MLB Player News

The Cubs are "accelerating the catching program" for Ballesteros, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Ballesteros made his second appearance and first start of the season at catcher in Monday's loss to the Padres. He remains the primary designated hitter and No. 3 catcher behind Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, but Ballesteros will be worked in more behind the plate moving forward. Ballesteros needs eight more appearances at catcher in order to gain eligibility at the position in most fantasy leagues. It sounds like he should get there, which would be a boon for the fantasy prospects of a player who's slashing a ridiculous .387/.435/.710 with five home runs and a 6:12 BB:K.

Murphy (hip) will remain on a rehab assignment with High-A Rome this week, Lindsay Crosby of BravesToday.com reports.

Atlanta wants Murphy to catch back-to-back nine-inning games before it activates the veteran catcher for his season debut, though it's unclear exactly what the target date is for his return. Murphy -- who is just 3-for-23 with a 1:7 BB:K across his first eight rehab contests -- is projected to serve as Atlanta's primary designated hitter and occasional catcher once he's back on the active roster.

Narvaez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 5-0 win over the Blue Jays.

Narvaez clocked his second home in three games to extend a hit streak to six consecutive contests. During that run, the catcher is 7-for-20 with four extra-base hits, three RBI, one steal and three runs. The offensive push comes at a time when there was chatter about backup Connor Wong possibly grabbing more starts, but Narvaez remains the team's primary catcher, while Wong has gone 1-for-12 over his last four starts.

Hicks went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Monday's loss to the Dodgers.

Hicks powered the Marlins' offense with a three-run homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fifth inning, though the Dodgers rallied to walk it off in the ninth inning. Hicks has seen time at catcher, first base and designated hitter this season and produced regardless of role, slashing .311/.350/.544 with six homers, three doubles, 27 RBI and 17 runs across 28 games. His 27 RBI ranks second in MLB, trailing only Sal Stewart (29).

Ballesteros went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Monday's 9-7 loss against the Padres.

Ballesteros, making his second appearance of the season at catcher Monday, put the Cubs back in the game with a grand slam in the fourth inning to give his club the lead, though it wouldn't hold in a high-scoring loss. It has been a monster start to 2026 for the 22-year-old, who's slashing .387/.435/.710 with five homers, five doubles, 16 RBI and 12 runs across 25 games. Chicago has maximized his opportunities against right-handed pitching, with 57 of Ballesteros' 62 at-bats coming against righties.

Jeffers went 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored, a stolen base and a walk in Monday's 11-4 victory over Seattle.

Jeffers contributed to the offensive outburst, driving in two runs with RBI singles in the third and eighth innings. Monday's performance marked his sixth multi-RBI game of the season, as he's swung a hot bat to begin 2026. Through 22 games, the 28-year-old is slashing .282/.414/.465 with six extra-base hits, 18 RBI, 14 runs and a stolen base.

O'Hoppe said Monday that the fracture in his left wrist is small and he believes he will return from the injured list in a "couple of weeks," Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

O'Hoppe sustained the injury Saturday against the Royals after taking a foul ball off his exposed left wrist. X-Rays revealed a small fracture, but the 26-year-old catcher sounded optimistic that his stint on the IL will be a short one. O'Hoppe would be back in the lineup by mid-May if that timeline holds, but in the meantime, Travis d'Arnaud will serve as the Angels' primary catcher while Sebastian Rivero operates in the backup role.

Ballesteros will start at catcher and bat sixth in Monday's game versus the Padres.

It's the first start and second appearance at catcher this season for Ballesteros, who is slashing .397/.446/.690 with four home runs as the Cubs' primary designated hitter. Most of Ballesteros' playing time is likely to continue to come at DH, but it would be a major boost to his fantasy prospects if he catches enough to gain eligibility at the position.

Smith (back) will start at catcher and bat third in Monday's game versus the Marlins.

Smith missed both of the previous two contests with back tightness, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go in Monday's series opener. The veteran catcher has slashed .266/.337/.392 with three home runs across his first 89 plate appearances this season.

The Marlins optioned Hernandez to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst.com reports.

Hernandez will head to the minors after producing a .159/.284/.190 batting line across 74 plate appearances on the season. His roster spot will be absorbed by Christopher Morel (oblique), who was reinstated from the injured list.