MLB Player News

Vientos will remain behind in extended spring training to begin the season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.

There's been no word of an injury for the Mets' No. 1 fantasy prospect, but after playing in 51 games at rookie ball last year as a 17-year-old, Vientos won't be rushed. He hit only four homers in 2017, but the power should come as he matures, marking him as a potential impact bat at third base.

Cespedes will bat third and start in left field Thursday against the Nationals, Tim Britton of The Athletic New York reports.

Cespedes has hit second in four of his other five starts this season, but it looks like the three hole could be his permanent home with Michael Conforto (shoulder) returning from the disabled list Thursday and set to handle the leadoff role on an everyday basis. Whether he's hitting second or third for the Mets on a given day, Cespedes should benefit from a bounty of RBI and run-scoring opportunities due to the talent in front of him and behind him in the order.

Ohtani homered for the second consecutive game, part of a 2-for-5 effort with a run scored and two RBI Wednesday against Cleveland.

Ohtani continues to rake, as he now owns a crispy .857 slugging percentage in his first 14 plate appearances. Expect the Angels to continue giving him off days before his scheduled starts, but with the power display against Cleveland -- including today's blast off ace Corey Kluber -- Ohtani is looking like a mighty tempting start as a DH, particularly whenever the Angels are facing a right-handed pitcher.

Belt went 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 10-1 win over the Mariners.

The homer and RBI were his first of the year, and Belt is now 6-for-17 (.353) through five games. The first baseman has never hit more than 18 home runs in a season, but if he can stay healthy in 2018 this could be the season he finally breaks through for 20 or more.

Vogelbach went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Wednesday's 10-1 loss to the Giants.

He got the start at first base against Johnny Cueto, and was one of the few Mariners hitters to have much success against the right-hander, collecting his first hits and first RBI of 2018. Vogelbach was expected to see most of his playing time this season at DH, but with Ryon Healy in a rut to begin the year, he could see more action in the short term at first base.

Blackmon agreed to a six-year, $108 million extension with the Rockies, which includes two player options and could keep him in Colorado through the 2023 season. The deal can be worth up to $116 million based on incentives, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

He would have been a free agent after this season, which would have left his keeper and dynasty league value a little up in the air. However, his owners in long-term formats can now breathe a huge sigh of relief, as he should get to continue to benefit from Coors Field throughout the rest of his prime and into his declining years. Blackmon turns 32 in July, so this contract has the potential to look pretty rough in a few years, especially since there is no designated hitter in the National League. He is off to an excellent start to the season, hitting .316 with four home runs and a 3:3 K:BB in 22 plate appearances, and he hasn't even played a home game yet.

Manager Terry Francona said that the plan is to activate Brantley (ankle) from the 10-day disabled list prior to Friday's game against Kansas City, The Athletic's Zack Meisel reports.

Brantley was able to play in a minor-league spring game without experiencing any setbacks Tuesday. The outfielder will likely be eased back into the lineup, as Francona has the outfield depth at his disposal to avoid giving the 30-year-old a big workload this early in the season. Brantley has dealt with a myriad of injuries over the past two years, which has limited him to 101 games since the start of 2016.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Brewers.

He slugged a mammoth 479-foot shot to left off Chase Anderson in the third with Tommy Pham aboard, making his first regular-season round tripper in a Cardinals uniform a memorable one. Ozuna has shrugged off an 0-for-8 start over his first two games to go 5-for-14 with a double, Tuesday's homer, four RBI and two runs over the subsequent three contests. As those numbers imply, the 27-year-old slugger has been hacking away, with the fact he's yet to draw a free pass after posting a career-high 9.4 percent walk rate last season a testament to his aggressiveness at the plate.

Ohtani is hitting eighth as the DH in Wednesday's lineup against the Indians, Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times reports.

For the second straight game, Ohtani will be utilized as the Angels' DH. During Tuesday's victory, he went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run and a pair of runs scored. He will return to the mound against Oakland on Sunday.

McCutchen has hit third for the Giants while starting in right field for each of the team's first five games to begin the season.

He put together a .341/.431/.477 line with a homer and seven RBI during spring training, but has started the season with a quiet 2-for-20 start. Despite the addition of McCutchen and Evan Longoria this offseason, the Giants have opened the season in a five-game scoring slump, with just six runs on the ledger thus far.