MLB Player News

Escobar will remain in Arizona for three more seasons after signing an extension Monday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

The deal is reported to be for three years and $21 million. The 29-year-old utility man broke out in 2018, moving into an everyday role and hitting .272/.334/.489 with a career-high 23 homers. His hard contact rate jumped up to 38.2 percent after sitting at 31.4 percent in 2017, so there's reason to believe he'll be able to sustain that level of production going forward, giving fantasy owners a cheap but adequate option at shortstop and third base.

Devers went 1-for-2 with a sixth-inning three-run homer during Boston's pennant-clinching 4-1 win over the Astros on Thursday.

Devers hit his first home run of the postseason off Justin Verlander to provide the Red Sox with the winning margin. The 21-year-old is now 7-for-20 in the postseason, and has driven in seven runs after compiling a .240 average with 21 home runs and 66 RBI in the regular season.

Chapman underwent successful left thumb surgery in Los Angeles on Thursday. The club failed to disclose a specific timetable but he's expected to be healthy prior to spring training, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Specifically, Dr. Steven Shin performed an ulnar sided sesamoid bone excision along the left thumb. It's unclear when Chapman suffered the left thumb injury -- though he dealt with various right hand/wrist injuries during the year -- especially since his production remained at a high level throughout the final few weeks of the 2018 season. He finished off the year with a slash line of .278/.356/.508 with 24 home runs and 68 RBI in 145 games.

Bregman will serve as the Astros' leadoff hitter for Game 4 of the ALCS against Boston on Wednesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Manager A.J. Hinch will try and shake things up after Houston only managed to scratch across two runs during Tuesday's defeat. In that outing, Bregman provided a pair of the club's seven hits, going 2-for-3 with one RBI and a walk. George Springer will bat second while Jose Altuve moves to the third spot in the order.

Muncy is not in the lineup for Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers on Tuesday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

As has been the case all postseason, Muncy will give way to David Freese at first base with a southpaw (Gio Gonzalez) starting for the Brewers. Muncy is 1-for-6 with two walks and two runs scored through the first three games of the series.

Devers will head to the bench for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Devers drew the start at the hot corner in Sunday's victory, but he'll head back to the bench with Eduardo Nunez expected to take over at third base. Devers is 4-for-10 with a walk, two RBI and four runs scored through three games this postseason. He'll certainly be an option to pinch hit in the later innings.

Devers is on the bench for the first game of the ALCS against the Astros on Saturday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Devers has now sat for four of the first five games of the postseason. Eduardo Nunez has started at third base on each occasion, including against righty Justin Verlander on Saturday.

Muncy remains on the bench for Game 2 of the NLCS against the Brewers on Saturday.

The Brewers will start their second straight lefty in Wade Miley, so David Freese will again start at first base. Game 1's starter, Gio Gonzalez, pitched just two innings before the Brewers switched to righty Brandon Woodruff, leading to Muncy pinch hitting in the fourth inning and playing the rest of the game. A similar situation could take place again Saturday.

Muncy won't be included in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the NLCS against Milwaukee on Friday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

With left-hander Gio Gonzalaz slated to toe the rubber for the Brewers in Game 1, manager Dave Roberts will elect to go with David Freese at first base. Milwaukee is expected to roll out lefty Wade Miley in Game 2, so it's possible Muncy could come off the bench for the first two ballgames of the series.

Senzel (finger) will need to undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in his left elbow. He said that an expected timetable for his recovery is 4-to-6 weeks, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Senzel met with doctors Wednesday after apparently playing through pain in his elbow throughout the course of the 2018 season with Triple-A Louisville. This injury comes at an unfortunate time as the 23-year-old was expected to see some reps in the outfield in the Arizona Fall League, which obviously will no longer be in the cards. Senzel wound up missing the final two months of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured right index finger in late June. He was also sidelined with vertigo for just under four weeks in May. Looking ahead, Senzel is confident that he'll be "100 percent healthy" by the time spring training rolls around.