MLB Player News

Swanson (glute) will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Friday's game versus the Diamondbacks.

Swanson didn't start the Cubs' last game Wednesday due to a left glute cramp, but he's ready to go for Friday's series opener. The 32-year-old is hitting only .214 in his first 30 games this season, but the counting stats have been there with six home runs, 23 RBI, 23 runs and two stolen bases.

Abrams went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and three RBI in Thursday's win over the Mets.

The shortstop took Luke Weaver deep in the eighth inning for a two-run homer that proved to be the game-winning hit. Abrams is heating up again, racking up six hits in the last three games to boost his slash line on the season to .296/.405/.556 with eight long balls, five steals, 16 runs and 26 RBI through 31 games.

King is slashing .295/.409/.602 through 23 games for Double-A Harrisburg with six homers, three steals, 23 runs and 24 RBI.

The 2024 first-round pick may have been the biggest beneficiary of the Nationals' overhaul of their minor-league development program under new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni. King's 1.011 OPS is more than 400 points better than what he managed in 80 games at Harrisburg last season, and advanced metrics paint an even rosier picture of the 23-year-old's improvement. Per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, King's average exit velocity has jumped from about 87 mph to 93.5 mph, and his chase rate has dropped from about 38 percent to around 25 percent. The Wake Forest product is knocking loudly on the door for a promotion to Triple-A Rochester.

Mateo got the start at shortstop Thursday and went 0-for-2 before being pinch-hit for by Mike Yastrzemski in a loss to the Tigers.

Mateo has seen sporadic playing time to begin the season, slashing .267/.313/.400 through 32 plate appearances over 17 games with one homer and two steals, but the 30-year-old utility player could see some extra work in the short term. Mauricio Dubon has been the primary shortstop for Atlanta so far, but he could see more work in the outfield with Michael Harris (quadriceps) currently limited to DH duties if he manages to avoid an IL stint, and Yastrzemski delivering a career-worst .555 OPS in his first 100 PAs of 2026. Mateo's window for fantasy value is likely to be a short one, however, with Ha-Seong Kim (finger) having begun a rehab stint this week and aiming for a mid-May season debut.

Rojas will consider continuing his playing career in 2027, but only if the Dodgers win the World Series this season, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Rojas has said previously that the 2026 season would be his last, but he's leaving the door cracked open in the event the Dodgers are going for a four-peat next season. The 37-year-old is still capable and is off to a strong start in 2026, slashing .341/.375/.477 with one home run and a 3:7 BB:K.

Fernandez is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Milwaukee.

Fernandez had started the last four contests and 17 of the past 18 tilts, but he'll begin Thursday's festivities on the bench. Adrian Del Castillo will occupy the designated-hitter slot in Thursday's rubber match.

Caba is slashing .295/.405/.459 with an 11:16 BB:K through 16 games with High-A Beloit.

The 20-year-old shortstop dealt with a thumb injury last season that limited his production at the plate, but Caba appears to be healthy and back on track with his development in 2026. Acquired from the Phillies in the Jesus Luzardo trade ahead of the 2024 campaign, Caba's glovework remains his biggest asset, but he has enough speed and on-base skills to potentially be a contributor at the bottom of a big-league lineup in a few years.

Abrams went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Mets.

The shortstop was one of four Nationals with multiple hits, and one of five with multiple RBI, in a 14-2 rout of their NL East rivals. Abrams had cooled down prior to Wednesday's performance, going 3-for-35 over his previous 10 games, but on the season he's still slashing .286/.394/.524 with seven homers, five steals, 15 runs and 23 RBI while hitting in the heart of the order for Washington.

Tovar went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored Wednesday against the Reds.

Tovar has had a forgettable start to the season by hitting only .195 with a 29.4 percent strikeout rate. However, he delivered a two-run single in the ninth inning to record his first RBI since April 8, a span of 16 starts. This also marked only the second time in his last eight starts that Tovar managed to record a hit.

Perdomo went 0-for-2 with three walks in Wednesday's 6-2 win over Milwaukee.

Perdomo returned to action after missing two games due to a left ankle sprain and resumed his role as the leadoff batter against right-handers. The shortstop had a rough start to the season but has looked more like the 2025 version of himself lately -- Perdomo is 13-for-32 (.406) with five extra-base hits, two steals, six walks and four runs over the last nine contests.