MLB Player News

Stewart went 2-for-2 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

There was no let-up for Stewart in the third game of the season. He's now had multiple hits and reached base at least three times in all three games, going 7-for-10 with three walks, zero strikeouts and more extra-base hits than singles. He also showed advanced baserunning Sunday, advancing to second base on a flyout to center field, which put him in a position to reach third base when the next batter singled to left field.

Steer started at first base and went 1-for-4 in Sunday's 3-2 win over Boston.

Steer made his first start of the season at first base after serving as the left fielder Thursday and Saturday. The plan announced this spring, when Steer started at five different positions, was that he would primarily play left field but could also slot in at various spots. In addition to his starting positions thus far, Steer also moved mid-game Saturday to first base and then third base. That roster flexibility helps manager Terry Francona navigate in-game situations, while also ensuring Steer gets a full game of plate appearances.

Kayfus started in left field and went 0-for-2 in Sunday's 8-0 loss to the Mariners. He was also hit by a pitch.

Kayfus made his second career big-league start in left field and it showed on a couple of balls that led to Seattle rallies. Both were hit by lefties that have strong pull tendencies, and Kayfus had to range far from the gap in left-center to make the plays but couldn't. "He was in the right position," manager Stephen Vogt said of Kayfus to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. "They had a couple of balls that found the line. It's a relatively new position for CJ. A couple of unfortunate plays that went their way. They made us pay for them." It was the first instance of Vogt's decision to have four-time Gold Glove winning left fielder Steven Kwan play center field. The position switch was designed to inject more offensive punch into the lineup at the outfield corners. One unfortunate night may not impact Vogt's decision, but continued issues in left field could result in a reduction of playing time for Kayfus.

Diaz went 5-for-6 with a double and four RBI in Sunday's 11-7 win over the Cardinals.

Diaz couldn't be contained Sunday, matching his career high in hits while tallying his 10th career game with at least four knocks. The 34-year-old first baseman is coming out of the gates furiously, going 9-for-16 (.563) in his first three games while hitting safely in each outing so far as Tampa Bay's leadoff man.

Murakami went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored during the White Sox's 9-7 loss to the Brewers on Sunday.

Murakami continued his excellent start to his MLB career Sunday with a solo home run off Brandon Sproat in the second inning. All three of Murakami's hits through three games have resulted in solo homers, and he's also shown discipline at the plate with four walks across 13 plate appearances. The 26-year-old has clearly brought his power over from Japan, where he recorded 246 home runs over an eight-season span in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Hoskins isn't in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.

Hoskins will sit down for a second consecutive game after going 3-for-6 with two walks and a run scored over the first two games of the series. Kyle Manzardo will start at first base while Hoskins sits, putting Jose Ramirez in the DH spot and Daniel Schneemann at third base.

Horwitz will start at first base and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Mets.

Heading into spring training, the 28-year-old's role was somewhat muddled following the offseason additions of Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O'Hearn and Brandon Lowe, but Horwitz looks to have settled into a strong-side platoon role at first base. He's occupied the position for the Pirates' first two games against right-handed pitchers, with O'Hearn spelling him Saturday when the Mets sent lefty David Peterson to the hill.

Clemens will start at first base and bat leadoff in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

After taking a seat against lefty Trevor Rogers in Thursday's season opener, Clemens has now handled the leadoff role in two straight contests against righties. At least for the early part of the season, Clemens looks set to occupy the strong side of a platoon at first base, with Victor Caratini having received the nod at the position in the Twins' lone matchup with a lefty thus far.

Manzardo started a first base and went 1-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Mariners.

Manzardo served as the designated hitter for the first two games of the season before finally getting a chance to play some defense. The Guardians initially planned to give him more starts at first base this season, but for now he's sharing the position with Rhys Hoskins. Manzardo is 2-for-13 with eight strikeouts through three contests.

Murakami went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Saturday against the Brewers.

Murakami has kicked off his MLB career in style, homering in both of his first two starts. He led off the fourth inning with a home run Saturday, which came after he worked a walk in his initial plate appearance. While it's a small sample, Murakami has struck out only once in eight plate appearances.