MLB Player News

Diaz felt a strain in his leg during Friday's win against the Mariners, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.

Diaz went 1-for-2 with a run in Friday's win, but he was replaced late in the game by Abraham Toro. Manager Dusty Baker revealed after the game that Diaz is being examined Friday night for a leg strain that he felt during the game. Whether the issue impacts the 29-year-old's availability going forward remains to be seen.

Diaz will bat eighth and serve as the designated hitter in Friday's Opening Day game against the Mariners, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

There had been speculation that Diaz would be the team's primary designated hitter against lefties early in the year, and that's been proven true in this one with Marco Gonzales on the hill for Seattle. Yordan Alvarez was cleared to begin baseball activities Friday after missing the entirety of summer camp for undisclosed reasons, however, so Diaz's claim to even part of the DH role likely won't last too long.

Herrera (heel) is not included on the Yankees' active 30-man roster.

Herrera was once a candidate for a roster spot after impressing during spring training, but he dealt with pain in both heels throughout much of summer camp and wasn't able to play in any of the team's three exhibition contests. It remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old will be placed on the injured list or assigned to the team's alternate training site.

Chang earned a spot on the team's 30-man roster to begin the regular season, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Chang was optioned to Triple-A at the end of spring training, but he got another chance to earn a spot in the majors this summer. With the expanded 30-man rosters to start the regular season, the 24-year-old will get the chance to play a reserve infield role in the majors. He slashed .178/.286/.274 with one home run and six RBI over 28 games in the big leagues last year.

Bogaerts (hamstring) is in the lineup for Tuesday's exhibition game against the Blue Jays, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports.

Bogaerts was removed from Sunday's intrasquad matchup, but he'll be back in action for the team's first exhibition game Tuesday. Manager Ron Roenicke downplayed the severity of the injury, and Bogaerts' quick return to game action would seem to confirm it was a minor issue. Assuming all goes well in exhibition play, the shortstop should be ready for Opening Day against the Orioles on Friday.

Diaz could be the Astros' primary designated hitter against lefties at the start of the season, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

The spot was expected to belong to Yordan Alvarez, but he's still yet to arrive at camp for undisclosed reasons and has been placed on the injured list. That could open up starts for Kyle Tucker against righties, either as a designated hitter or in left field, giving veteran Michael Brantley the chance to rest his legs. As a right-handed hitter, Diaz makes more sense for the role against southpaws, though it's worth noting that he has some pretty significant reverse splits over the course of his four-year career, posting an 89 wRC+ with the platoon advantage and a 117 wRC+ without it. The Astros will reveal their plans for the job on Opening Day, as they'll face lefty Marco Gonzales.

Bogaerts left Sunday's intrasquad matchup with hamstring tightness, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports.

Bogaerts battled ankle soreness during spring training but appeared to be healthy this summer. Although he was forced out of Sunday's matchup, manager Ron Roenicke doesn't believe that the injury is serious. Given Roenicke's optimism, it's possible the 27-year-old will be ready for Opening Day on Friday.

Gordon (undisclosed) is batting second and starting in left field for Saturday's intrasquad contest, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

The 32-year-old was scratched from Wednesday's intrasquad game for unspecified reasons, but his return to the field Saturday answers any questions on his availability. Gordon is expected to operate in a super-utility role for the Mariners this season.

Mariners manager Scott Servais said Thursday he couldn't comment on why Gordon (undisclosed) was withheld from the team's intrasquad game a day earlier, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Seattle penciled Gordon in as their leadoff man for Wednesday's contest before he was a surprise scratch shortly before the game. His unexplained absence and Servais' unwilling to offer any specifics on the matter will likely fuel speculation that Gordon tested positive for COVID-19, which would put his availability for the July 24 season opener in Houston in jeopardy. The Mariners are planning on deploying Gordon as a super-utility man in 2020.

Gordon was scratched from Wednesday's intrasquad lineup for an undisclosed reason, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Gordon was initially scheduled to play left field and lead off in Wednesday's intrasquad game, but he'll be held out instead. It's unclear what is preventing the 28-year-old from taking the field, and whether he'll miss additional time remains to be seen. Gordon is expected to serve as depth for the Mariners this season, but his defensive versatility could give him a fair amount of playing time if he's healthy.