MLB Player News

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has heated up the past couple of days, but that's to be expected given his approach.

Alvarez still has a decent walk rate and an astronomical strikeout rate. His 32.2 percent strikeout rate ranks as the seventh highest in the league. While his average has been limited by a .245 BABIP, he's not a candidate to hit over .245 due to the abundance of strikeouts. His approach makes him a candidate to go on runs like this, but he's not a candidate to improve on last season's performance. 

After scrambling to reach Phoenix following his promotion early Sunday morning, Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado made his long-awaited MLB debut later that day against the Diamondbacks. Arenado, who was on the road with Triple-A Colorado Springs in nearby Tucson prior to the call-up, started at third base and went 0 for 3 with a walk while serving as the No. 7 hitter.

"I was nervous," Arenado told The Denver Post. "It was a dream come true. It was a lot of fun to be out there with the guys. I just wish we had won."

The Rockies had pondered recalling Arenado, considered the team's best position prospect since Troy Tulowitzki, over the past week as regular third baseman Chris Nelson floundered. The early promotion means the 22-year-old will reach arbitration sooner, but Colorado management insisted it is not concerned with that future scenario.

"It came to the point where we are trying to put our best club on the field," assistant general manager Bill Geivett said. "You see a player mature on and off the field. And (part of it is) how he responded to not making the club. He went down and showed he was ready. Every decision we make is to try and win games."

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura, who missed Saturday's game with a split nail on the index finger on his right hand, returned to the starting lineup Sunday afternoon against the Dodgers.

Segura slapped a single in the opening frame for his only hit of the day. He finished 1 for 4 in a 2-0 defeat.

Segura has gone 11 for 34 (.324) with five runs scored, six stolen bases and three RBI in his last nine games. He is hitting .349 with one homer and six RBI in 83 at-bats.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura rejoined the starting lineup Sunday against the Dodgers after being scratched Saturday with a split nail on the index finger on his right hand. Segura did appear as a pinch hitter Saturday, striking out in his only at-bat.

Segura is batting .354 (28 for 79) through 11 games. He also has a .393 on-base percentage, .481 slugging percentage and .874 OPS.

Rockies prospect Nolan Arenado will make his major-league debut Sunday at Arizona after being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs following his fast start in the minors. Arenado, viewed as the club's second-best overall prospect by MLB.com, served as the starting third baseman and hit seventh in the batting order.

Rockies third base prospect Nolan Arenado is expected to be promoted to the major leagues Sunday after third baseman Chris Nelson was designated for assignment following Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks, according to multiple sources.

Arenado is one of the top prospects in baseball, ranked as a top 100 prospect by Baseball America (No. 52) and MLB.com (No. 62). Arenado is off to a stellar start at Triple-A Colorado Springs, batting .364 with three home runs, 11 doubles and 21 RBI in 18 games.

Arenado is expected to play regularly for the Rockies.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was scratched from the starting lineup Saturday against the Dodgers with a split nail on his second right finger. Segura, who suffered the injury fielding ground balls during batting practice, is considered day-to-day.

He was replaced in the lineup by Blake Lalli, who started at first base while Alex Gonzalez moved to shortstop.

Segura entered Saturday's contest hitting .359/.398/.487 with a home run and six RBI over his first 78-at-bats.

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon returned to the starting lineup Saturday against Cincinnati after sitting the previous two games. Rendon, who has two hits in his first 15 at-bats with the parent club, was benched in favor of Stephen Lombardozzi as Washington attempted to kick-start its offense.

There aren't many hitters in the majors who approach Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez's streakiness.

When Alvarez is on, as he has been over the last seven games with four home runs, he can look like one of the best power hitters in the game. Even when hot, though, you can see signs of what makes Alvarez so hard to depend on, as he is hitting the ball well right now, but still has eight strikeouts in his last 24 at bats.

Fantasy owners feel pressure to get Alvarez in the lineup when he is feeling it, but it is not yet clear the Pirates feel the same way. Alvarez has been out of the starting lineup the last three times the Pirates have faced a left-handed starter. With three lefties on the way in Week 5 (April 29-May 5), even a scorching hot Alvarez may not give you the production you are looking for. Our Scott White thinks Alvarez is a risky start for Week 5 due to his matchups. 

The Nationals said prospect Anthony Rendon's first stint in the majors would last only until Ryan Zimmerman's return from the DL. Apparently, they're not even going to give him a chance to change their minds.

Rendon was out of the lineup for a second straight game Friday. By now, Zimmerman is only a week away from returning, so unless a week of irregular at-bats from an unproven commodity appeals to you, Rendon is probably a waste of a roster spot.

Obviously, he still has long-term appeal, but in single-season formats, you'll want to try your luck with Josh Donaldson, Juan Francisco or even Luis Jimenez instead.