MLB Player News

Winn "continues to undergo preventative care" for a lower-back issue, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Winn spent some time on the injured list last season with back spasms, and he's also missed time this year with hip and shin issues. The shortstop isn't currently hurt, but the Cardinals "are seeking ways for him to reduce mileage," which could mean more days off like he had Wednesday in Miami. Winn got off to a slow start offensively this season but has been superb lately, slashing .387/.429/.645 during an eight-game hitting streak.

Pena had to be taken to the hospital after collapsing in the dugout when he became overheated during Wednesday's game with High-A Wisconsin, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

The game was called in the eighth inning following the scary incident, but Pena was administered IV fluids at the hospital and is feeling better. Consider him day-to-day. The 19-year-old top prospect is off to a blazing-hot start for the Timber Rattlers, slashing .372/.462/.512 with one home run, six stolen bases and an 8:10 BB:K.

Duran started in left field and went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's 8-4 loss to the Pirates.

Duran, who replaced an injured Wyatt Langford (forearm) during Tuesday's game, stayed in the lineup after the Rangers placed Langford on the injured list Wednesday. Duran has been a nice source of production -- he entered Wednesday batting .298 with one home run, eight RBI and three steals in 47 at-bats -- and should receive the bulk of the starts in left field while Langford is shelved.

Fernandez went 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Wednesday's 11-7 win over the White Sox.

Fernandez's contributions were lost among the more showy exploits of his teammates, but the utility infielder extended a hit streak to seven games (9-for-27). The rookie has flirted with .300 all season and is slashing .313/.333/.433 with four extra-base hits and nine RBI over 19 games. A relatively unheralded prospect entering spring training, Fernandez put on a show in the Cactus League (three HR, 1.148 OPS) and it hasn't stopped in the majors, where he homered twice in his MLB debut. The 22-year-old shares first base with Ildemaro Vargas while also getting at-bats at DH.

Montgomery went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and a second RBI in Wednesday's 11-7 loss to the Diamondbacks.

This was Montgomery's fourth straight game with a homer, though he doesn't even have the longest active streak on the team, as Munetaka Murakami has gone deep in five straight contests. While Montgomery is connecting with power lately, he also has eight strikeouts over his last five games. He's batting .212 with an .834 OPS, seven homers, 18 RBI, 10 runs scored, five doubles and a stolen base across 24 contests this season. The power is real, but Montgomery's high strikeout rate (32.7 percent) will leave him prone to slumps when he's not making strong contact.

Perdomo went 3-for-4 with two triples, a walk, one RBI and one run scored in Wednesday's 11-7 win over the White Sox.

Perdomo has hit safely in his last six games, going 12-for-23 (.522) in that span, which includes all three of his triples this season. The surge has him up to a .260 average and .782 OPS through 23 contests after a slow start. Perdomo has added six stolen bases, six RBI, 11 runs scored, one home run and three doubles on the year. The shortstop broke out with a 20-homer, 100-RBI effort over 161 games in 2025, but he's taken a clear step back in most areas early in 2026.

Merrill went 1-for-3 with a walk, one RBI and one stolen base in Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Rockies.

Merrill opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning. Prior to Wednesday, he had gone 0-for-16 with 10 strikeouts over his previous four games. The outfielder has run streaky early in 2026, leading to a lackluster .217/.280/.380 slash line over 101 plate appearances. He's added three home runs, 14 RBI, 15 runs scored, six doubles and five stolen bases across 24 contests.

Rosario went 1-for-1 with a three-run home run and an additional RBI in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Red Sox.

Before coming out of the lineup for Ben Rice, Rosario did his damage courtesy of a three-run blast in the opening frame. Rosario was expected to be a short-side platoon player at third base with the lefty-swinging Ryan McMahon in 2026, but the former is soundly outproducing the latter at the plate to begin the year. McMahon has a .464 OPS across 48 at-bats, while Rosario sports an .880 OPS with six extra-base hits and 13 RBI over his 49 at-bats, having found success against both righties and lefties.

Lindor was removed from Wednesday's game against the Twins with left calf tightness.

Lindor went 2-for-2 before coming out of Wednesday's game, but he appeared to tweak his calf while rounding third base and coming in to score on Francisco Alvarez's fourth-inning double. Lindor is slated to get an MRI on his calf Thursday, per Laura Albanese of Newsday, at which point more information regarding the severity of his injury and a return timeline should be revealed.

Freeland is not in the Dodgers' starting lineup against the Giants on Wednesday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Freeland will get a rest day after going 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to San Francisco. Miguel Rojas will start at second base Wednesday and bat ninth.