MLB Player News

Wade is starting at first base and batting sixth in Friday's contest against the Yankees.

Each of Wade's first nine starts this season came from the leadoff spot, but he's been demoted -- at least temporarily -- after going hitless across his last five games. Mike Yastrzemski has been elevated to the leadoff spot for the Giants on Friday.

Valdez is starting at second base and hitting leadoff in Friday's contest against the Reds.

Valdez becomes the sixth different leadoff hitter the Pirates have had in their first 14 games this season. The 26-year-old is also making his first start at second base for Pittsburgh, as each of his first five starts had all been at first base.

Mervis is out of the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Nationals.

Southpaw Mitchell Parker is on the bump for the Nationals, so the left-handed-hitting Mervis will begin the series opener on the bench. Mervis has homered three times over his last four games but remains in a strict platoon, with all nine of his starts coming against righties. Jonah Bride is at first base Friday.

Contreras is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies.

It's a day off for the slumping Contreras, who is just 5-for-49 with 22 strikeouts in the early going. Alec Burleson is at first base for the Cardinals, and Jordan Walker has moved up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

Feduccia was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Feduccia was recalled to take the roster spot of Freddie Freeman (ankle), but he's logged only three plate appearances since March 4. Feduccia will be optioned to create space for Freeman to return Friday.

Toglia went 3-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Brewers.

Thursday marked just the second multi-hit effort of the year by Toglia, who plated a go-ahead run with a double into deep left-center field in the eighth inning. The switch-hitter has started each of Colorado's first 12 games at first base, but it's been a disappointing start to the season overall by Toglia, who smashed 25 home runs in just 116 outings in 2024. He's batting just .191 with zero home runs, a lone RBI and two walks over 50 plate appearances in 2025.

Hoskins is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies.

Hoskins will receive a breather during the day game after he started at first base and played all nine innings of the Brewers' 17-2 win Wednesday night while going 0-for-4 with an RBI. Jake Bauers will spell Hoskins at first base Thursday.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol is weighing the possibility of moving the slumping Contreras down in the batting order, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Contreras has gotten off to a dreadful start this season, going 5-for-49 with 22 strikeouts, and he's done so while mostly batting second for St. Louis. The 32-year-old is a good bet to eventually get going offensively, but it's possible he'll be moved to a lower profile spot in the batting order while he's scuffling. If Marmol wants to continue alternating his lefty and righty hitters, Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn would appear to be the most likely candidates to be elevated to the No. 2 spot, if Contreras is indeed dropped lower in the lineup.

Horwitz (wrist) has progressed to taking batting practice, throwing and fielding ground balls, MLB.com reports.

Horwitz has been swinging since early March, though his progression to batting practice is significant. He's still a few weeks away from a rehab assignment, which is projected to begin in late April or early May.

Harper went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and two walks Wednesday in a 4-3 win against Atlanta.

Harper came up big for the Phillies in the seventh inning, crushing a two-run homer to center field to give the team a one-run lead. The star first baseman reached base three total times in the contest, and he's been able to get on base safely in all but one of his 11 games so far this season. Harper's long ball Wednesday was just his second this season, but he's been relatively productive with a .279/.380/.465 slash line, five RBI and seven runs.