MLB Player News

LeMahieu is batting leadoff Friday against the Cubs, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

"DJ Le" batted leadoff the past five games, but that was more out of necessity as Charlie Blackmon moved down to the three-hole to replace Nolan Arenado while the third baseman was suspended. However, LeMahieu will stick in the pole position even with Arenado returning to action, suggesting a more long-standing change in the batting order. LeMahieu normally batted second last year and at the start of this season, but he could be in line for even more run-scoring opportunities with both Blackmon and Arenado hitting behind him.

Duffy (hamstring) hit soft toss and threw Friday, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.

It's encouraging that the injured infielder is still able to partake in baseball activities. However, Duffy's status moving forward is still murky until he begins running again.

The Rockies officially reinstated Arenado to the active roster Thursday after his five-game suspension concluded, MLB.com reports.

Colorado went 4-1 during the absence of its star third baseman, who received the suspension for his role in a bench-clearing brawl with the Padres on April 11. The Rockies haven't officially revealed their lineup for Friday's series opener with the Cubs, but Arenado is expected to be included in the starting nine barring a postponement of the game due to the rainy weather projected to hit the Denver area.

Anderson went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Thursday's loss to the Brewers.

The young third baseman is now 2-for-24 over the last week, dropping his slash line on the season to a weak .231/.367/.338. Anderson's 11:11 BB:K through 18 games remains strong, and his .264 BABIP is likely due for at least a mild rebound, but with Martin Prado (knee) having begun a rehab assignment Thursday and getting close to a return to action, the timing on Anderson's slump could not have been worse. The rebuilding Marlins will likely stick with the 24-year-old at the hot corner even after Prado's activation from the disabled list, but if Anderson's struggles continue through next week, a demotion to Triple-A to try and regain some confidence at the plate -- and open up a roster spot for Prado -- isn't out of the question.

Devers went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Angels.

Like many hitters in Boston's lineup, Devers exploded against Angels' pitching, going 7-for-14 with a double, two home runs and seven RBI during the three-game set. He's moved to the top of the team with 17 RBI and has not experienced any drop-off his second time around the league after making a splash as a rookie in 2017.

Bregman went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Thursday's 9-2 win over the Mariners.

Manager A.J. Hinch is trying to shake Bregman out of a slump that has him hitting .160 (4-for-25) since he posted a four-hit game April 11. After Hinch gave Bregman a day off Wednesday, the manager had him back in the lineup and dropped him to the five hole.

Candelario went 4-for-4 with a walk, a two-run homer and an additional RBI in Thursday's win over the Orioles.

Candelario continues to heat up at the dish after a slow start to the season. Over the past four games, the 24-year-old has gone 9-for-17 (.529) with three homers -- his first three of the season -- and a triple, bumping his OPS from .619 to .897.

Machado went 3-for-5 with a double, two homers and four RBI in Thursday's loss to the Tigers.

After grounding out in his first at-bat, Machado took Jordan Zimmermann deep in his next two at-bats, marking his fourth and fifth homers on the year. Both of the home runs were solo shots, while he tallied another RBI with a groundout in the seventh inning and his fourth one on a ninth-inning double. The 25-year-old continues to see the ball well early on; he's now hitting .338 with a gaudy 1.037 OPS through 19 games.

Donaldson (shoulder) resumed throwing in Florida on Thursday but will not return against the Yankees this weekend, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

Manager John Gibbons added that Donaldson "felt great," though there isn't a precise timetable for his return at the moment. Donaldson is eligible to return Saturday, but it appears as though both parties are viewing his reinstatement during the club's six-game homestand starting Tuesday.

Riley went 3-for-4 with two triples and two RBI for Double-A Mississippi in Wednesday's win over Pensacola.

It's the 21-year-old's third straight multi-hit game, pushing Riley's slash line on the season to a dizzying .370/.420/.739. His outlook for getting a quick promotion to Triple-A was complicated by the Braves' signing of Jose Bautista to a minor-league deal and the decision to try the veteran slugger out at third base, so despite his big numbers in the Southern League, Riley will probably have to bide his time with Mississippi until that experiment runs its course. He remains the future for the organization at the hot corner, however, even if his big-league debut gets delayed until 2019.