MLB Player News

Seager went 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI on Thursday against the Rockies.

Seager reached base four times on Opening Day, highlighted by an RBI single in the eighth inning. He didn't provide any extra-base hits, but it was still a strong start to the campaign for Seager after he posted a career-best 152 wRC+ in 2020.

Owings went 3-for-3 with a triple, a walk, two stolen bases and three runs scored Thursday against the Dodgers.

Owings got the opportunity to start at second base with a southpaw on the mound, pushing Garrett Hampson to the outfield while Sam Hilliard and Ryan McMahon sat on the bench. He put together an impressive performance thanks to his on-base ability and aggressive baserunning. When the Rockies are facing righties on the mound, Owings doesn't figure to have a regular spot in the order, though his playing time is worth monitoring -- particularly when the team is at Coors Field.

Ahmed (knee) could make his season debut Friday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Ahmed, who was hobbled by knee soreness for much of March, was unavailable for Opening Day in San Diego, but manager Torey Lovullo left open the possibility that he could play Friday. "We'll keep pushing it back 24 hours and keep having the same conversation," Lovullo said. Josh Rojas filled in at shortstop Thursday.

Ahmed (knee) isn't starting Thursday's game against the Padres.

The 31-year-old dealt with a right knee injury late in camp, but manager Torey Lovullo thought that there was a strong possibility that Ahmed could play Opening Day. However, Josh Rojas will fill in at shortstop Thursday while Asdrubal Cabrera enters the lineup at the hot corner, batting fifth.

Owings is starting Thursday's game against the Dodgers.

While Ryan McMahon is expected to see the majority of playing time at second base to begin the season, Owings will start at the keystone on Opening Day with southpaw Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers. Owings hit .262 with four home runs and seven RBI this spring.

Lindor and the Mets won't play Thursday against the Nationals after the game was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.

Lindor reached a 10-year, $341 million contract extension with the Mets on Wednesday, but he'll have to wait to make his debut with his new team. The Nationals are reportedly dealing with at least one positive test for COVID-19 along with several staff members who are unavailable due to contact tracing. It's not yet clear when the two teams will be able to play.

Lindor agreed to a 10-year, $341 million contract extension with the Mets on Wednesday. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The two sides appeared to be at a standstill in talks with Lindor's Opening Day deadline for negotiations fast approaching, but an agreement was reached late Wednesday night. The total value of the contract is $1 million more than the extension signed by Fernando Tatis earlier this offseason, though Lindor's annual value is much higher. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the contract contains no opt-outs and a partial no-trade clause, so Lindor is essentially locked in with the Mets through his age-38 season. He'll make his debut for New York on Thursday at Washington after posting a .370/.433/.630 slash line over 60 plate appearances during spring training.

Turner is expected to begin the season hitting third in the batting order, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.

The shortstop spent the majority of 2020 hitting leadoff for the Nats, but this spring, manager Dave Martinez expressed a desire to move Turner into a run-producing spot and has followed through. It's hard to argue the .335/.394/.588 slash line Turner delivered last year doesn't belong in the heart of the order, but the success of the switch will likely depend more on how Victor Robles fares as the team's new table-setter. If Turner does find a new permanent home in the No. 3 spot, hitting behind Juan Soto rather than the bottom of the order should give him a massive boost in RBI opportunities, but it's not yet clear how it might impact his stolen-base total.

Ahmed (knee) fielded groundballs and took regular batting practice Tuesday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Ahmed hasn't played in a game since March 24 and had just 21 spring at-bats, but Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo believes there's a strong possibility the shortstop plays Opening Day. If he's unavailable, Josh Rojas is the most likely fill-in.

The Padres informed Mateo on Monday that he will be included on the Opening Day roster, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Mateo went just 4-for-28 at the dish during his debut season in the majors in 2020, but he earned his way onto the Opening Day roster after coming through with a .316/.414/.456 slash line and three steals (albeit in six attempts) over 57 at-bats this spring. The 25-year-old's speed and defensive versatility should make him a valuable late-inning bench piece, but he's unlikely to get a look as an everyday player in 2021.