MLB Player News

Cronenworth went 2-for-2 with a triple, two walks and three runs scored in Thursday's 8-7 victory over Arizona.

After tying for second for the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year award, Cronenworth picked up where he left off by reaching base in all four of his trips to the plate. He scored the Padres' first run of the campaign after singling in the second inning and capped his day by scoring the game-deciding run following a triple in the seventh. Though he's expected to share time at second base with Ha-Seong Kim this season, Cronenworth's versatility should allow him to garner plenty of at-bats, and manager Jayce Tingler may be hard pressed to keep out of the lineup if he continues producing as he did Opening Day.

Guerrero went 1-for-2 with two walks in Thursday's win over the Yankees.

Hitting fifth in the Jays' Opening Day lineup, Guerrero smoked a single in the second inning that left his bat at 114.1 mph -- per MLB.com, that's the highest exit velocity on a base hit given up by Gerrit Cole since Statcast began tracking the category. If Guerrero can also maintain the improvements in his launch angle he showed this spring while slashing .421/.511/.737 through 47 plate appearances, the 22-year-old could become one of the breakout stars of 2021.

Lowe went 2-for-6 with a double, four RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 14-10 loss to the Royals.

Lowe, acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason to be Texas' starting first baseman, fought off a challenge from Ronald Guzman in spring training. Rangers manager Chris Woodward stood by Lowe, who batted a mere .205 and struck out 15 times in 44 at-bats, and the manager's faith was rewarded Opening Day. Lowe slotted in fifth in the batting order, a potentially good spot for RBI opportunities.

Votto went 1-for-5 with an RBI in Thursday's Opening Day loss to the Cardinals; in the process, he hit two infield pop-outs in one game for the first time since his rookie season in 2008, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Votto only returned to Cactus League game action Friday of last week after being on the COVID list, so it's not surprising that he's a little off his game. Not only did he have the highly unusual pop-ups, but he also had trouble scooping two balls in the dirt. This isn't necessarily a harbinger of things to come for Votto, but at 37 years old, he's certainly well past his peak hitting seasons.

Cabrera went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in the season opener Thursday against the Padres.

Cabrera came through with an RBI single in the first inning, and he continued to produce from there, clubbing a two-run homer to right field to end Yu Darvish's outing in the fifth frame. With Ketel Marte starting in center field in the absence of Kole Calhoun (knee), Cabrera could continue to rack up plate appearances at third base with Eduardo Escobar occupying second.

Goldschmidt went 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs in Thursday's win over the Reds.

He powered St. Louis with four hits from the two hole (between Tommy Edman and Nolan Arenado) in a vintage performance. It's always nice to see a player locked in early. Goldschmidt will look to get on the board with his first long ball this weekend before the Cardinals leave the friendly confines of Great American Ball Park.

Santana went 1-for-3 with three walks and two runs scored in Thursday's 14-10 win over the Rangers.

There was no shortage of offense Thursday, and Santana did his part to keep the line moving. He scored on a Kyle Isbel single in the first inning and a Hunter Dozier fielder's choice in the seventh. Santana also added an RBI single in the third. The 34-year-old first baseman is known for having a good batting eye -- he posted a .349 on-base percentage in 255 plate appearances last season despite a batting average of just .199. There's still some power in his bat, too, so fantasy managers who can cover his drag on average could benefit from utilizing Santana. He hit third in Thursday's game and figures to remain in the heart of the order for most of the year.

Rizzo went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Thursday's loss to the Pirates.

Chicago managed just two hits all day, with Rizzo and Eric Sogard both recording doubles. The veteran first baseman batted third, and when his talented teammates get going, he should be able to rack up plenty of runs and RBI from his prime lineup spot.

Solano is starting Thursday's game against the Mariners, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Solano should serve primarily as a backup to begin the year with Tommy La Stella and Brandon Belt available, but he'll start against left-hander Marco Gonzales on Opening Day. The veteran will play second base and bat third against the Mariners.

Calhoun (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday.

Calhoun underwent knee surgery in March but has still been making good progress while participating in baseball activities. However, the 33-year-old will miss at least the first two series of the regular season while he recovers. Pavin Smith is starting in right field for Thursday's game against the Padres, but Tim Locastro could also see increased playing time in Calhoun's absence, especially against left-handed pitchers.