MLB Player News

Marcano went 1-for-2 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Rockies.

Marcano has been used primarily as the Pirates' shortstop in the last week, but he drew a start at second base Wednesday. He took Antonio Senzatela yard in the second inning to tally his first homer of the season and only his fourth extra-base hit across 58 plate appearances. Marcano's defensive versatility will give him the chance to earn steady playing time, and he's now hitting .245 with seven runs scored and three RBI on the season.

Tovar went 0-for-4 with a walk, a run and a stolen base Wednesday against the Pirates.

Tovar finished Colorado's series at Pittsburgh 0-for-11, but he still found ways to be productive. On Wednesday, he drew a walk to start the fourth inning before stealing second base and coming around to score. Tovar's overall numbers are still poor, but he's gone 14-for-54 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored across his last 15 games.

Abrams is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Abrams will get a night off after a rough game against the Giants on Tuesday where he went 0-for-4 and made an error. Ildemaro Vargas will get the start at shortstop in Abrams' place and will hit eighth.

Arcia went 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Tuesday's 9-3 win over the Red Sox.

The veteran shortstop has gone a remarkable 4-for-8 with two doubles in two games since returning from a nearly four-week absence due to a wrist injury, despite the fact he didn't go on a rehab assignment to shake off the rust. Arcia's .358/.414/.547 slash line through 58 plate appearances isn't a sustainable pace and is bolstered by a .436 BABIP, but the 28-year-old could take a big step back and still put together a career-best campaign at the plate.

Lindor went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to the Reds.

His eighth-inning shot off Alex Young nearly completed a Mets comeback from a 7-1 deficit, but the rally fell short. Lindor hasn't been able to sustain much momentum at the plate so far in 2023, and through the first nine games in May he's batting .242 (8-for-33) with two of his six homers on the year.

DeJong went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional RBI and a walk in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Cubs.

DeJong drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Cardinals a 4-1 lead in the third inning. That lead didn't hold, but the shortstop put St. Louis ahead for good with a solo shot in the ninth inning, his third homer of the season. He's also racked up five multi-hit efforts in 12 contests, resulting in a .350/.409/.650 slash line with six RBI and six runs scored through 44 plate appearances. He's seeing more than just a short-side platoon role, but the Cardinals' shuffle of Willson Contreras to designated hitter means Nolan Gorman will likely push Tommy Edman to shortstop more often in the coming weeks, which could limit DeJong's playing time if he cools off at the plate.

Schmitt went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Nationals.

Schmitt's first hit in the majors was a long solo shot in the fourth inning off Washington starter Patrick Corbin. Earlier Tuesday, Schmitt earned his first call-up after slashing .313/.352/.410 with a home run, 22 RBI, 19 runs scored and three stolen bases through 32 contests with Triple-A Sacramento. His surge through the minors last year has bolstered his prospect status, with his power and defense likely to help the Giants as long as he's on the roster. The natural third baseman filled in at shortstop Tuesday, and he can also play some second base, though Thairo Estrada has that position on lock in the majors.

Swanson went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a two-run home run and three total RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Cardinals.

Swanson entered the contest batting just .235 in eight games this month but was able to get right back on track. The shortstop has only three home runs so far after hitting 52 long balls over the last two seasons, though his .285 average and .800 OPS are up from his marks in 2021 and 2022. Swanson has settled in pretty well with the Cubs so far, and the power will likely come.

Crawford (calf) said Tuesday that he's hoping to return during the Giants' series in Arizona which begins this Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Crawford ran in the outfield Monday and has also been doing a range of other baseball activities. He was placed on the 10-day injured list May 1 with a right calf strain and the Giants have since promoted prospect Casey Schmitt to help fill the gap at shortstop. Schmitt can also play second base and third base, so he might stick around through Crawford's return.

Schmitt is starting at shortstop and batting seventh in his MLB debut Tuesday against the Nationals, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Schmitt jumps right into action for the Giants after being called up Tuesday from Triple-A Sacramento, where he was slashing .313/.352/.410 through 145 plate appearances this year. With improving power and a bit of speed -- to go along with a regular role in the absence of Brandon Crawford (calf) -- the 24-year-old might be worth a try in deeper fantasy formats.