MLB Player News

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.

Soler went 1-for-1 with a home run and a walk in Wednesday's 9-3 Cactus League win over the Reds.

The home run was the second in as many days for Soler, who had been off to a 2-for-15 start to the spring before this recent power surge. The 29-year-old hit .228 and mashed only eight homers in 43 games during an injury-plagued 2020 season, but he'll be eyeing a bounce-back campaign in 2021 after reporting to camp at full health.

Buxton has been out of the lineup since Sunday due to a broken tooth, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Buxton cracked his tooth while eating steak, per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He certainly doesn't have the best luck with injuries, though this particular issue probably won't sidetrack his season. He underwent a root canal and had a crown placed on the tooth Wednesday, so he should be able to get back into game action soon.

Lewis went 2-for-2 with an RBI single, a triple, a sacrifice fly and a run in a Cactus League win over the Royals on Tuesday, pushing his spring average to .364 (4-for-11) across five games.

Lewis was 0-for-4 after the Mariners' first two exhibitions, but he's atoned nicely with a pair of subsequent two-hit efforts. Expectations are elevated for the 25-year-old outfielder after he slugged 11 home runs in 2020 and garnered AL Rookie of the Year honors.

Solak started at second base and went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Tuesday's spring game against Cleveland.

Solak has appeared in six Cactus League games -- all at second base -- and is 4-for-15 with the one home run and two RBI. It looks like the Rangers' plan to have the utility player carve out a home at the keystone while Rougned Odor mans third is going to happen. Odor has started four consecutive spring games at the hot corner.

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.

Alvarez (knee) could get into game action early next week, Mark Berman of KRIV Fox 26 reports.

Alvarez's incredible .313/.412/.655 slash line in his 87-game debut back in 2019 indicates the massive boost he could provide both the Astros and fantasy teams if he can just stay on the field. His knees are already rather poor for a player who's merely 23 years old, however, as they limited him to two games last season. The Astros are bringing him along cautiously this spring, but he's at least trending in the right direction and could get into game action with two weeks to spare before the start of the regular season.

Martinez is scheduled to make his next Grapefruit League appearance in Wednesday's game against the Braves, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Martinez was initially listed as the Red Sox's designated hitter for Tuesday's game against the Rays, but manager Alex Cora had a change of heart and determined the 33-year-old would be better off getting a breather. Coming off a rough 2020 campaign, Martinez has turned in quality at-bats through his first four games of the spring, going 4-for-11 with a double, two RBI, three strikeouts and no walks.

Reyes (not injury-related) is back with the team Tuesday and scheduled to return to the lineup Wednesday against the Angels, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Reyes and teammate Jose Ramirez violated COVID-19 protocols over the weekend, so both spent the last couple days isolating away from the team. They won't face any further punishments after testing negative, so they should get back into game action as soon as possible.