (elbow) threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout Thursday and has a 2.25 ERA and 2:2 K:BB ratio in four innings this spring. He averaged 93.6 mph on the six fastballs he threw during the outing.

Hendriks has looked healthy this spring but his velocity is down from a 94.9 mph average fastball in 2025 and 95.4 mph in 2023. It's not clear if Hendriks will even make the Opening Day roster at this point, but he's still potentially in the closer mix. Still, the signs for Hendriks are encouraging after undergoing right elbow ulnar nerve transposition with posterior interosseous nerve release surgery in September.

Nittoli (elbow) will undergo an internal brace procedure and miss the entire 2026 season, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.

Nittoli underwent an MRI on his right elbow last week, revealing the need for season-ending surgery. The 35-year-old right-hander signed a minor-league contract that included an invitation to spring training last month. Nittoli spent the entire 2025 season at the Triple-A level with the Orioles and Brewers, posting a 4.58 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 46:15 K:BB across 39.1 innings. He's expected to be ready for winter ball.

Vest will join Team USA ahead of the quarterfinal round of the World Baseball Classic, replacing his teammate Tarik Skubal, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Skubal went back and forth on sticking around with Team USA, but with the lefty ultimately departing the roster, the team will replace him with Vest, who posted a 3.01 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 68.2 regular-season innings for Detroit last year. Vest gives the United States a reliable veteran option who can pitch some high-leverage innings out of the bullpen. The U.S. is set to face Canada on Friday, and it's possible that Vest will be used in that game, though it remains to be seen exactly what his usage will look like right out of the gate.

With Matthew Boyd named Chicago's Opening Day starter, Imanaga could be the team's No. 3 pitcher behind Cade Horton, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Imanaga was seen as an option for the Opening Day assignment, but Chicago will instead turn to Boyd for the third time in his career and first with the Cubs. The team hasn't officially announced its plans behind Boyd, though slotting Horton second and Imanaga third would allow Chicago to go lefty-righty-lefty. If Imanaga is the No. 3 starter, his first appearance of the regular season would be March 29 against the Nationals at Wrigley Field.

Hoeing (elbow) will undergo flexor tendon surgery and miss the entire 2026 season, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Hoeing was shut down from throwing earlier this month and has now opted for season-ending surgery. The 29-year-old right-hander spent the bulk of his 2025 campaign with Triple-A El Paso but pitched in seven games out of the bullpen for the Padres, turning in a 3.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB across eight innings.

Ohtani threw a four-inning, 59-pitch live batting-practice session against Team Japan during the team's workout Thursday, David Adler of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani isn't expected to pitch during the World Baseball Classic, but he continues to get in work on the mound while with Japan for the tournament. Per Adler, Ohtani faced 18 hitters Thursday and struck out seven of them over his four simulated innings. Though Ohtani's time away from the Dodgers -- and concurrent break from pitching in games -- may impact his pitch counts to a small degree in the early stages of the regular season, the two-way star is fully expected to open the campaign in the Dodgers' rotation.

Stanton went 2-for-3 with a solo home run Monday in a Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates.

Stanton opened the scoring with a 424-foot cannon to left-center field in the second inning. The veteran slugger didn't make his spring debut until March 3, as the Yankees decided to ease him into action. Stanton has gone 2-for-8 with three strikeouts so far during the exhibition slate. He's probably going to spend most of his time at DH this year, but by playing 20 games in the outfield in 2025, he's eligible at that position in most fantasy leagues.

McCutchen started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Monday's spring game against San Diego.

McCutchen stepped on the field for the first time since signing a minor-league deal with the Rangers last week. The 39-year-old has a little more than two weeks to show decision-makers that he can still make an impact. The early results were hopeful, as McCutchen's two batted-ball events clocked in at more than 100 mph. Designated hitter would appear to be his best shot at hooking on with the club, as the right-handed complement to Joc Pederson.

Buxton (elbow) will start in center field and bat eighth in Monday's World Baseball Classic game versus Team Mexico.

Buxton was pulled from Friday's contest versus Team Brazil after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch. He did not play Saturday against Team Great Britain, but Buxton is fine and ready to roll for Monday's tilt.

Pederson, who will start at first base and bat second in Monday's game against the Padres, has gone 4-for-17 with one walk and four strikeouts through his first eight Cactus League contests.

Coming off a rough first season with Texas in which he posted a career-low .614 OPS over 305 plate appearances, Pederson decided against becoming a free agent over the winter and picked up his $18.5 million player option to remain with the Rangers for 2026, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. While Pederson is likely to maintain a regular spot in the lineup as the Rangers' primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching, he hasn't shown many early signs of reclaiming the power production that eluded him in 2025. All four of his hits so far in spring training have been singles.

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said Friday following his team's 15-5 win over Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic that Buxton (elbow) is "feeling fine" after being hit by a pitch in the top of the fifth inning, Ryan Kelapire of MLB.com reports.

Buxton was replaced by Pete Crow-Armstrong after the former took a pitch to his right forearm, but DeRosa relayed that Buxton's removal was precautionary. X-rays on Buxton's forearm came back negative, and while he isn't in Team USA's starting lineup for Saturday's game against Great Britain, the 32-year-old center fielder isn't expected to miss significant time.