MLB Player News

Flores went 1-for-1 with a solo home run in Friday's win over the Brewers.

Flores pinch hit for designated hitter Joc Pederson in the eighth, promptly smacking a 397-foot shot to left center. This was his sixth homer of the year, so he's well on pace to pass his total from last season (19). The 31-year-old is now slashing .262/.311/.512 on the year.

Mervis went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 4-1 win over the Marlins.

Getting the start at first base and batting seventh, Mervis didn't have an eye-popping big-league debut but did bring home Cody Bellinger with a single in the eighth inning for the game's final run. Mervis figures to hold down a regular spot in the lineup as the Cubs see what their top hitting prospect can do, but if the 25-year-old does stumble out of the game, Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer remain available to cut into his workload -- at least for the moment.

Goldschmidt went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Tigers.

Goldschmidt has opened May by going 6-for-17 (.353) with four doubles over four contests. The first baseman is now slashing .312/.403/.520 with four home runs, 16 RBI, 18 runs scored, 14 doubles and three stolen bases through 32 games on the season. He's still one of the best hitters in the majors at age 35, though his power has yet to show up in full force so far.

Tellez is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against San Francisco.

Tellez will take a seat against southpaw Sean Manaea and the Giants for the series opener. Luke Voit will handle first base duties against Manaea and hit sixth.

Cooper (ear) is feeling better but remains shut down from baseball activities, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Cooper landed on the injured list Wednesday with an inner ear infection, an issue which had been bothering him for a few days. He should be able to make a quick return once he's totally symptom-free.

The Cubs selected Mervis' contract from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

News broke Thursday of Mervis' impending promotion and the move is now official. The Cubs have received very little production from Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini in the first base/designated hitter spots, so they've now turned to their top prospect in hopes that he can provide a boost. Mervis sports a .286/.402/.560 slash line with six home runs and a 19:18 K:BB over 24 games with Iowa this season. It'll be the 25-year-old's first stint in the big leagues. Mervis is starting at first base and batting seventh in his debut Friday versus the Marlins and manager David Ross confirmed that the rookie would be in the lineup regularly, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Santana went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Thursday's 3-2 loss against Tampa Bay.

Santana spearheaded the Pirates' ninth-inning rally, plating Tucupita Marcano and Bryan Reynolds with a double off Jason Adam to bring Pittsburgh to within a run. However, the first basemen would not advance past second base, as Connor Joe struck out to end any hopes of a Pirates victory. Santana is now up to 19 RBI on the season, despite only having two homers, and is tied for fourth in MLB with 11 doubles.

Olson went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Thursday's 6-3 win over Miami.

Olson gave Atlanta a bit more breathing room with his ninth-inning solo shot. He's hit safely in five of his last six games, going 5-for-23 with two homers, four RBI and eight runs scored in that span. He's up to nine long balls, 26 RBI, 27 runs and a .244/.363/.528 slash line through 32 contests overall. The first baseman is also striking out at a career-worst 34.9 percent rate.

The Cubs are expected to promote Mervis from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Mervis had a massive breakout season in the minors last year (.984 OPS, 36 home runs, 119 RBI in 137 games) as he ascended through three different levels of the Cubs' farm system, and he's backed it up out of the gate here in 2023 with a .962 OPS in 24 games at Triple-A Iowa. The 25-year-old should get everyday playing time between first base and designated hitter and offers high-level fantasy upside in the power department. Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer could both be dinged on playing time with the arrival of Mervis, though that should be a good thing overall for Chicago's offense.

Cronenworth went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Wednesday's 7-1 victory over Cincinnati.

Cronenworth has hit safely in five straight contests, going 8-for-22 over that stretch. Following a sluggish start to the season, the 29-year-old Cronenworth is now slashing .241/.315/.429 with three home runs, 14 RBI and 16 runs scored. While he can be overshadowed by some of the other names in San Diego, Cronenworth is a solid fantasy option while hitting in the middle of a powerful Padres' lineup.