MLB Player News

Castro went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Monday against the Blue Jays.

Castro has occupied a key spot in the Colorado lineup, starting at second base while hitting third in all four of the team's games. He drove in a pair with a double in the sixth inning, his first RBI of the season and with the Rockies. Castro has one hit in each of his last three games.

Merrill went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Monday in a loss to the Giants.

The Padres were down to their last out and in danger of being shut out before Merrill breathed life into the offense with a two-run blast off Giants closer Ryan Walker. The long ball was Merrill's first of the season and just his third hit through 15 at-bats. The Padres offense has been struggling as a whole, and Merrill will be among those most counted on to turn things around for the team given his spot in the middle of the lineup.

McCullers (1-0) earned the win Monday against the Red Sox, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out nine over seven innings.

McCullers delivered a dominant outing, racking up 17 whiffs and cruising through six innings while facing the minimum number of batters before running into trouble in the seventh. The right-hander allowed two baserunners and an RBI double to Wilyer Abreu for his lone run but escaped the jam by striking out Masataka Yoshida on a full count with runners on second and third. It marked the 32-year-old's first time completing seven innings since 2022, a promising sign after injuries have limited his production in recent seasons, including a 6.51 ERA across 55.1 innings in 2025. McCullers will look to build off Monday's performance in his next scheduled start against a good Athletics lineup.

Johnston went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run Monday against the Blue Jays.

Johnston has alternated starts with Jordan Beck in right field to begin the season, and he has also benefited from the absence of Mickey Moniak (finger). Johnston managed his first home run with the Rockies by taking Spencer Miles deep in the sixth inning in Monday's blowout win. His playing time still looks uncertain, though he has started the campaign with three hits across nine plate appearances.

Buehler (0-1) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three batters over four innings in a loss to San Francisco on Monday.

After signing with the Padres on a minor-league deal in mid-February, Buehler pitched well enough during spring training to earn a spot in the team's Opening Day rotation. The right-hander got through two scoreless innings in his regular-season debut, but Buehler fell behind on a solo homer off the bat of Harrison Bader in the third frame. Things got worse for Buehler in the fourth, as the Giants struck for two more runs on three singles and a walk. Overall, Buehler threw 43 of 72 pitches for strikes and notched eight whiffs. He's likely to get more opportunities to start, though Walker will probably need to pitch better to remain in the rotation when Griffin Canning (Achilles) and Joe Musgrove (elbow) eventually return from the IL.

Estrada will be recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

This upcoming promotion likely means that Cody Ponce (knee), who exited Monday's start due to injury, is headed for an IL stint. Estrada will be brought up to provide length for Toronto, at least until Trey Yesavage (shoulder), Jose Berrios (elbow) or Shane Bieber (elbow) can return from the injured list, and a number of off days on the Jays' schedule in early April could mean the 26-year-old righty is needed for only one or two starts. Estrada made two relief appearances for the Blue Jays a year ago, allowing seven runs while striking out 10 and walking one over 7.1 regular-season innings.

Rumfield went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Monday against the Blue Jays.

Rumfield won the starting first base job for Colorado during spring training, and he has started all four games while hitting exclusively fifth in the order since the start of the regular season. He's proven worthy of the role early on in the campaign, with his two-RBI double Monday marking his second extra-base hit across 16 plate appearances. Rumfield has also made contact at a decent clip, striking out four times while walking twice.

Walker earned a save against the Padres on Monday, allowing two runs on one hit and one walk while striking out one batter over one inning.

Walker appeared to be in line for a relatively easy save when he entered with a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning, but the veteran reliever struggled to close things out. He issued an inning-opening walk and later served up a two-run blast to Jackson Merrill with two outs. Walker was ultimately able to end the game by getting Xander Bogaerts to ground out to shortstop. This was Walker's third appearance but first save chance of the season. Despite the uneven outing, he has a pretty strong hold on San Francisco's closer role for the time being.

Roupp (1-0) earned the win over San Diego on Monday, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out seven batters over six scoreless innings.

Roupp had some issues with walks during spring training, but he was in complete control in his first outing of the regular season. The right-hander didn't yield any extra-base hits and threw 54 of 88 pitches for strikes while racking up 13 whiffs. Roupp didn't allow more than one runner to reach base in any of his six innings, and he ended his start by getting Manny Machado to ground into a double play. He's beginning the campaign at the back end of San Francisco's rotation, but Roupp can certainly firm up his standing among the team's starters with more outings like the one he had Monday.

Moncada went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Monday's 7-2 loss to the Cubs.

Moncada's two-run shot off Colin Rea in the seventh inning accounted for all of the scoring for the Angels on Monday. Most importantly, Moncada is healthy and has started all five games to begin the season. He's 2-for-17 at the plate with the two-run homer and a 5:5 BB:K to begin the 2026 campaign.