Ceddanne Rafaela CF BOS Tue 3/19/24 8:12 AM
Ceddanne Rafaela
CF BOS
Rafaela entered Monday's spring game at second base and went 0-for-1 against the Twins.
EDGE Analysis
Rafaela made his first spring appearance in the infield, although he's played second base in the minors. There was some talk of him filling in at second base while Vaughn Grissom (groin) recovers, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced a platoon, involving Enmanuel Valdez and Pablo Reyes, at the keystone to start the season, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. That means if Rafaela makes the Opening Day roster, it will likely be as the team's primary center fielder.
Connor Wong C BOS Tue 3/19/24 8:03 AM
Connor Wong
C BOS
Wong started at catcher and went 2-for-3 with with a two-run home run in Monday's spring game against the Twins.
EDGE Analysis
Wong went deep for the second time in as many games, upping his spring line to .433/.469/.833 with eight extra-base hits and eight RBI over 30 Grapefruit League at-bats. The spring production is a sign that offseason adjustments have worked, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. "He's made adjustments," manager Alex Cora said. "It started towards the end of the [2023] season. And in the offseason, [hitting coach] Pete [Fatse] came down here to Fort Myers. They started cleaning up a few things with the leg kick and all that." Wong said he's shorter to the baseball and trying to eliminate the swing-and-miss and choose better pitches overall. In 2023, Wong struck out 134 times in 403 plate appearances (33.3 K%).
Nick Pivetta P BOS Tue 3/19/24 7:55 AM
Nick Pivetta
P BOS
Pivetta allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five over four-plus innings in Monday's spring start against Minnesota.
EDGE Analysis
Pivetta, whose pitch count reached 79 in his penultimate spring outing, was removed in the fifth inning after the first batter reached on a single. For those calendar watchers, Pivetta's five-day schedule lines up perfectly with Opening Day, March 28, on the road in Seattle. The right-hander has a 5.25 spring ERA with 13 strikeouts and three walks over 12 innings.
DTDJosh Jung 3B TEX Tue 3/19/24 7:33 AM
DTDJosh Jung
3B TEX
Jung (calf) served as the designated hitter in a minor-league game Monday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
In order to get as many at-bats as possible, Jung was the leadoff batter in every inning and went 2-for-4 with two singles. Texas manager Bruce Bochy is hopeful Jung will be ready to go by Opening Day and sees the third baseman playing in two exhibition game against the Red Sox at Globe Life Field on March 25-26. The manager has not ruled out a start in a Cactus League game before the Rangers break camp.
Sam Moll RP CIN Tue 3/19/24 7:20 AM
Sam Moll
RP CIN
Moll allowed two runs on two hits and two walks over one inning in Monday's spring game against the Giants.
EDGE Analysis
Moll, who was delayed by left shoulder soreness, made his spring debut Monday. Despite the results, Moll is a lock for a bullpen spot provided he can build up over the next week.
Frankie Montas SP CIN Tue 3/19/24 7:13 AM
Frankie Montas
SP CIN
Montas allowed one run on three hits while striking out five over four innings in Monday's spring start against San Francisco.
EDGE Analysis
Montas elicited sighs of relief, delivering a strong outing after surrendering four runs in each of his previous two Cactus League starts. The lone run scored on a misplayed grounder up the middle. A wavering breaking ball was the main culprit in his previous outing, but Montas was able to locate the pitch better Monday, per Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Montas will have one more start before taking the ball Opening Day, March 28, at home against the Nationals.
Stuart Fairchild OF CIN Tue 3/19/24 6:57 AM
Stuart Fairchild
OF CIN
Fairchild started in center field and went 0-for-3 in Monday's spring game against the Giants.
EDGE Analysis
Fairchild will help fill the void in center field created Saturday when TJ Friedl sustained a fractured wrist. The injury is expected keep him sidelined through the end of April. The right-handed hitting Fairchild and lefty Will Benson will be the primary fill-ins at the position, although it's not yet known if there will be a strict platoon. Benson started in center field Sunday against righty Shane Bieber, while Fairchild got his start against lefty Kyle Harrison. Fairchild has impressed thus far in spring training, batting .360 (9-for-25) with five extra-base hits and six RBI.
Kyle Nelson RP ARI Tue 3/19/24 6:45 AM
Kyle Nelson
RP ARI
Nelson (groin) allowed one walk over a scoreless and hitless inning in Monday's spring game against Oakland.
EDGE Analysis
Nelson was held back for eight days while dealing with a groin injury, but manager Torey Lovullo never deemed the injury serious enough to impact the pitcher's availability for Opening Day. Nelson is expected to fill a middle-relief role for the Diamondbacks, as he's done each of the last two seasons.
Slade Cecconi SP ARI Tue 3/19/24 6:38 AM
Slade Cecconi
SP ARI
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Monday that Cecconi will pitch "bulk innings" in the minors but stopped short of saying he would be a starter, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
The Diamondbacks plan to have Cecconi, who was optioned to minor-league camp Monday, be as versatile as possible at Triple-A Reno. Whether that be as a piggyback starter or straight multi-inning reliever, the organization views him as someone that can help the parent club if needed. There were concerns last season about Cecconi going through an order a third time, which suggests his best fit going forward will be in a bulk-inning role.
Bryce Jarvis RP ARI Tue 3/19/24 6:29 AM
Bryce Jarvis
RP ARI
Jarvis is still in the mix for the fifth starter job, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Gilbert re-examined the competition for the No. 5 job after the Diamondbacks optioned Slade Cecconi to minor-league camp Monday. Cecconi was seen as part of a three-man grouping that also includes Tommy Henry and Ryne Nelson, but Jarvis has been building up innings despite not making a Cactus League start. The right-hander was up to 3.1 innings his last time out, when Jarvis allowed two hits and a walk while striking out five without ceding a run. The conventional thought is that Nelson is the leader at this stage of the spring.