MLB Player News

Hayes went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases Thursday against the Marlins.

Hayes helped create some offense for Pittsburgh in the fifth inning, reaching base on a single with two outs. He proceeded to steal both second and third base, the latter of which was on a double steal. Hayes has been a fantasy disappointment for much of his career, though he has the potential for stolen base upside at an atypical position.

Nootbaar went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored Thursday against the Twins.

Nootbaar batted primarily sixth in the order in 2024, though he appears to be the team's primary leadoff option against right-handed pitching to begin this season. He led off the opening frame with a single and came around to score, and he delivered his first home run of the season one frame later.

Arenado went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday against the Twins.

Arenado delivered an insurance home run in the ninth inning to help the Cardinals to an Opening Day win. He turned on a 97-mph fastball, which is encouraging, though his struggles in 2024 came primarily against off-speed and breaking pitches.

Strahm (shoulder) threw a clean 10th inning with one strikeout in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning win over the Nationals.

Strahm was unable to make his scheduled appearance in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays due left middle fingernail irritation, but he returned to action Thursday to retire the side and safeguard the victory for the Phillies. The veteran southpaw was limited to 1.2 frames during spring training due to a left shoulder impingement, but he bounced back after giving up six runs in two spring appearances. Jordan Romano was charged with a blown save after yielding two runs in the eighth inning Thursday, which could leave the door open for Strahm to see the occasional save chance while Philadelphia's bullpen pecking order is uncertain.

Treinen allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two across a scoreless inning to earn the save Thursday against the Tigers.

Alex Vesia and Tanner Scott were called upon in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, to face lefty-heavy portions of the Tigers' lineup. That left Treinen in line to get the save, though he allowed the tying runner to reach scoring position and needed 23 pitches to get the three outs. Scott figures to get the majority of save chances for the Dodgers moving forward, though he could continue to be used earlier in contests in high-leverage spots against elite left-handed hitters.

Snell (1-0) allowed two earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Tigers.

Snell managed to limit runs and complete five innings to earn the win, though it wasn't a sharp debut with the Dodgers. He found the zone with only 53 of his 92 pitches and allowed multiple baserunners in three of his five frames. Snell will likely continue to run a relatively elevated walk rate based on his track record, but he should be able to pile up strikeouts more consistently in upcoming starts.

Helsley struck out the side and allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Thursday against the Twins.

Helsley was called upon to protect a two-run lead and looked overpowering by touching 101 mph with his fastball to collect his first save of the season. He did surrender a two-out double to Harrison Bader to make things interesting, but Helsley proceeded to strike out Matt Wallner on four pitches to end the game. Helsley could be subject to trade rumors during the summer months, but he should be an elite closing option for the foreseeable future.

Gray (1-0) allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Twins.

Gray was battling an illness late in spring training that had caused him to lose strength, though he didn't show any signs of weakness on Opening Day. He generated 11 called strikes and 12 swinging strikes across 77 total pitches, and the lone blemish on his box score came on a two-run homer by Harrison Bader in the fifth frame. Gray could lose some of the swing-and-miss stuff he showcased Thursday in his age-35 campaign, but he should remain a reliable starter for fantasy purposes.

Gore didn't factor into the decision Thursday after allowing one hit over six scoreless innings during a loss to the Phillies. He struck out 13 without walking a batter.

It was a brilliant showing by the southpaw, whose dominance notably came against a star-studded Phillies lineup. A Kyle Schwarber single in the second inning would end up spoiling what was an otherwise perfect outing from Gore, who starts his third full major-league season looking to take a big step forward. Per Chad Jennings of The Athletic, Hall of Famer Bob Gibson is the only other pitcher in MLB history to strike out at least 13 batters on Opening Day without giving up a run or issuing a walk.

Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.

Ruiz got the Nationals into the scoring column with a fifth-inning solo blast off Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. The switch-hitting backstop excelled this spring while batting .289 with three homers, 11 RBI, and two stolen bases over 45 Grapefruit League at-bats, and Ruiz should see plenty of action in 2025 as Washington's primary catcher.