MLB Player News

McFarland threw two-thirds of an inning with no hits or walks Thursday against the Mariners.

McFarland entered the game in the eighth inning after Jose Leclerc gave up two home runs and blew a one-run lead. McFarland put up a 3.81 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 56.2 innings last year and tallied 19 holds. He could be a primary setup man for the A's alongside Leclerc, at least until Michel Otanez returns from a shoulder injury and is added to the mix.

Urshela started at third base and went 0-for-3 in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Mariners.

Urshela looks set as the everyday starter at third base to begin the season. While he had just a .647 OPS over 128 regular-season games between Detroit and Atlanta last season, he still has a good glove at the hot corner. His Defensive Runs Saved ranked 18th at the position last season.

Gilbert didn't factor in the decision Thursday against the Athletics after striking out eight and giving up one run on two hits and no walks over seven innings.

The right-hander kept the A's off the board aside from a solo homer by Tyler Soderstrom in the fifth inning, as Gilbert and Luis Severino engaged in a pitcher's duel before the two bullpens combined to allow five runs across the seventh and eighth innings. Gilbert consistently worked ahead in the count and threw a first-pitch strike to 22 of the 23 batters he faced. He's established himself as one of the most reliable starters in MLB and could contend for the AL Cy Young Award in 2025, especially if he can improve even slightly on his 3.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 220:37 K:BB across 208.2 innings from last year.

Severino didn't factor in the decision Thursday against Seattle after striking out six and allowing three hits and four walks over six scoreless innings.

The right-hander was a bit wild at times with four free passes and a hit-by-pitch, but he kept the Mariners off the board by scattering the baserunners and not giving up any extra-base hits. Severino missed out on the victory when the A's bullpen was unable to maintain a 1-0 lead, but it was still a strong debut with the team after inking a two-year, $45 million contract in December. He lines up to pitch against the Cubs next week.

Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with two solo homers in Thursday's loss to the Mariners.

Soderstrom looks set to play every day at first base and may get some playing time behind the plate as the Athletics' third catcher. He's picking up where he left off last September, when he posted an .852 OPS with two homers in 12 contests after a wrist injury in early July forced him to miss two months.

Torres went 2-for-5 with a run scored in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Dodgers. He also stole a base.

Torres batted second in his debut with the Tigers, and he figures to remain near the top of the order all season. After playing with the likes of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto last year in New York, the infielder will hit in a more prominent spot with Detroit, which could balance out a downgrade in his supporting cast. The stolen base is also an encouraging sign for Torres, who only swiped four bags in 2024 after recording at least 10 steals in each of the previous three seasons.

Margot went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Dodgers.

Less than a week after signing with Detroit, Margot started in right field and batted fifth on Opening Day. Southpaw Blake Snell was on the bump for Los Angeles, which led to Kerry Carpenter riding the pine. Against righties, the Tigers figure to deploy Carpenter and likely sit Margot, depending on who fills the DH spot. The team is also waiting on Matt Vierling (shoulder), Parker Meadows (arm) and Wenceel Perez (back) to return to the outfield. For now, the veteran Margot has some short-term fantasy value in deeper formats, although he's only been a middling offensive contributor in recent seasons.

Rodriguez was recalled from Triple-A Columbus ahead of Thursday's 7-4 extra-inning win over the Royals and went unused off the bench.

Cleveland had previously optioned Rodriguez to Triple-A on March 21, but he was added back to the active roster after the team placed five players on the injured list prior to Opening Day. The right-handed slugger could see occasional starts in right field or at designated hitter against left-handed pitching, but Jhonkensy Noel and Kyle Manzardo got the nod at those respective positions Thursday against southpaw Cole Ragans.

Walker went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Thursday's game against the Mets.

Walker dealt with an oblique issue for most of spring training, but he was able to return for Opening Day. He was slotted into the cleanup spot and delivered a one-out single in the third inning to continue a key rally for the Astros. Walker should be a threat for 30 home runs while putting up strong counting stats in his first season in Houston.

Vargas went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Angels.

Vargas was slotted into the leadoff spot and had a successful audition to keep the role. He tallied a two-run double in the second inning and then singled before coming around to score six frames later. Vargas has yet to find much traction at the big-league level, though the White Sox should afford him plenty of playing time to prove himself at in 2025.