MLB Player News

Cruz went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Reds.

The center fielder got things rolling for the Pirates when he hooked an Andrew Abbott curveball 407 feet down the right-field line in the first inning. Cruz has three homers in six games to begin the season, and all three have come in the last two days. He's batting .304 (7-for-23) with six RBI and seven runs, though he's still looking for his first steal of 2026.

The Pirates are "deep into negotiations" on a contract extension with Griffin, but it's unclear how close the two sides might be toward reaching agreement on a deal, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports.

Pittsburgh has been engaged in extension talks with its top prospect since early in spring training, with Olney noting that the Pirates have offered the 19-year-old shortstop a deal in the neighborhood of the eight-year, $111 million deal that Arizona's Corbin Carroll signed in the spring of 2023. Griffin's representatives, meanwhile, have been seeking a deal more on par with the eight-year, $130 deal Roman Anthony signed with the Red Sox last August. Griffin didn't break camp with the Pirates, but after smacking four home runs over his 16 Grapefruit League games, he's continued to thrive early on at Triple-A Indianapolis. Through his first four Triple-A games, Griffin has gone 6-for-13 with three doubles, two stolen bases and a 4:4 BB:K.

Cruz went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and a third run scored in Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Reds.

The 27-year-old center fielder crushed a Brandon Williamson cutter an estimated 444 feet to lead off the fourth inning, before adding a two-run blast in the ninth off Pierce Johnson. They were Cruz's first homers and RBI of the season, and while he's batting .278 through five games, he's also struck out nine times in his first 19 plate appearances of 2026.

Adames went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, two total runs and two total RBI in a 9-3 win against the Padres on Tuesday.

Adames had been very quiet coming into Tuesday, going 2-for-15 with six strikeouts and no RBI over his first four games. The veteran shortstop wasted no time erasing the poor start from memory, going deep to left field to lead off the contest. Adames added an infield single in the second inning, an RBI single in the sixth and a double in the eighth to round out his night. He bumped his season OPS from .266 to .800 with the performance.

Fernandez went 3-for-4 with two home runs, four RBI and a strikeout in Tuesday's 7-5 win against the Tigers.

Starting at third base in his major-league debut, the 22-year-old put the Diamondbacks on the board during the fourth inning with a solo shot and followed up with a three-run blast in the eighth to erase a 5-4 deficit. Fernandez was expected to primarily serve as a reserve infielder for Arizona after getting promoted Monday, but the impactful debut could net him more opportunities in the short term with Pavin Smith (elbow) on the injured list.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Tuesday that Miller (back) has increased his rehab activities but is not yet swinging a bat, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

The nagging back injury has been bothering Miller going back to the fall, and his baseball activity is apparently still pretty limited as he's opened the campaign on Triple-A Lehigh Valley's injured list. Once cleared for all activities, the 21-year-old top prospect will need some time to build up to game readiness after missing all of spring training.

Cruz will start in center field and bat eighth in Tuesday's game against the Reds.

It's the first start for Cruz against a left-handed pitcher since Aug. 2 of last season, as he was out of the lineup the final 12 times the Pirates faced a lefty last year and the first time they went up against a southpaw in 2026. The left-handed-hitting Cruz is a career .174/.249/.315 hitter against southpaws.

Merrill went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Monday in a loss to the Giants.

The Padres were down to their last out and in danger of being shut out before Merrill breathed life into the offense with a two-run blast off Giants closer Ryan Walker. The long ball was Merrill's first of the season and just his third hit through 15 at-bats. The Padres offense has been struggling as a whole, and Merrill will be among those most counted on to turn things around for the team given his spot in the middle of the lineup.

Brannigan (nose) was placed on the 7-day injured list Monday.

Brannigan suffered a fractured nose during spring training and will need some more time before returning to game action. The injury isn't considered significant, so he figures to be back on the field in the near future for Double-A Altoona.

Tovar went 3-for-6 with two doubles, three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in Monday's 14-5 win over Toronto.

The shortstop put his fingerprints all over this one, even flashing the leather on an outstanding throw to first base to put out Vladimir Guerrero in the first inning. Tovar has hit safely in each of his first four games of the season, batting cleanup in all of his appearances so far. Tovar posted an .885 OPS at home last year as opposed to a .514 OPS on the road, so he'll likely be a more attractive fantasy option when he gets to perform at Coors Field.