MLB Player News

Vargas started at first base and went 1-for-5 in Tuesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Mets.

Vargas got the first crack at first base after the Diamondbacks placed Carlos Santana (adductor) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday. Arizona called up Luken Baker to replace Santana, adding another body to a rotation of players that could see time with both Santana and Pavin Smith (elbow) sidelined. in addition to Vargas and Baker, the Diamondbacks could deploy Jose Fernandez and Tim Tawa at first base.

Realmuto was removed from Tuesday's game against the Giants with a bruised right foot, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Realmuto was hit on the foot by a foul tip while catching in the first inning, and he was replaced by Rafael Marchan in the second. The fact that the Phillies are calling Realmuto's injury a bruise suggests he didn't suffer a fracture, though the team may still give him a break during Wednesday's series finale so he can properly recover.

McLain went 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 extra-inning win over Miami.

Cincinnati was held scoreless through the first eight innings before tying it up in the ninth and winning it in the 10th. McLain had a hand in both innings. He doubled, stole a base and scored a run in the ninth and then doubled in a pair in the extra frame. The multi-hit game was McLain's third in the last five games.

Assad (1-0) tossed 5.2 scoreless innings to earn the win Tuesday against the Rays, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out three.

Assad got the call to the majors with Matthew Boyd (biceps) and Cade Horton (forearm) landing on the injured list within the past few days, and Assad stepped up with a strong performance for the Cubs. Horton is now set to undergo season-ending surgery on his right UCL, so it's possible that Assad sticks around as Chicago's fourth or fifth starter for the foreseeable future. The righty struggled with injuries of his own last season, but he's mostly been effective for Chicago when he's been on the field since making his MLB debut in 2022. Assad is penciled in to start again Monday against the Phillies on the road, and he's worth a look in fantasy leagues if he can string together a few good outings.

Freeland went 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI single and two runs scored during the Dodgers' 4-1 win over the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Freeland reached base safely in each of his three plate appearances Tuesday, driving in a run in the fifth inning while crossing home plate himself in the third and ninth. He has struggled at the plate early on in the season, but Freeland has just 38 big-league games under his belt since 2025 and continues to adjust to major-league pitching. He'll continue to serve in a regular role at second base until Tommy Edman (ankle) returns from the 10-day injured list.

Bregman went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 9-2 win over the Rays.

Bregman snapped an 0-for-12 slump across his last three games with his first three-hit effort in a Cubs uniform. The veteran third baseman has yet to really get going for his new team, as he's batting just .200 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored through 11 games. Bregman's MLB track record suggests he'll heat up at the plate, and fantasy managers should remain patient, as he's in no real danger of losing playing time.

Diaz earned the save in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Blue Jays, striking out three while allowing one hit and one walk in a scoreless ninth inning.

Diaz kept the Blue Jays off the board despite yielding two baserunners in the ninth, ending the night by striking out Tyler Heineman. It's been a strong start to the season for Diaz, who has collected a save in four of five outings, allowing just one run while striking out eight over five innings. He's well on his way to eclipsing his save total from 2025 (28) when he was a member of the Mets.

Hoerner went 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and two RBI in Tuesday's 9-2 win over the Rays.

Hoerner has gotten off to a nice start with a .297/.438/.432 slash line through 11 games. The infielder also has already swiped five bases without getting caught. Despite facing a righty starter in Mason Englert on Tuesday, Hoerner batted leadoff, with Michael Busch slotting in second. Busch has gotten off to a slow start, so the Cubs may elect to keep Hoerner atop the order against both righties and lefties while he's performing so well.

Yamamoto (2-1) earned the win against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out six across six innings.

Yamamoto earned three wins -- all in Toronto -- during last year's World Series, including in relief in Game 7 which earned him MVP honors. Tuesday was yet another strong performance north of the border for Yamamoto, with his lone blemish coming in the sixth inning on a George Springer RBI double. Yamamoto has registered a quality start in each of his first three outings of the season and has a 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 14:2 K:BB across 18 innings. His next start is slated for next week on the road against the Giants.

Ballesteros went 2-for-4 with a home run, an additional run scored and three total RBI in Tuesday's 9-2 win over the Rays.

Ballesteros got on the board with his first home run of the season when he took Yoendrys Gomez deep in the ninth inning to put the icing on the cake in an easy Chicago win. The 23-year-old has seen his playing time begin to decrease as he's been in a slump with just a .208 average and .592 OPS even after Tuesday's promising performance. Ballesteros has plenty of offensive upside, and while the Cubs will likely continue to rotate players into the DH spot, the youngster should still see his fair share of opportunities, particularly if he can get on a hot streak.