MLB Player News

Wade went 2-for-2 with a solo home run, a double and two total runs scored in Saturday's 8-5 win over the Rockies.

Wade became a key part of the Giants' offense last season with 18 home runs, 56 RBI and 52 runs scored in 109 games. He also slashed .253/.326/.482 across 381 plate appearances. Manager Gabe Kapler often deploys platoons around the diamond, and Wade is likely to see the strong side of one in right field this season. He's also able to play in the other two outfield positions and at first base, but he probably won't be an everyday option since he hit just .135 in 37 at-bats versus lefties last year.

Smith went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI triple in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

Getting the start at first base and batting third, Smith appeared to be locked in at the plate, and Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News reports the 26-year-old attributes his early spring success to the work he put in this offseason on his swing. Smith studied the mechanics and approach of Hall of Fame talents like David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout, and he now feels more balanced at the plate and is staying back on pitches better. With that in mind, it's noteworthy Saturday's homer went to the opposite field off right-handed Josiah Gray, giving Smith some immediate validation that his work is paying off. Robinson Cano is the favorite to open the season as the Mets' designated hitter, but a big spring from Smith could allow him to muscle his way into the picture.

Freeman could make his first appearance in a Cactus League game for the Dodgers early next week, possibly as soon as Tuesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Freeman signed a six-year contract with Los Angeles on Wednesday, and it shouldn't take him long to get on the field for the first time with his new club. The All-Star first baseman figures to have plenty of opportunity to put up big numbers again this season hitting in the heart of the order for a stacked Dodgers lineup.

Cooper looks likely to lose playing time after the Marlins' reported signing of Jorge Soler.

Cooper looked like a lineup regular a day ago, but with the addition of Soler, the veteran has been pushed down the depth chart. Cooper now becomes part of a crowded Miami bench where he will compete for at-bats throughout the year.

Rivas (finger) is starting Saturday's Cactus League game against the Padres, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Rivas missed the final few weeks of the 2021 season after he tore a tendon in his right middle finger in late September, but he completed his rehab in December and had a relatively normal offseason. He'll start at first base and bat fifth against San Diego.

Smith revealed Friday that he played through a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder for most of last season and also dealt with wrist and groin issues, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

Smith's slash line dropped from .316/.377/.616 in 2020 to .244/.304/.363 in 2021. His strikeout and walk rates remained very similar, but his barrel rate plummeted from 13.3 percent to 6.5 percent, which sure looks like a player who just couldn't hit the ball as hard as he used to. For those wanting to dream on a bounceback season for Smith, though, it's worth noting that he had an even lower 6.0 percent barrel rate in 2019, his apparent breakout season. In that context, it's his excellent form in the 60-game 2020 campaign that looks like the outlier.

Voit was traded from the Yankees to the Padres in exchange for Justin Lange on Friday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The Yankees made it clear that they didn't value Voit particularly highly when they signed Anthony Rizzo to be their first baseman Tuesday. With Giancarlo Stanton locked into the designated hitter spot, Voit would have been stuck waiting for an injury to open up regular at-bats. He comes with durability and consistency questions, but he's been quite productive overall in his five big-league seasons, hitting .267/.357/.510. He'll face a downgrade in park in his move to the West Coast, but that should be more than offset by a clear path to playing time, as Voit lines up as the Padres' natural choice at designated hitter.

Smith homered twice off Max Scherzer in a simulated game Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

While a sim game early in camp doesn't mean much, Scherzer didn't give up any other runs over four innings, and Smith has never had a hit against him in any games that count, going 0-for-16 against the right-hander with seven strikeouts in his career. A good spring training would go a long way toward ensuring Smith has a regular spot in the lineup after he put together a disappointing 2021 season, but it's unlikely the 26-year-old will be a true starter, instead splitting his time between first base, left field and DH.

Freeman agreed to a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

The 32-year-old rejected Atlanta's $18.4 million qualifying offer for 2022 shortly after winning the World Series, and he's now decided to continue his MLB career in Los Angeles. Freeman has been a model of consistency at the plate throughout his career, and he's coming off a 2021 campaign during which he slashed .300/.393/.503 with 31 home runs, 25 doubles, 120 runs and 83 RBI in 159 games. The first baseman should have every opportunity to improve upon his counting stats going forward as he joins an already potent Dodgers lineup.

Solano agreed Wednesday with the Reds on a one-year, $4.5 million contract, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Solano has seen the overwhelming majority of his innings at second base throughout his career, but unless the Reds elect to move reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India off the keystone, the 34-year-old will have to settle for most of his reps on the left side of the infield in 2022. Even with Cincinnati dealing Eugenio Suarez to Seattle earlier this week, the shortstop and third base positions still appear somewhat crowded, as all of Kyle Farmer, Jose Barrero and Mike Moustakas are competing for work at either position. Given the success he's had against lefty pitching over the past three seasons in San Francisco, Solano would probably make the most sense as a short-side platoon mate at the hot corner with the lefty-hitting Moustakas. From 2019 through 2021, Solano turned in wRC+ marks of 125, 137 and 121 versus southpaws.