MLB Player News

Pena went 1-for-4 with a stolen base Thursday against the White Sox.

Pena was expected to drop in the batting order after hitting primarily in the two-hole in 2022. However, with Jose Altuve (hand) and Michael Brantley (shoulder) sidelined, Pena instead moved to the leadoff spot. He didn't have a particularly notable performance, though he did lead off the game with a single before proceeding to steal second base. After delivering 11 stolen bases in his rookie season, Pena could see an uptick in production due to his lineup placement and the new rules that have been implemented to benefit baserunners.

Bichette went 4-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Cardinals.

The Blue Jays played small ball and lots of it with 16 singles on the afternoon, and Bichette and George Springer accounted for eight of them from the top of the order. Bichette has never hit below .290 in his four big-league seasons, but the 25-year-old could be ready to take a big step forward with his overall production in 2023 after posting a career-low .802 OPS last year.

Volpe went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 5-0 win over San Francisco.

The 21-year-old got a loud reaction from the Bronx faithful during pregame introductions. He worked a walk in his first big-league plate appearance and quickly stole second base, flashing some of the skills that make him a top prospect. Volpe also turned his first double play in pinstripes, a sixth-inning twin killing behind Gerrit Cole. It looks like Volpe will be batting ninth in the order for the time being.

Franco went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday against the Tigers.

Franco added an insurance run in the eighth inning with a solo home run off Mason Englert to put the Rays up 4-0. While he was otherwise quiet, the performance was reassuring after he battled a quadriceps issue late in spring training. After managing only 344 plate appearances in 2022, Franco will look to put together a full season of productivity this season.

Mateo went 2-for-3 with a walk, two stolen bases, one RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Red Sox.

Mateo attempted only one steal over 17 Grapefruit League games while slashing .273/.333/.386 during the exhibition season. The shortstop had 35 steals in 2022, so it's not a huge surprise to see him active on the basepaths, especially with new rules incentivizing steals. The bigger issue for Mateo may be getting on base -- he hit .221 with a .267 on-base percentage last season. The 27-year-old should at least see a majority of the starts at shortstop to begin the campaign. He's a strong defender, though a ninth-inning error Thursday made this game closer than it had to be.

Crawford (foot) is batting ninth and playing shortstop Thursday versus Cleveland.

As expected, Crawford is fine after fouling a pitch off hit foot six days ago and will face Shane Bieber to begin the 2023 season. Coming off a 2022 campaign when he slashed .243/.339/.336, Crawford figures to be a mainstay near the bottom of Seattle's lineup.

The Yankees selected Volpe's contract and added him to the active roster ahead of Thursday's season opener versus the Giants. He'll start at shortstop and bat ninth in the Opening Day game.

The team confirmed over the weekend that Volpe would break camp with the big club, but the transaction wasn't made official until shortly before the season opener. The 21-year-old Volpe pushed his way on the roster after posting a 1.033 OPS with three home runs and five stolen bases in 19 Grapefruit League games. Despite the strong showing in Florida, Volpe will still have to earn his way up the batting order by continuing to turn in productive at-bats during the early weeks of the regular season.

Franco is starting at shortstop and batting second for the Rays in Thursday's opener against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Franco recently required an MRI for soreness in his right quad, but the imaging came back clean and he's ready to roll for Opening Day. The young switch hitter and his teammates will be going up against Detroit lefty Eduardo Rodriguez.

The Red Sox placed Mondesi (knee) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

As a result of the transaction, Mondesi will come off the 40-man roster and won't be eligible to make his Boston debut until at least late May. The Red Sox have been vague about a potential timetable for Mondesi to resume playing while he continues his recovery from the ACL tear he suffered last year. He'll be in the mix at second base once healthy, but for now, Christian Arroyo will hold down the keystone.

Pena saw action in 11 Grapefruit League games and compiled a .324/.361/.706 slash line with three home runs and a stolen base.

Fresh off a brilliant rookie season that he capped off with MVP honors in the ALCS and World Series, Pena already looks dialed in at the dish as he prepares to kick off his second big-league season Thursday versus the White Sox. Though manager Dusty Baker suggested earlier in spring training that Pena would slot further down in the lineup in 2023 than he did as a rookie, the 25-year-old shortstop now appears likely to open the upcoming campaign as Houston's leadoff or No. 2 hitter, with Jose Altuve (thumb) Michael Brantley (shoulder) ticketed for the injured list.