MLB Player News

Bichette went 4-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Cardinals.

The Blue Jays played small ball and lots of it with 16 singles on the afternoon, and Bichette and George Springer accounted for eight of them from the top of the order. Bichette has never hit below .290 in his four big-league seasons, but the 25-year-old could be ready to take a big step forward with his overall production in 2023 after posting a career-low .802 OPS last year.

Abrams went 0-for-4 with a strikeout while also committing three errors in the field during an Opening Day loss to Atlanta.

Getting the start at shortstop and batting ninth in the order on his first MLB Opening Day, Abrams' first error could easily have been ruled a hit as it came on a scorching grounder by Ronald Acuna. There was no excuse for Abrams' two airmailed throws later in the game. The Nationals are rebuilding in 2023 and will live with Abrams' growing pains, but the 22-year-old might have a long way to go before he'll be a reliable big-league player -- or a reliable fantasy asset.

Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Thursday's 8-2 loss to the Dodgers.

Ahmed got the start at shortstop Opening Day against Los Angeles lefty Julio Urias, but he could find himself on the bench Friday. That's partially due to manager Torey Lovullo wanting to get the switch-hitting Geraldo Perdomo in against righty Dustin May, but also because Ahmed, who underwent shoulder surgery last season, will not be an everyday player early on.

Volpe went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 5-0 win over San Francisco.

The 21-year-old got a loud reaction from the Bronx faithful during pregame introductions. He worked a walk in his first big-league plate appearance and quickly stole second base, flashing some of the skills that make him a top prospect. Volpe also turned his first double play in pinstripes, a sixth-inning twin killing behind Gerrit Cole. It looks like Volpe will be batting ninth in the order for the time being.

Bogaerts went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored in Thursday's Opening Day loss to the Rockies.

The Padres were somewhat surprisingly held in check by Colorado's pitching staff, but Bogaerts wasn't to blame. The shortstop was the only San Diego batter to collect multiple hits, and he finished with three of the team's seven base knocks. Two of his hits went for doubles, and he scored San Diego's final run in the fourth inning. Bogaerts' affinity for two-baggers is nothing new -- he slammed 52 doubles in 2019 and averaged 36 doubles per campaign between 2021 and 2022.

Franco went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday against the Tigers.

Franco added an insurance run in the eighth inning with a solo home run off Mason Englert to put the Rays up 4-0. While he was otherwise quiet, the performance was reassuring after he battled a quadriceps issue late in spring training. After managing only 344 plate appearances in 2022, Franco will look to put together a full season of productivity this season.

Cruz went 1-for-2 with two walks, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 5-4 victory over the Reds.

Cruz erased an early Reds lead with a missile of a home run, a 425-foot long ball off Hunter Greene clocked at 111.1 mph off the bat. His tools are just silly, and the walks are nice to see, suggesting the improved plate discipline from late last season might stick. While the team context isn't great, the upside is massive regardless for the Pirates' leadoff hitter.

Mateo went 2-for-3 with a walk, two stolen bases, one RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Red Sox.

Mateo attempted only one steal over 17 Grapefruit League games while slashing .273/.333/.386 during the exhibition season. The shortstop had 35 steals in 2022, so it's not a huge surprise to see him active on the basepaths, especially with new rules incentivizing steals. The bigger issue for Mateo may be getting on base -- he hit .221 with a .267 on-base percentage last season. The 27-year-old should at least see a majority of the starts at shortstop to begin the campaign. He's a strong defender, though a ninth-inning error Thursday made this game closer than it had to be.

Swanson went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored en route to a 4-0 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday.

After getting two hits in three tries against Corbin Burnes, Swanson immediately began showing why the Cubs gave him a seven-year, $177 million contract in the offseason. Despite getting off to a slow start in spring training, Swanson figures to be one of the best hitters in Chicago's lineup this year.

Crawford (foot) is batting ninth and playing shortstop Thursday versus Cleveland.

As expected, Crawford is fine after fouling a pitch off hit foot six days ago and will face Shane Bieber to begin the 2023 season. Coming off a 2022 campaign when he slashed .243/.339/.336, Crawford figures to be a mainstay near the bottom of Seattle's lineup.