MLB Player News
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Nick Lodolo SP | CIN
Reds' Nick Lodolo: Making progress
Lodolo is using a new "resource" to deal with his blister issue and is making some progress in his recovery. He played catch on Monday, Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard reports.
This is not the first time that Lodolo has dealt with the blister issue, and yet one of the problems for him is the lack of a blister specialist to help him out. "Everyone's skin is different," Lodolo said. "How it feels, how you throw the ball, how it comes off of your finger, the pressure. A lot of guys are more middle finger on the ball. I'm more index finger heavy. It's about figuring out how we can manage it. I threw a good amount last year, and it only happened once."
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Jason Foley RP | SF
Giants' Jason Foley: Progressing in recovery
Foley (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Foley continues to recover from right shoulder surgery that he underwent in May of 2025. He opened the 2026 season on the 60-day IL, and while he's not expected to be ready for major-league action until at least midseason, it's encouraging to see that he has progressed enough in his rehab to toss a bullpen session.
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Joel Peguero P | SF
Giants' Joel Peguero: Embarking on rehab assignment
Peguero (hamstring) will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Peguero opened the regular season on the 15-day injured list due to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that he aggravated in early March. He's eligible to return from the IL in mid-April but will likely need to have at least a couple of rehab outings under his belt before being cleared to make his 2026 regular-season debut. Peguero made his major-league debut Aug. 21 and appeared in 17 games for the Giants in 2025, finishing with a 2.42 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, four holds and a 17:8 K:BB across 22.1 innings.
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Jose Fermin 2B | STL
Cardinals' Jose Fermin: Scratched from Monday's lineup
Fermin has been scratched from the Cardinals' lineup against the Nationals on Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Fermin was initially slated to start in left field and bat eighth. However, Masyn Winn (hip) has been cleared to return from a two-game absence, so the Cardinals have elected to shift Thomas Saggese from shortstop to left field while moving Fermin to the bench. Fermin has appeared in just two regular-season games in 2026, with his lone start taking place Friday against the Tigers.
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Masyn Winn SS | STL
Cardinals' Masyn Winn: Playing Monday after all
Winn (hip) is starting at shortstop and batting sixth against the Nationals on Monday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Winn was initially slated to miss a third consecutive game, but he has made enough progress in his recovery from a left hip injury to be back in action for Monday's contest. With Winn back in the Cardinals' lineup, Thomas Saggese will shift from shortstop to left field while Jose Fermin moves to the bench.
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Casey Schmitt SS | SF
Giants' Casey Schmitt: Not in Monday's lineup
Schmitt (back) is not in the Giants' starting lineup against the Phillies on Monday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Schmitt's absence will extend to four games due to a lingering back injury. Rafael Devers will start at first base for Monday's series opener while Jerar Encarnacion serves as the Giants' designated hitter.
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Jorbit Vivas 2B | WAS
Nationals' Jorbit Vivas: Heading to bench Monday
Vivas is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.
Vivas will hit the bench Monday, but he had picked up starts in each of the last three games. He recorded a base hit in each of those contests and also drew two walks, bringing his on-base percentage up to .476 on the season. While he's holding his own at the plate, Vivas could continue to get a look as a near-everyday player at third or second base.
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Keibert Ruiz C | WAS
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Hitting bench Monday
Ruiz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.
Ruiz and Drew Millas have split time behind the dish evenly through the Nationals' first five games, with both catchers drawing five starts apiece. Though Ruiz has been the better producer thus far, he's still holding down a modest .222/.211/.444 slash line through his first 19 plate appearances. He may need to raise his performance before taking on a larger share of the catching duties.
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Will Smith C | LAD
Dodgers' Will Smith: Not in Monday's lineup
Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays.
Smith will hit the bench for a second straight game, with Dalton Rushing working behind home plate and batting eighth. The decision to hold Smith out is a deliberate one, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noting Monday that he wants Smith to be the catcher for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Smith has gone 8-for-29 (.276 average) with two home runs and five RBI to open the season.
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Brandon Lockridge OF | MIL
Brewers' Brandon Lockridge: Not starting Monday
Lockridge (hip) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox.
Lockridge reportedly sustained a hip injury in Sunday's 8-5 win over the Royals, and though he'll be out of the lineup for the series opener in Boston, he could still be available off the bench. Blake Perkins will draw the start in left field Monday, and he and Lockridge are likely to share time at the position until the Brewers get Jackson Chourio (hand) back from the injured list.