MLB Player News

Vargas (hamstring) could be included on the Cubs' postseason roster, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Vargas was sidelined for the final week of the regular season, but manager David Ross said Tuesday that he could return for the postseason. If Vargas is included on the roster, he'd serve as middle-infield depth after slashing .196/.222/.314 with three RBI over 51 at-bats with the Diamondbacks, Twins and Cubs during the regular season.

Riley (quadriceps) isn't 100 percent but will be in the in lineup Wednesday against the Reds for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Quadriceps tightness has kept Riley off the field since Friday, the only time he's played in the past week. Given that we're now in the playoffs, however, teams will be more willing to risk players who are less than 100 percent, so it's no surprise that Riley is expected to play.

The Twins recalled Astudillo from their alternate site Monday and added him to their postseason roster.

Astudillo is one of four catchers on the playoff roster, though he's at least capable of providing the Twins with some depth at multiple infield spots, if needed. So long as Minnesota's position players stay relatively healthy during the postseason, however, Astudillo likely won't be in line for much action.

Donaldson (calf) is not on the Twins' AL Wild Card Round roster, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.

Calf issues, which are hardly something new for the veteran third baseman, limited Donaldson to just 28 games this season. The issue returned during the final series of the campaign and evidently hasn't subsided to the point that the Twins feel comfortable with him playing at any point in the next three days. Marwin Gonzalez will be the third baseman in Game 1 against the Astros.

Donaldson (calf) participated in live batting practice Monday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Donaldson missed the final two games of the regular season with a right calf cramp, but he took batting practice with the Twins on Monday, just one day before Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series. The team hasn't announced whether he'll be available to begin the series, but his participation in batting practice is an encouraging step.

LeMahieu went 2-for-3 in Sunday's loss to Miami and finished the campaign with an MLB-best .364 batting average.

LeMahieu's finish atop the leaderboard makes him the first player in modern major-league history to win a batting crown in both leagues. After a superb first campaign with the Yankees in 2019, the veteran's performance this season was even better as he posted a career-best 1.011 OPS; meanwhile, his 10 homers and career-high .226 ISO dispel the notion that last season's power breakthrough was a fluke. LeMahieu enters the postseason swinging a hot stick -- he batted an even .400 with four homers and 13 RBI over his final 13 games.

Hayes went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 8-6 loss to Cleveland.

Hayes gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead in the third inning with his fifth homer of the season. The 23-year-old hit safely in his last eight games, going 16-for-31 (.516) with three homers, eight runs scored and four RBI in that span. He ended the year with a .376/.442/.682 slash line across 95 plate appearances. Hayes figures to have a good chance at the starting job at third base in 2021.

Riley (quadriceps) is expected to return for the first game of the playoffs Wednesday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Riley was held out of the final two games of the regular season after aggravating his right quad Friday, but manager Brian Snitker said that Riley felt great during live batting practice Sunday. He should play third base as Atlanta takes on the Reds in the first round of the playoffs.

Davis is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

With little at stake in the season finale, the Mets will hold out a few regulars for maintenance purposes, as Davis will be joined on the bench by Dominic Smith and Jeff McNeil. Davis struggled down the stretch with a 2-for-28 showing at the plate over his last nine games, saddling him with a .249/.370/.392 slash line for the season heading into the finale. That's a 134-point drop in OPS from his career-best 2019 campaign.

Rendon is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Both Rendon and Mike Trout close out the year with back-to-back absences after the Angels were officially eliminated from postseason contention Friday. Rendon had a good fantasy season, but his campaign was far better by real-world measures. In fact, Rendon currently sits fifth in all of MLB in fWAR (2.8).