MLB Player News

Motter elected free agency Thursday.

Motter was up and down between the majors and minors with the Cardinals in 2023, producing just a .442 OPS in 29 contests with the big club. The utility player will be on the lookout for another minor-league contract.

Lopez elected free agency Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lopez appeared in just one game in the majors this season, going 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored on Sept. 9 against St. Louis. Otherwise, he spent all season with Triple-A Louisville and slashed .292/.401/.408 with 43 RBI across 556 plate appearances. Lopez's solid stat line gives him a good chance to latch on with another franchise.

Arraez (ankle) is starting at second base and batting leadoff Tuesday in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Phillies.

Arraez played only one full game over the final two weeks of the regular season because of a left ankle injury, but he's ready to rock for the Marlins leading into their best-of-three NL Wild Card Series matchup at Philadelphia. The 26-year-old paced all qualified MLB hitters in batting average this season with a mark of .354.

Biggio is starting at second base and batting fifth for Tuesday's Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series in Minnesota, Ben Wagner of Sportsnet Radio reports.

No player improved his standing with the Blue Jays in September more than Biggio, who slashed .277/.408/.374 while starting each of the final 13 games down the stretch. He played four different positions in the final month but appears in line to serve as Toronto's regular second baseman versus right-handers during the postseason.

Merrifield is not in the lineup for Tuesday's AL Wild Card Series opener against the Twins, Ben Wagner of Sportsnet Radio reports.

Given his usage down the stretch of the regular season, it's not a surprise to see Merrifield begin this one on the bench. The Blue Jays are opting for Cavan Biggio at second base, Daulton Varsho in left field and Kevin Kiermaier in center.

Arroyo elected free agency Monday.

Arroyo had been removed from the Red Sox' 40-man roster and has opted for a fresh start elsewhere rather than accepting an outright assignment. The veteran infielder is a career .252/.299/.394 hitter over parts of seven big-league seasons.

Polanco (ankle) is starting at third base and batting second in Tuesday's Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series versus the Blue Jays.

Polanco missed the final two games of the regular season with a right ankle injury, but he's ready to go for the Twins' playoff opener. With Royce Lewis limited to designated hitter duties as he returns from a hamstring injury, Polanco is in line to serve as Minnesota's regular third baseman.

Miller is on the roster for the Brewers' NL Wild Card Series matchup against Arizona.

This comes as a bit of a surprise given that Miller spent the final three weeks of the regular season with Triple-A Nashville, but the Brewers have decided to roll with 15 position players -- and only 11 pitchers -- in their best-of-three series versus the Diamondbacks. Miller, 26, batted .261/.303/.371 with five homers and 13 steals across 90 major-league games this season.

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said Monday that he expects Arraez (ankle) to be ready for Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Phillies on Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Arraez hasn't started a game in more than a week after aggravating a left ankle sprain on Sept. 23, but he did contribute a pinch-hit single off the bench this past Friday and is expected to be in the Marlins' Game 1 lineup. The two-time batting champ finished the 2023 campaign having slashed .354/.393/.469 with 10 home runs.

Drury went 3-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and three runs scored in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Athletics.

Drury opened things up with a first-inning home run and added on with a two-run shot to right center in the fifth. He finishes the 2023 campaign slashing .262/.306/.497 with 26 homers, 83 RBI, 61 runs and a 25:136 BB:K in 523 plate appearances. His home run and RBI totals trailed only Shohei Ohtani for the team lead despite Drury missing seven weeks due to injury. The 30-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Halos before the season, although it's possible the team ships him off to a contender with rumors swirling that a rebuild might be in the works.