MLB Player News

Vogelbach went 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI in Saturday's spring game against the Rangers.

Vogelbach got off to a slow start this spring, but he has picked up the pace lately, going 4-for-12 (.333) over his past five games. Hoping he would be able to see regular at-bats as the designated hitter, the Brewers re-signed Vogelbach over the offseason. With the NL not adopting the DH, though, he will be able to work in that role only in AL parks and is on track to serve as the backup first baseman behind Keston Hiura.

Dickerson is 2-for-12 with two runs, three walks and one stolen base through six spring games.

The 30-year-old is still seeing the ball well as the three walks suggest, but he otherwise hasn't found much success early in camp. Dickerson posted an impressive .298/.371/.576 slash line with 10 homers, 10 doubles and 27 RBI in 52 games last season, though he had only 12 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. He could open 2021 working on the strong side of a platoon in left field, which would still afford him plenty of opportunities.

McCutchen went 2-for-3 with a walk, two doubles and two runs scored in Saturday's game against the Tigers.

The strong showing means the veteran outfielder has now gone 6-for-18 with three extra-base hits through seven Grapefruit League games. Entering the season healthy is what's most important for the former MVP, who posted a career-low 103 wRC+ last season in his first year back from a torn ACL. Any boost he gets from a healthy offseason could be offset by the effects of aging for the 34-year-old, though he should still be a respectable cross-category contributor this season unless age hits particularly hard.

Miller suffered a ribcage injury Saturday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

It's not yet clear how much time Miller is expected to miss, but the Phillies should have a better idea soon as he's been sent for tests. Miller signed a major-league deal in February and should fill an important role off the bench if healthy, but even a minor setback at this stage of spring could send him to the injured list to start the year.

Belt (heel) battled COVID-19 in January and mononucleosis in February, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Belt at least feels good in his recovery from October heel surgery, but it's been a brutal winter for the veteran first baseman. He hasn't been ruled out for Opening Day, but he's yet to get into game action this spring, so he appears to be running out of time. Even if he does make the Opening Day roster, he'll likely need frequent rest to start the season, as his conditioning presumably isn't where he'd want it to be after battling a pair of long-term illnesses. At-bats could be freed up early in the season for some combination of Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf or Austin Slater.

Pederson went 3-for-3 with two solo home runs and three runs scored in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Rockies.

The game wasn't at Coors Field, but Pederson performed like it was. The outfielder has been on a tear to begin spring training, as he now has five home runs and a 2.071 OPS through seven games. Pederson should play every day for the Cubs and has the chance to put up good numbers in a lineup that also features the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez and Willson Contreras.

Harper isn't expected to play the field until sometime next week, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Harper dealt with back issues last season and has been brought along cautiously in camp, with his Grapefruit League appearances all coming as a designated hitter thus far. The Phillies haven't expressed much concern, but the way they're treating the star slugger nevertheless seems telling. It's possible Harper sees more frequent off days than he's used to this year as the Phillies strive to ensure his back problems don't reach the point that he needs to miss an extended period. It's also possible that this is simply standard spring caution and that Harper will be treated normally once the regular season begins.

Pederson went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Athletics.

The 28-year-old is fitting in nicely with the Cubs, as he now has a robust 1.672 OPS and three home runs this spring in six games. Pederson is essentially replacing Kyle Schwarber in Chicago, and after a rough 2020, eyes are on him to return to the form that saw the lefty slugger hit 36 homers for the Dodgers in 2019.

Belt (heel) is not yet ready for game action but will continue taking part in baseball activities for the next few days, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right heel in October, placing his readiness for Opening Day in some doubt. He was further slowed by an illness early in camp, though he seems to be past that now. There's still seemingly time for him to get up to speed by the start of the regular season, but he'll need to get into game action fairly soon if that's to happen.

Pederson went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.

Pederson is just 2-for-9 to begin spring training, but both of the hits have left the yard. That's pretty much par for the course with the outfielder, who batted just .190 last season but slugged seven home runs in 43 games. Pederson had a .249 average and 36 home runs in his last full season back in 2019. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect a great batting average in 2021, either, but the power should be there in Pederson's first season with the Cubs.