MLB Player News

Rincones will miss the first part of the Grapefruit League schedule due to left knee soreness, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Rincones was awarded a 40-man roster spot during the offseason after slashing .242/.366/.430 with 18 homers, 73 RBI, 80 runs scored and 22 steals across 119 games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year. The 24-year-old outfield prospect was expected to compete for a spot on the Phillies' bench during spring training, but his chances of making the Opening Day roster have taken a significant hit now that he's slated to miss some time.

Nootbaar (heels) has progressed to running on an altered gravity treadmill, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Nootbaar underwent surgery in early October to address deformities on both of his heels and is progressing slowly but surely. He will be a few days late in reporting to camp, as the Cardinals still need to have an altered gravity treadmill delivered to their spring training complex in Florida so Nootbaar can continue rehabbing. It's looking unlikely that Nootbaar will be ready in time for Opening Day, but more clarity on his timetable should be available later in spring training.

Carroll underwent surgery on his right hand Wednesday after breaking the hamate bone a day earlier while taking a swing during live batting practice, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

It's uncertain how long Carroll will be sidelined, but the Diamondbacks are holding out hope for a best-case scenario, which would have the outfielder return to action around Opening Day. Arizona's outfield was already short-staffed, as left-fielder Lourdes Gurriel (knee) could be out until June. As for Carroll's replacement, manager Torey Lovullo floated the idea of Alek Thomas moving from center to right field. The club has wanted to give prospect Jordan Lawlar -- an infielder for much of his career -- a look in center field. That would leave Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa to compete in left field.

Veen will likely need an injury in Colorado's outfield to have a chance to make the Opening Day roster, Kyle Newman of the Denver Post reports.

The Rockies have a relatively set starting group in the outfield, with Brenton Doyle, Mickey Moniak, Jordan Beck and Jake McCarthy projected to earn the majority of playing time. That likely leaves Veen on the outside looking in for a potential roster spot at the start of spring training. He had a brief stint in the majors in 2025, but he struck out 37.8 percent of the time across 37 plate appearances before being demoted and spending the rest of the campaign at Triple-A Albuquerque.

McCarthy is expected to compete with Mickey Moniak to start in right field to begin the 2026 season, Kyle Newman of the Denver Post reports.

The Rockies acquired McCarthy this offseason but have a versatile roster, so he could face significant competition for the starting role in right field. Moniak may be the primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching, so there could be room for both to start, but Willi Castro, Troy Johnston and Tyler Freeman also figure to factor in at a corner outfield spot. Most importantly, McCarthy will need to bounce back as a hitter to maintain a regular role after posting only a .592 OPS across 222 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks in 2025.

The Phillies requested Castellanos not to report to spring training this week as the club ramps up efforts to trade him, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Philadelphia has been looking to trade the 33-year-old outfielder all offseason, but his $20 million salary for 2026 -- which is the final year of his contract -- plus his poor defense and .694 OPS during the regular season last year have made that difficult. According to Gelb, the Phillies could release Castellanos if a trade is unable to be reached by the end of the week. Adolis Garcia is poised to take over in right field for Philadelphia after signing a one-year, $10 million contract in December.

Carroll suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand during a live batting practice session Tuesday and is slated to undergo surgery Wednesday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The Diamondbacks likely won't provide a recovery timeline for Carroll until surgery is completed, but the procedure on his non-dominant hand will cost him significant time this spring and prevent him from competing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. The 25-year-old outfielder's availability for the Diamondbacks' March 26 season opener versus the Dodgers is also firmly in question.

Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said Tuesday that Smith will stick to first base instead of playing multiple positions this season, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. "We've never really given him a spot to sort of solidify himself defensively, Hazen said of Smith, who at times has been used as an outfielder. "We'll be doing that this year."

Entering camp, the Diamondbacks plan to platoon Smith (against right-handers) with Carlos Santana (against lefties). Implied in the general manager's comments is the expectation that Smith will show improved defense, which would help him maintain the strongside platoon role. Smith recorded a .258/.362/.434 slash line with eight home runs and 28 RBI over 87 games and 287 plate appearances in 2025, the most playing time he's had since 2021.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday that Soto will move to left field this season, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Though he has predominately played right field in his career, Soto was a full-time left fielder as recently as 2023, so it should not be a difficult transition. Soto finished last among qualifiers with a minus-12 Outs Above Average in right field last season. Stearns mentioned Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez as potential candidates to start in right field for the Mets in 2026.

The Rockies placed Bryant (back) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Tomoyuki Sugano, who inked a one-year contract with Colorado. Bryant is still not 100 percent as he deals with a lumbar degenerative disc disease, and there is no timetable for his return. The 33-year-old has played in 170 games over his four seasons with the Rockies since signing a seven-year, $182 million contract in March of 2022.