MLB Player News

Encarnacion-Strand started at third base and went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Wednesday's spring game against the White Sox.

Encarnacion-Strand belted his fourth Cactus League homer and is 12-for-41 (.293) with eight extra-base hits and 12 RBI through 13 games. While he started at the hot corner Wednesday, and third baseman Noelvi Marte (suspension) will miss the first 80 games of the season, Encarnacion-Strand is still expected to be the team's everyday first baseman. Jeimer Candelario will be the primary third baseman to open the season.

Steer started at second base and went 1-for-4 in Wednesday's spring game against the Rangers.

Steer made a third consecutive start at second base in the wake of Matt McLain's shoulder injury, which will land him on the injured list to start the season. The Reds have other options for the keystone, including Jonathan India and Santiago Espinal, who was acquired via trade Wednesday. Steer had been scheduled to see most of his time in the outfield this season, but McLain's injury and third baseman Noelvi Marte's 80-game suspension could alter the outfield plans for Steer.

Alonso went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

The first baseman has had a strong spring at the plate, batting .289 (11-for-38) with seven of his hits (two homers, five doubles) going for extra bases, plus a 7:11 BB:K. Strikeouts will always be part of the package with Alonso, but his .217 batting average in 2023 was the very bottom of his expected range thanks to a .205 BABIP that was 74 points lower than his 2022 mark. Despite his struggles making consistent contact, he still slugged at least 40 homers for the second straight campaign and the third time in his four full MLB seasons. Alonso will again hit in the heart of the Mets' order and should be one of the most reliable power hitters available for fantasy GMs.

Flores was scratched from the Giants' Cactus League lineup Wednesday due to knee soreness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

When asked about the injury, Flores said, "it's nothing," so it seems safe to say he should be back in there in a day or two. LaMonte Wade will slide in at first base in Flores' absence.

The Phillies optioned Hall to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

With Bryce Harper now handling first base and Kyle Schwarber settling in at designated hitter, Hall's future with the Phillies looks cloudy. For now, he'll represent depth at Lehigh Valley.

Smith seems likely to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, and he now has less competition with Matt Mervis getting optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

Smith would give Chicago a left-handed power bat off the bench as well as a veteran option should Michael Busch falter at first base. It may not be a fantasy-friendly role right away, but Smith could have more value down the road if his playing time increases. The 28-year-old hit 12 home runs across 153 games with Washington last season to go along with a .254 batting average.

Tellez (back) will start at first base and bat sixth for the Pirates in Monday's spring contest versus the Phillies, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Tellez was scratched from the Grapefruit League lineup over the weekend with a minor back issue, but he's fine. The 29-year-old is slated to be the Pirates' primary first baseman against right-handed pitching this season.

The Nationals reassigned Diaz to minor-league camp Sunday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Diaz signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals in late December. He had a .804 OPS with 17 home runs over 118 games for the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate but saw no time in the majors during the 2023 season.

Tellez was scratched from Saturday's Grapefruit League lineup due to a minor back injury, Greg Brown of SportsNet Pittsburgh reports.

The 29-year-old was pulled from the lineup due to an "abundance of caution," so he could return to game action within the next couple days. Assuming Tellez has no additional issues, he should begin the season as the Pirates' primary first baseman.

The Cubs optioned Mervis to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

Despite posting a strong slash line of .300/.432/.400 in 19 Cactus League games, Mervis fell well shy of making the season-opening 26-man roster, as he was cut with 42 players still remaining in big-league camp. After a rough showing in his first taste of the big leagues in 2023, Mervis will likely need to mash at Iowa and/or wait for an injury to hit the Cubs' first-base/designated-hitter ranks before he gets another extended opportunity in Chicago.