MLB Player News
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Billy Cook OF | PIT
Pirates' Billy Cook: Dispatched to Indianapolis
The Pirates optioned Cook to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Cook will move to the minors in order to clear a spot on the active roster for top prospect Konnor Griffin, who is slated to make his MLB debut against the Orioles on Friday. The 27-year-old Cook slashed .245/.321/.379 across 380 plate appearances at Indianapolis last year, and he'd be a candidate to return to Pittsburgh if one of the big club's outfielders go down with an injury.
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Konnor Griffin SS | PIT
Pirates' Konnor Griffin: Working on $140 million extension
The Pirates and Griffin are working to finalize a nine-year, $140 million contract extension, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.
The Pirates already announced that Griffin would be called up to make his major-league debut in Friday's home opener against the Orioles, and it appears the debut will be accompanied by a lucrative, long-term deal. He won't turn 20 until later this month, so Griffin will still be in his 20s when he gets his first crack at free agency. Griffin is set to take over as the Pirates' everyday shortstop after slashing .336/.420/.530 with 21 home runs and 68 stolen bases in his first 127 minor-league games.
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James Tibbs RF | LAD
Dodgers' James Tibbs: On fire at Triple-A
Tibbs is hitting .545 with three home runs and a 5:3 K:BB in 25 plate appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
This is the first exposure to Triple-A pitching for the 23-year-old slugger, and while this current level of production is unsustainable (.643 BABIP), it is a carry over of Tibbs' impressive showing in spring training (1.053 OPS). He raked last year for the Dodgers at Double-A (155 wRC+ in 36 games) after failing to perform at Double-A with Boston (77 wRC+ in 30 games) earlier in the year. Tibbs has been a bat-first player dating back to when the Giants selected him No. 13 overall in 2024, and he hasn't always hit enough to profile at the bottom of the defensive spectrum, which is partly why he's on his third team. However, something seems to have clicked at the plate since Tibbs was traded to the Dodgers last summer as part of the return for Dustin May.
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Brice Turang 2B | MIL
Brewers' Brice Turang: Homers in win
Turang went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run, a walk and a second run scored in Wednesday's 8-2 victory over the Rays.
Turang got the Brewers on the board in the third inning, launching his first homer of the season off Drew Rasmussen to tie the game at 2-2. Turang has gotten off to a hot start this season, going 9-for-22 with five extra-base hits, a 1.227 OPS and a pair of steals in his first six games.
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Jacob Young CF | WAS
Nationals' Jacob Young: Swipes first bag of year
Young went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the Phillies.
Batting eighth, the Gold Glove-caliber center fielder stole his first bag of the year after a two-out single in the sixth inning. Young hasn't seen an everyday role to begin the season as the Nationals find ways to get the red-hot Joey Wiemer into the lineup, but he's started four of the team's first six games, going 3-for-14 with a double, a homer, two runs and two RBI.
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Cionel Perez RP | WAS
Nationals' Cionel Perez: Collects first hold
Perez gave up two hits, including a solo home run, in two-thirds of an inning Wednesday to record his first hold of the season in an extra-inning loss to the Phillies.
The 29-year-old lefty entered the game with two outs in the seventh inning and retired Kyle Schwarber, but Bryce Harper then took Perez deep to lead off the eighth as the Nationals' bullpen squandered a 5-0 lead. Perez may not hang onto a high-leverage role much longer if he can't keep the ball in the park -- he's served up two homers in his first three appearances and 2.2 innings this season, although his 3:0 K:BB is more promising than his 6.75 ERA.
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Joey Wiemer CF | WAS
Nationals' Joey Wiemer: On base three more times
Wiemer went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored in Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the Phillies.
The 27-year-old continued his blistering start to the season. Wiemer has started five of the Nationals' first six games and racked up a .588/.682/1.059 slash line in 22 plate appearances with a triple, two homers, four RBI, seven runs and a 5:4 BB:K. Nothing in Wiemer's track record suggests he'll keep up anything close to that pace -- he sports a career 29.2 percent strikeout rate against an 8.6 percent walk rate in the majors -- but he's providing exceptional production so far for deep-league fantasy GMs who took a chance on him.
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Marcus Semien 2B | NYM
Mets' Marcus Semien: Scuffling to begin year
Semien went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts in Wednesday's extra-innings loss to the Cardinals.
The 35-year-old second baseman missed chances to play hero for the Mets in both the ninth and 11th innings, recording the final out with runners in scoring position each time. Semien is struggling to find a rhythm at the plate to begin his first season in New York, going 2-for-20 with a double, two RBI and a 3:8 BB:K through six games, but his still-excellent defense will keep him in an everyday role for now and provide him with plenty of leash to figure things out.
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Konnor Griffin SS | PIT
Pirates' Konnor Griffin: Set for MLB debut Friday
The Pirates will call up Griffin from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to their home opener Friday versus the Orioles, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Griffin came up just short for an Opening Day roster spot, but he will make his major-league debut as the Pirates kick off their first homestand of the season. The Pirates and Griffin have had discussions about a long-term contract extension for the 19-year-old, but while those talks will continue, Mackey says there is not currently a deal in place. Arguably the top prospect in baseball, Griffin has hit .438 with a 1.196 OPS and a 5:4 BB:K in the early going at Indianapolis. He slashed .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases across three levels in his first professional season in 2025. Griffin will take over at shortstop in Pittsburgh, shifting Jared Triolo either to third base or into more of a utility role.
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Graham Pauley 3B | MIA
Marlins' Graham Pauley: Two doubles in Wednesday's rout
Pauley went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored in Wednesday's win over the White Sox.
The 25-year-old played his part in a 10-0 rout, collecting his first extra-base hits of the season. With Christopher Morel (oblique) and Kyle Stowers (hamstring) on the shelf and Griffin Conine (illness) unavailable as well Wednesday, Pauley got the start at first base while Connor Norby was the DH and Javier Sanoja handled the hot corner. As Pauley puts his spring forearm injury further behind him and gets back up to speed, however, he could emerge as the Marlins' preferred option at third base against right-handed pitching. Through five games to begin the season, he's gone 3-for-13 with a run scored, an RBI and a 0:5 BB:K.