MLB Player News
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Sitting Saturday
Baez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Cardinals, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Baez will take a seat after going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in Friday's win. His absence will allow Kevin McGonigle to start at shortstop with Colt Keith at third base.
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J.P. Crawford SS | SEA
Mariners' J.P. Crawford: Hitless in return to lineup
Crawford went 0-for-3 with one walk and two strikeouts in his season debut Friday against the Angels.
After missing the first week of the season with a shoulder issue, Crawford was activated from the injured list ahead of Friday's series opener against Los Angeles. Crawford walked in the seventh inning but was picked off first base by Reid Detmers. The Mariners have said Crawford remains the team's everyday shortstop despite signing top prospect Colt Emerson to an eight-year, $95 million extension earlier in the week.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Swipes first bag in win
Baez went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and an RBI in Friday's 4-0 win over the Cardinals.
Baez started at shortstop and batted ninth, with red-hot rookie Kevin McGonigle covering third and batting leadoff. McGonigle has certainly hit the ground running in his MLB debut and will play short frequently, so Baez will likely need to settle into more of a utility role. So far, the veteran has only seen time at short and second base, but he remains an option to play at third as well as in the outfield. Baez has yet to really get going in 2026, as he's sporting a .513 OPS with no home runs and the single stolen base through five games.
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Max Muncy SS | ATH
Athletics' Max Muncy: Homers, drives in three
Muncy went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a two-run double and two total runs scored in Friday's 11-4 win over the Astros.
Muncy stretched the Athletics' lead to 4-1 with the two-run double in the third inning, and he went back-to-back with Lawrence Butler in the fourth to turn the game into a blowout. With at least one extra-base hit in four of the last five contests, Muncy is showing some power potential early in the season. He's batting .269 with two homers, three doubles, five RBI, six runs scored and a stolen base over seven contests. The one flaw in his performance so far is the 10 strikeouts over 27 plate appearances, especially considering he struck out at a 30.9 percent clip as a rookie in 63 games in 2025. Improving his plate discipline would raise his ceiling, but it remains to be seen how much he'll be able to do in that area.
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Jackson Holliday SS | BAL
Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Shaking off rust in minors
Holliday (hand) has gone 5-for-18 (.278) with two doubles, three RBI and one run scored through five minor-league rehab appearances with Triple-A Norfolk.
Holliday is continuing his recovery from February right hand surgery. Since the 22-year-old middle infielder was unable to get any reps during Grapefruit League play, he's likely to require at least another handful of rehab games before the Orioles feel comfortable reinstating him from the injured list. Once he's ready to make his season debut with Baltimore, Holliday is expected to serve as the club's primary second baseman in 2026.
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Tristan Gray SS | MIN
Twins' Tristan Gray: Grand slam powers win
Gray went 1-for-2 with a walk, a grand slam and five RBI in Friday's 10-4 victory over the Rays.
Gray set a career high with three RBI in his first appearance with the Twins this season, and he reset the mark Friday with five RBI. Four of them came on a frozen-rope grand slam to break open the game and cap a seven-run seventh inning for the Twins. With his eight RBI, the 30-year-old not only leads the Twins, but he is tied for 4th in MLB.
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Gabriel Arias SS | CLE
Guardians' Gabriel Arias: Hits decisive homer in win
Arias went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Friday's 4-1 win against the Cubs.
Arias broke a seventh-inning tie with his second home run of the season, which turned out to be the game-winning swing for the Guardians. It was part of a day in which the 26-year-old reached base multiple times for the first time all year. That marks two strong games in a row in April for Arias, who had a tough March. He is slashing just .143/.217/.429 on the young season.
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Marcelo Mayer 2B | BOS
Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Sparks offense in win
Mayer went 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and two RBI in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.
Mayer doubled and scored in the third inning before adding a two-run homer in the sixth. The long ball was particularly impressive, coming in his first at-bat against a lefty this season after he went just 4-for-26 against southpaws in 2025. The 23-year-old is off to an encouraging start, going 5-for-17 with four extra-base hits and five runs scored through seven games. Entering last season as one of the game's top prospects, he still offers upside as a potential post-hype sleeper in 2026.
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Shay Whitcomb SS | HOU
Astros' Shay Whitcomb: Promoted Friday
The Astros recalled Whitcomb from Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday.
The 27-year-old will join the Astros ahead of Friday's series opener against the A's with Isaac Paredes being placed on the bereavement list. Given Houston's glut of infielders, Whitcomb is likely to fill a reserve role while up with the big club.
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Brooks Lee SS | MIN
Twins' Brooks Lee: Out of lineup due to illness
Lee is not in Friday's starting lineup against the Rays because of an illness, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
He is available off the bench despite missing yesterday's game due to the illness as well. Tristan Gray gets the start at shortstop in his place. Lee is off to a slow start, hitting .154 (2-for-13) with zero homers and just one RBI, and he's at some risk for losing his starting shortstop job this season after an underwhelming 2025 (.655 OPS).