MLB Player News

Williams was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Dodgers on Friday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

The move clears room for Max Muncy, who returned from the paternity list Friday. Williams will likely bounce between the majors and Triple-A all season depending on the Dodgers' roster needs.

DeJong is starting at shortstop again Friday versus the Dodgers.

That's now three straight starts at short for DeJong, and he has been in the Cardinals' starting lineup for five of a possible six games since his activation from the injured list last Saturday. The 29-year-old former All-Star has gone 8-for-17 (.471) with two home runs and two doubles. Tommy Edman is on the bench Friday at Dodger Stadium.

Edman is not in the lineup Friday against the Dodgers.

The hot-hitting Paul DeJong will handle shortstop duties and bat ninth versus the Dodgers and right-hander Dustin May. Brendan Donovan is starting at second base and batting eighth.

Perdomo isn't starting Friday against the Rockies.

As the Rockies prepare to send lefty Kyle Freeland to the mound, Perdomo will take a seat in favor of Nick Ahmed, who will start at shortstop and bat seventh.

Watson (ankle) returned to the lineup Thursday for High-A Beloit in a 6-4 win over Wisconsin, going 1-for-3 at the plate.

Though he was never placed on Beloit's 7-day injured list, Watson missed just over two weeks of game action with an ankle issue. Beloit deployed the 20-year-old as its designated hitter Thursday, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ducks defensive duties for a few more games before reclaiming everyday duties at shortstop.

Crawford went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Thursday's 6-0 loss to the Cardinals.

Crawford seems to be taking advantage of the larger bases -- he's up three steals in 20 contests, a pace that would allow him to challenge his career-high 11 thefts from 2021. The shortstop will need to get on base at a higher clip to keep it up, as he's slashing a meager .159/.237/.304 with three home runs, nine RBI and five runs scored over 76 plate appearances.

Edman went 2-for-4 with a double, a run, an RBI and a stolen base in a 6-0 win over the Giants on Thursday.

Edman was quite productive in the outing, plating a run with an infield single in the seventh inning and scoring following a double in the ninth. He also stole his third bag of the campaign, two of which have come in his past five contests. Edman's fantasy managers have to be pleased to see him running more -- after swiping 30-plus bases in each of his previous two campaigns, he began 2023 with just one steal over his first 19 contests.

Abrams went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Thursday's 9-8 loss to the Mets.

Abrams started out the contest with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout before coming up with the biggest swing of the game, giving the Nationals an 8-7 lead in the eighth frame with a grand slam. The shortstop has been quite productive as of late, having hit two home runs in his last five games while also driving in eight during that span.

Swanson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Padres.

Swanson has been good overall in his first season with the Cubs, as he's batting .284, though this was his first home run in the new uniform. The shortstop hit 25 long balls last year with Atlanta and 27 home runs in 2021, so his power production will likely pick up, which would enhance his already solid fantasy value. He's also locked into a premium spot near the top of the lineup most days and has already scored 17 runs in 23 games.

Cruz (fibula) returned to the clubhouse Thursday after he had the staples removed from his surgically-repaired left leg this week, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Cruz was also given clearance to begin upper-body conditioning and weight lifting, the first significant step in what will be a long rehab process. The dynamic 24-year-old shortstop is expected to be sidelined until at least early August. Rodolfo Castro has been at short most days for the Pirates since the April 9 fibula fracture.