MLB Player News
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Josh Naylor 1B | SEA
Guardians' Josh Naylor: Sitting against lefty
Naylor is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics.
David Fry will get the start at first base and hit in the cleanup spot against Athletics left-hander JP Sears. Over his first two games this season, Naylor has gone 3-for-8 with two doubles, two runs and one walk.
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Ryan O'Hearn 1B | PIT
Orioles' Ryan O'Hearn: Will play DH on Saturday
O'Hearn will start at designated hitter and bat fifth for Saturday's game against the Angels.
Jordan Westburg got the start at DH in Thursday's season opener, but O'Hearn pinch hit in the seventh inning and went 1-for-1 with a double while scoring one run. Westburg will move to second base for Jorge Mateo as the Angels send out right-hander Griffin Canning for Saturday's contest.
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Bobby Dalbec 1B | CHW
Red Sox's Bobby Dalbec: Fills in at third base
Dalbec started at third base and went 0-for-3 in Friday's 1-0 loss to the Mariners.
Dalbec was a late addition to the lineup after primary third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) was scratched. Dalbec batted eighth in the order and struck out twice, including in the sixth inning with two runners on. Devers told Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe that he could be given Saturday off as well, which puts Dalbec in line for potentially another start.
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Ryan Noda 1B | BAL
Athletics' Ryan Noda: Sitting out Friday
Noda is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Guardians.
Noda started at first base on Opening Day and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. With the Guardians sending left-hander Logan Allen to the mound Friday, the Athletics will deploy J.D. Davis at first base, while Darell Hernaiz gets the start at third. Abraham Toro will serve as the designated hitter.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: Crushes first homer of season
Guerrero went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Rays on Opening Day.
The 25-year-old slugger demolished a Zach Eflin cutter in the sixth inning, sending it 450 feet over the batter's eye in center field. Guerrero has seen his numbers decline the last two seasons after a monster 2021 campaign in which he produced 48 homers, 111 RBI and a 1.002 OPS, and his ability to rebound to something closer to that level of performance will be crucial to the Blue Jays' fortunes in 2024.
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Yandy Diaz 1B | TB
Rays' Yandy Diaz: Lone producer in Opening Day loss
Diaz went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional RBI during Thursday's 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays.
Diaz accounted for both of the Rays runs scored, going yard off Jose Berrios to lead off the first inning and driving in Rene Pinto on a sixth-inning double. After slashing .330/.410/.522 with a career-high 22 homers in 600 plate appearances during 2023, Diaz is off to a strong start in 2024.
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Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe: Heads to IL
The Rangers placed Lowe (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Thursday.
Lowe will be eligible to come off the IL ahead of the Rangers' April 5 game against the Astros, but the team is expecting him to be ready to return from his right oblique strain around mid-to-late April, per MLB.com. Jared Walsh and Ezequiel Duran are expected to form a platoon at first base to begin the season until Lowe is ready to return.
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Jared Walsh 1B | CHW
Rangers' Jared Walsh: Sitting versus lefty
Walsh is out of the lineup Thursday against the Cubs.
The Cubs will send southpaw Justin Steele to the mound to start their season, so the lefty-hitting Walsh will begin Opening Day in the dugout. Ezequiel Duran will instead start at first base and bat seventh.
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Jared Walsh 1B | CHW
Rangers' Jared Walsh: Added to big-league roster
The Rangers selected Walsh's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday.
Walsh was able to win a spot on Texas' Opening Day roster after putting up an .827 OPS with three home runs this spring. He's likely in line to see most of the at-bats at first base against right-handed pitching while Nathaniel Lowe (oblique) is on the shelf.
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Spencer Horwitz 1B | PIT
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Optioned to Triple-A
Horwitz was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday.
The 26-year-old came into camp hoping to land a backup job at first base behind Vladimir Guerrero, but Horwitz batted only .125 (5-for-40) in Grapefruit League action, and the signings of Daniel Vogelbach and Joey Votto (ankle) cut off his path to the 26-man roster. Horwitz slashed .337/.450/.495 with 10 homers in 107 games for Buffalo last season, but he may need to add more power to his profile to get serious consideration for a regular job in the majors.