MLB Player News

Smith isn't starting Monday against Atlanta.

The 26-year-old has started exclusively against right-handed pitchers this year, and he'll get a breather Monday since southpaw Max Fried is starting for Atlanta. Smith went 4-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run in Sunday's win over Philadelphia and should see slightly more consistent playing time after Robinson Cano was designated for assignment Monday. However, Eduardo Escobar will serve as the designated hitter while J.D. Davis starts at third base in the series opener against Atlanta.

Vaughn (hand) remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels.

Vaughn is apparently still dealing with some bruising and/or soreness in his right hand after being struck by a pitch in Friday's 5-1 loss to Los Angeles, so he'll remain on the bench for a third straight game in Monday's series finale. White Sox manager Tony La Russa noted Sunday that Vaughn has been able to swing the bat since suffering the injury, so the 24-year-old could be available Monday in a pinch-hitting capacity.

Smith went 4-for-4 with a double, a run scored and three RBI in Sunday's win over the Phillies.

There had been some question whether Smith would be optioned down to Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Monday's roster cutdown to 26 players, but the 26-year-old took the decision out of the Mets' hands with a huge performance. Instead, the club designated Robinson Cano for assignment, removing one obstacle between Smith and more consistent playing time. Through 48 plate appearances this season, he's batting .254 with a .354 OBP and seven RBI, but he's still looking for his first home run of 2022.

Arias suffered a fractured right hand while playing for Triple-A Columbus in the affiliate's 8-7 win over Louisville. He's set to undergo further testing, but he'll be placed on the 7-day injured list and is expected to miss several weeks.

Arias is one of Cleveland's more interesting infield prospects and earned his first call-up earlier this season, though he was quickly moved back to the minors. He's mostly struggled through 17 games for Columbus, however, hitting .197/.269/.380 with a 32.1 percent strikeout rate. As a result of the injury, he won't get the chance to right the ship any time soon.

Rivas went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Brewers.

The Cubs found just enough offense to win against Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes, and Rivas helped lead the way from the leadoff spot. The 25-year-old has been a pleasant surprise so far this season with a .429 batting average and 1.139 OPS through nine games. Rivas has started three of the team's last four contests, with the exception being a Saturday matchup against Brewers' lefty Eric Lauer. A first-base platoon seems to be forming in Chicago, with the left-handed hitting Rivas on the strong side. Frank Schwindel will likely be the preferred option against southpaws and can also serve as the DH when Rivas starts, which was the alignment Sunday.

Cron went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Reds.

Colorado put up a six spot in the first inning, and Cron did his part with a laser off Reiver Sanmartin, Cron's NL-leading eighth homer already this season. He will get to enjoy some more home cooking against the Nationals early this coming week before the Rockies head out on the road.

Walker went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Cardinals.

Walker tied the game at 2-2 with his solo shot off Cardinals starter Jordan Hicks. While Walker's slugged five homers in 22 games this season, the rest of his stat line leaves something to be desired. He's slashing only .152/.230/.380 with eight RBI and 11 runs scored through 87 plate appearances. The first baseman is just 2-for-21 in his last six contests.

Montero was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday, Patrick Lyons of TheDNVR.com reports.

Montero earned his first big-league call-up Friday, and he made his MLB debut in Sunday's win over the Reds. He went 2-for-4 with two strikeouts but will head back to Albuquerque since the Rockies need to trim their active roster to 26 players by Monday. If Colorado deals with more injuries, it wouldn't be surprising to see Montero back in the majors at some point.

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

Smith will pick up his second start in a row after he went 0-for-3 with a walk in Saturday's 4-1 loss. Though Smith has submitted a poor .489 OPS through 44 plate appearances on the season, the Mets could be more inclined to find him at-bats at designated hitter at the expense of Robinson Cano, who owns a comparable .501 OPS but is more than a decade older. Cano is on the bench for the fourth time in five games as the Mets continue to cycle in a number of different players at DH, with Pete Alonso getting a turn there Sunday while Smith plays the field.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Saturday that Wade (knee) could be available to return from the 10-day injured list during the Giants' two-game series with the Dodgers that begins Tuesday, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports. "The schedule has him playing more games in Triple-A to make sure he feels comfortable doing everything necessary to help us on the field," Kapler said of Wade. "We'll see when his earliest availability is. In theory that could be at some point in the Dodgers series."

Kapler's comments came after Wade made his fifth rehab appearance with Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday. For the first time during his stint in the minors, Wade played a full nine-inning game in the outfield Saturday, and he finished with a double and three walks across his six plate appearances. Wade certainly looks to have moved past the knee injury based on his performance at the dish, as he's submitted a 1.238 OPS over his 21 plate appearances at Triple-A. Whenever he's reinstated from the IL, Wade should reclaim a strong-side platoon role in the outfield.