MLB Player News

Conforto isn't in the lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Padres.

Conforto will retreat to the bench for a second straight game as the Cubs use Alex Bregman as their designated hitter again, allowing Matt Shaw to start at the hot corner.

Rice went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and six RBI in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old posted a 1.055 OPS over 22 games in September and carried his hot bat into the postseason with a fifth-inning solo homer and an eighth-inning grand slam in Tuesday's blowout victory. Rice clubbed 41 homers with 97 RBI, 105 runs and a .264/.363/.534 slash line in 154 regular-season games this year, with his breakout helping to cover the absence of Aaron Judge (calf).

Conforto is not in the lineup Tuesday for Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Padres.

Alex Bregman has the start as the designated hitter instead of Conforto on Tuesday and is batting second. With Bregman not in the field, Pedro Ramirez is taking over at the hot corner.

Gasper will undergo surgery Friday to repair a torn right biceps, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

Gasper's biceps tendon tore completely off the bone on a swinging strikeout during a Sept. 25 contest against the Cubs. He will be unavailable for the entirety of the postseason, and it's unclear how long the rehab process will take. Assuming health, Gasper should be in the mix for a utility role with the Red Sox again next season after slashing .251/.357/.466 with 10 home runs and a 27:39 BB:K over 67 games in 2026.

Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said Tuesday that Gonzalez is still recovering from a hyperextended elbow injury suffered at Triple-A Worcester but is "very much in play" for the ALDS roster if Boston advances, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Gonzalez slashed just .185/.264/.308 in 19 games for the Red Sox this season and spent the final two months of the year at Worcester. However, the 30-year-old had a .978 OPS versus lefties in 2025, so he could be a useful reserve for the Red Sox in subsequent rounds if he can get healthy.

The Yankees activated Stanton (calves) from the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Stanton has been sidelined since late April due to injuries to both calves, but he increased his baseball activities enough in recent days to convince the Yankees to carry him on their American League Wild Card Series roster against the Red Sox. The 36-year-old could be limited primarily to a pinch-hitting role for the Yankees.

Stanton (calves) ran the bases at Yankee Stadium on Monday in addition to taking live batting practice, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Stanton hasn't played in a game since late April, first due to a right calf strain and later because of a strain to his left calf. However, he's improved enough that he's under consideration for the Yankees' wild-card roster versus the Red Sox.

Bell went 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk and three RBI in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Rangers.

Bell opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first inning before adding a two-run shot in the third. It ends a solid campaign for the 34-year-old, who took a one-year deal with the Twins and led the team with 96 RBI, his highest total since 2019. Additionally, he slashed .255/.319/.419 with 21 homers, 78 runs scored and two steals across 631 plate appearances and may enter free agency despite having a mutual option for 2027.

O'Hoppe was optioned to the ACL Rangers on Sunday.

The move corresponds with the Rangers recalling utility man Cam Cauley from Triple-A Round Rock. O'Hoppe has appeared in 10 games for the Rangers since being acquired from the Angels in late July, going 6-for-17 with an RBI and five runs scored with Texas.

The Red Sox placed Gasper on the 10-day injured list Sunday, retroactive to Sept. 26, with a right biceps strain.

Gasper was hurt on a swinging strikeout during the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, and the injury has been deemed significant. Boston is expected to be without Gasper for at least the wild-card round and could be without his services for the entire postseason. He ends the regular season having hit 10 homers with an .823 OPS across 225 MLB plate appearances.