MLB Player News

Baez went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to the Brewers.

Baez and his teammates couldn't get anything going against Freddy Peralta and a pair of relievers, as the Cubs mustered just a single hit. The 28-year-old popped a home run in Monday's game, but he still has just three hits and eight strikeouts through his first 18 at-bats of the season. After a disappointing 2020 campaign, fantasy managers would certainly like to see Baez get off to a good start in 2021, but he hasn't found his groove yet.

Ahmed (knee) will hit in the cage soon, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

Ahmed is dealing with knee inflammation and already received a platelet-rich plasma injection during spring training, so it sounds like a pain-management issue. Prior to landing on the injured list, he said he hoped the injury would not linger all season, but that seems like a possibility. In the meantime, top prospect Geraldo Perdomo is handling the work at shortstop.

Adrianza (personal), who was transferred from the COVID-19 injured list to the restricted list Monday, is expected to rejoin Atlanta for its home opener Friday versus Philadelphia, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Adrianza left the team last Friday to tend to a personal matter, resulting in Atlanta placing him on the COVID-19 IL for protocol-related reasons since he was leaving the team bubble. He's now apparently ready to rejoin Atlanta, but he'll still need to pass through intake testing before being formally reinstated to the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster. Once he's activated, Adrianza is expected to serve as a utility infielder for Atlanta.

The Braves optioned Arcia to their alternate site after acquiring him from Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Atlanta sent back a pair of right-handed relievers in Patrick Weigel and Chad Sobotka in exchange for Arcia, who shouldn't be in store for a lengthy stint at the alternate site. Once the team has a chance to evaluate him more closely in simulated games, Arcia could join the big club and serve as a utility infielder.

Atlanta acquired Arcia from the Brewers on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Milwaukee's return in the deal isn't yet known, but Arcia had become an expendable piece for the club with manager Craig Counsell having committed to Travis Shaw and Luis Urias as the Brewers' everyday third baseman and shortstop, respectively. Atlanta's left side of the infield is similarly settled with Austin Riley and Dansby Swanson in the fold, so Arcia looks on track to serve as the team's top utility man ahead of Ehire Adrianza (COVID-19 injured list) and Johan Camargo. Arcia posted a career-high .733 OPS and boasts some speed on the basepaths, but he's unlikely to see enough regular at-bats in 2021 to emerge as a useful fantasy asset unless there's one of Riley, Swanson or Ozzie Albies sustains a long-term injury. The 26-year-old will have to clear COVID-19 intake testing before he's eligible to join Atlanta's 26-man active roster.

Turner is listed on the Nationals' 26-man active roster ahead of Tuesday's season-opening doubleheader with the Braves, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

The Nationals were cleared to resume workouts Monday after 11 players in the organization went into quarantine due to COVID-19 protocols, but Turner wasn't in attendance for the session. His absence fueled speculation that he might be among the players in isolation, but his inclusion on the roster suggests that he'll be good to go as the Nationals open up their season. Fantasy managers who had been waiting for clarity on Turner's status before including him in weekly lineups can probably activate him with more confidence now.

Turner was not on the field for the Nationals' workout Monday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Eleven players in total are reported to be in quarantine for the Nats due to positive COVID-19 tests or being designated a close contact, and Turner's absence from the workout suggests he's probably in one of those groups. If he's one of the latter, he could still be cleared to play in time for Tuesday's game against Atlanta, but assuming Turner is out of the lineup, Hernan Perez appears to be the likely candidate to get the start at shortstop.

Seager went 1-for-5 with three RBI and a walk in Monday's win over the Athletics.

Seager struck out three times and didn't have his best game at the plate, but he made his presence felt with the only knock he got -- he scored Chris Taylor, Edwin Rios and Mookie Betts with a three-run double in the top of the second inning. This was Seager's first single-hit game of the campaign, but the star shortstop has gotten off to a strong start, going 9-for-17 with three doubles and six RBI over his first four games of the campaign.

Edman went 1-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Monday's 4-1 win over the Marlins.

The switch hitter took John Curtiss deep in the fifth inning for his first home run of the year. Edman isn't thought of as a power hitter, but he did slug 16 homers in 147 games through his first two seasons in the majors in addition to stealing 17 bases and delivering a .283/.337/.449 slash line.

Baez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's win over the Brewers.

Baez hit his first home run of the season in the fourth inning against Milwaukee starter Brett Anderson, the second of three long balls in the frame for the Cubs. Like a lot of Chicago's key players, Baez struggled in the shortened 2020 season, posting a .598 OPS that was his worst since his 2014 rookie season. Baez is hoping he can get closer to his numbers from 2019, when he registered an .847 OPS and 29 home runs.