MLB Player News

Goldschmidt is hitting second Thursday against the Brewers.

The Cardinals will put their best hitter in the two hole, putting an end to any thoughts that they might give that spot to Dexter Fowler in an effort to get him off to a hot start. Matt Carpenter is leading off while Paul DeJong and Marcell Ozuna hit third and fourth, respectively.

Alonso is starting at first base and hitting second Opening Day against the Nationals.

Not only did the Mets surprise everyone by putting Alonso on the Opening Day roster, but they are also giving him a prestigious spot in the lineup. He will hit behind Brandon Nimmo and in front of Robinson Cano and Michael Conforto. It is worth noting that Alonso doesn't even have the platoon advantage against righty Max Scherzer, so he should theoretically stick in the No. 2 spot for now.

Blandino (knee) was placed on the 10-day IL.

He had surgery to reconstruct a torn ACL and MCL in July of 2018, and is still working his way back. If he beats Scooter Gennett (groin) back, Blandino could get time at the keystone, but he could also be optioned to Triple-A.

General manager Brodie Van Wagenen confirmed Wednesday that Smith would be included on the Mets' Opening Day roster, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Smith played his way onto the active roster with a stellar spring (.831 OPS in 61 plate appearances), but top prospect Pete Alonso (1.006 OPS in 75 plate appearances) was even better. The Mets confirmed Wednesday that Alonso would also stick around with the big club, and the organization probably wouldn't have made that decision if they didn't intend for the 24-year-old to play on everyday basis. Unless Alonso flops in his first taste of the big leagues, Smith will likely head to Triple-A Syracuse once the team gets Jed Lowrie (knee) or Todd Frazier (oblique) back from the injured list.

Alonso will break camp on the Mets' 25-man roster, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Indications had pointed toward Alonso making the team for much of spring, and that's finally been confirmed. The 24-year-old will make his big-league debut following a strong spring in which he hit .352/.387/.620 with four homers.

Alonso got the start at first base and hit second in Monday's exhibition game against the Orioles, going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

The Mets have yet to announce their plans for Alonso -- it's possible they're trying to follow the current trend across MLB and sign him to a long-term deal before putting him on the Opening Day roster -- but if this lineup was a preview of his assignment in the regular season, it's an intriguing spot in the batting order for a player who posted a .395 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A in 2018 along with his 36 homers. Wherever he hits, Alonso has the upside to make a fantasy impact.

Smith got the start at DH in Monday's exhibition game against the Orioles, going 1-for-5 with a three-run home run.

The ninth-inning blast off Pedro Araujo won the game for the Mets. Smith closes the books on a solid spring that saw him slash .321/.367/.464 with two homers, but assuming Pete Alonso breaks camp on the 25-man roster, Smith will likely be relegated to a bench role unless the rookie really struggles.

Alonso hasn't been told as of Monday whether or not he'll make the Mets' Opening Day roster, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Reports from last week indicated that Alonso had made the team, but those now appear to be premature. Alonso's excellent spring, in which he's hit .358/.386/.642 with four homers, certainly suggests he deserves a roster spot, but it's possible that the Mets still haven't ruled out keeping him in the minors for a few weeks in order to manipulate his service time.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in a Grapefruit League win over the Braves on Sunday.

Fresh off signing a five-year, $130 million extension earlier in the weekend, Goldschmidt commemorated the milestone with his third round tripper of spring. The veteran slugger has wasted no time in acclimating to his new St. Louis digs, hitting .280 with three doubles, one triple, three homers and six RBI this spring.

Cooper appears to be the Marlins' Opening Day right fielder after Peter O'Brien was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans, Jordan McPherson of The Miami Herald reports.

O'Brien could return to the majors if he proves he can make at least semi-consistent contact, but in the meantime Cooper will likely handle the bulk of the work in right. The 28-year-old is hitting .395 (17-for-43) this spring, but he hasn't gone yard and his .276/.325/.382 career line during his brief big-league career suggests he won't be adding much power to a fairly feeble Marlins lineup.