MLB Player News

Wong started at catcher and went 2-for-3 with a double in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Reds.

Wong made his first start of the season, as Carlos Narvaez was given a breather. The former also made an appearance in Saturday's game and didn't have a good at-bat while striking out in the 10th inning. That was a stark reminder of the struggles he endured in 2025, when Wong batted .190 with a .500 OPS and lost the starting gig to Narvaez. As such, Sunday's two-hit effort was an encouraging sign for the backup catcher, who slashed .121/.216/.152 in spring training.

Criswell earned the save in Sunday's 8-0 win over the Guardians, allowing two hits while striking out five over three scoreless innings.

Criswell was sharp Sunday, limiting the Guardians to a pair of singles to close out Seattle's shutout victory, earning his second career save. The 29-year-old Criswell made the team as a long-relief option after posting a 2.51 ERA across 14.1 innings in spring training. While he may have a defined role in the Mariners' bullpen, don't expect Criswell to be a frequent source of saves. The right-hander has a career ERA of 4.42 with a 1.42 WHIP across 158.2 major-league innings.

Stewart went 2-for-2 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

There was no let-up for Stewart in the third game of the season. He's now had multiple hits and reached base at least three times in all three games, going 7-for-10 with three walks, zero strikeouts and more extra-base hits than singles. He also showed advanced baserunning Sunday, advancing to second base on a flyout to center field, which put him in a position to reach third base when the next batter singled to left field.

Steer started at first base and went 1-for-4 in Sunday's 3-2 win over Boston.

Steer made his first start of the season at first base after serving as the left fielder Thursday and Saturday. The plan announced this spring, when Steer started at five different positions, was that he would primarily play left field but could also slot in at various spots. In addition to his starting positions thus far, Steer also moved mid-game Saturday to first base and then third base. That roster flexibility helps manager Terry Francona navigate in-game situations, while also ensuring Steer gets a full game of plate appearances.

Cecconi said Sunday that he woke up feeling under the weather, which resulted in diminished velocity, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Sunday's results were discouraging after Cecconi's preseason work suggested a pitcher about to take the next level. "I gave everything I had. Just all my velocities were down," Cecconi said. "Still, I think I executed pretty well. I think they got a few runs on some executed pitches and a few that weren't." His four-seamer averaged 92.3 mph, down two ticks from 94.3 it registered in 2025. In addition to reduced velocity, the right-hander also walked three and hit two batters. Cecconi will look to rebound this coming weekend against the Cubs.

Kayfus started in left field and went 0-for-2 in Sunday's 8-0 loss to the Mariners. He was also hit by a pitch.

Kayfus made his second career big-league start in left field and it showed on a couple of balls that led to Seattle rallies. Both were hit by lefties that have strong pull tendencies, and Kayfus had to range far from the gap in left-center to make the plays but couldn't. "He was in the right position," manager Stephen Vogt said of Kayfus to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. "They had a couple of balls that found the line. It's a relatively new position for CJ. A couple of unfortunate plays that went their way. They made us pay for them." It was the first instance of Vogt's decision to have four-time Gold Glove winning left fielder Steven Kwan play center field. The position switch was designed to inject more offensive punch into the lineup at the outfield corners. One unfortunate night may not impact Vogt's decision, but continued issues in left field could result in a reduction of playing time for Kayfus.

Duran started at second base and went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Phillies.

Duran entered the starting nine for the first time this season, replacing Josh Smith at second base against Philadelphia lefty Jesus Luzardo. There's been no indication Duran and Smith are in a strict platoon -- Smith started Opening Day against a lefty -- and Sunday's start could merely be manager Skip Schumaker keeping his bench players involved.

Haggerty started in left field and went 1-for-2 with a run scored in Sunday's 8-3 win over Philadelphia.

Haggerty, who replaced Evan Carter against a lefty, singled and scored in the third inning. The former occupies the short end of a platoon, as Carter has struggled against southpaws. The switch-hitting Haggerty, who is better against lefties than righties, was eventually removed when a right-handed reliever entered the contest. In a minor role for the Rangers in 2025, Haggerty stole 12 bases in 64 games, the third time in the previous four seasons he's reached double-digit steals in a part-time role.

Nimmo went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Phillies.

Nimmo gave Texas a lead it would never relinquish with a two-run home run in the third inning, his first in a Rangers' uniform. He was one of three new employees that contributed to the win along with Andrew McCutchen (HR, three RBI) and winning pitcher MacKenzie Gore (two runs, seven Ks, 5.1 innings). The early returns are positive for Nimmo, who also contributed to Saturday's win and went 4-for-12 out of the leadoff spot in winning two of three on the road against Philadelphia.

Walker went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, a double and two additional runs scored Sunday's 11-7 loss to the Rays.

Walker turned in his eighth career game with at least three hits, smashing his first homer of the year in the process. The 23-year-old was once one of the top prospects in all of baseball, and he profiles as a post-hype sleeper of sorts during his fourth season in the big leagues in 2026. Walker is set to be St. Louis' everyday right fielder moving forward, but he may need to move up a bit in the batting order to increase his fantasy upside.