MLB Player News
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Ildemaro Vargas 3B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Fills in at 1B
Vargas started at first base and went 1-for-5 in Tuesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Mets.
Vargas got the first crack at first base after the Diamondbacks placed Carlos Santana (adductor) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday. Arizona called up Luken Baker to replace Santana, adding another body to a rotation of players that could see time with both Santana and Pavin Smith (elbow) sidelined. in addition to Vargas and Baker, the Diamondbacks could deploy Jose Fernandez and Tim Tawa at first base.
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George Kirby SP | SEA
Mariners' George Kirby: Tosses eight innings, takes loss
Kirby (1-2) took the loss against the Rangers on Tuesday, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four across eight innings. He did not issue a walk.
Kirby ended up being the only pitcher deployed by the Mariners during Tuesday's game, tossing 68 strikes in 90 pitches (75.6 percent) while inducing 12 groundouts. He kept the Rangers off the board for the majority of his start but gave up three runs in the fifth inning, including a two-run homer to Kyle Higashioka that was enough for Kirby to take the loss since his teammates failed to generate any more runs. Kirby has recorded a quality start in each of his first three appearances of the season and has a 3.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB across 20 innings. He'll look to get back in the win column in his next start, which is slated for next week at home against the Astros.
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Brendan Donovan 2B | SEA
Mariners' Brendan Donovan: Belts leadoff homer Tuesday
Donovan went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk during the Mariners' 3-2 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday.
Donovan wasted no time getting the Mariners on the board, taking the first pitch of the game from Nathan Eovaldi deep to right field for a solo shot. It was Donovan's third home run of the season, and he appears to be past the groin injury that caused him to miss the Mariners' final two games of the weekend series against the Angels. He has gone 12-for-35 (.343) with a steal and five RBI to open the season.
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Kevin McGonigle SS | DET
Tigers' Kevin McGonigle: Collects two more hits Tuesday
McGonigle went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Twins.
McGonigle now has at least one hit in eight of his 11 games so far, and he's batting .302 overall with an .853 OPS. The rookie infielder has hit the ground running, and it looks like he's earned a prominent spot in Detroit's lineup moving forward. McGonigle displayed similar offensive skills in the minors the past few years, and he's emerging as a fantasy weapon at just 21 years old.
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Jake Junis RP | TEX
Rangers' Jakob Junis: Collects another save
Junis earned the save in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Mariners, when he allowed two hits with no strikeouts over a scoreless ninth inning.
For the second straight game, Junis was called to the mound to close out the game for the Rangers. He gave up back-to-back singles to open the ninth inning but needed just six pitches to get the next three batters out. Junis and Tyler Alexander each have two saves this season, but while Alexander's both came when Robert Garcia and Chris Martin were unavailable, Junis was deployed ahead of Martin on Tuesday. The back of the Texas bullpen remains muddled for the time being.
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Spencer Torkelson 1B | DET
Tigers' Spencer Torkelson: Shows some life Tuesday
Torkelson went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Twins.
While Torkelson still hasn't delivered his first home run of the season, he did muster his first multi-hit effort Tuesday. The first baseman is batting just .206 with a .622 OPS, and he's striking out 31 percent of the time. Torkelson sported a .789 OPS and blasted 31 home runs during the regular season last year, so the power potential is there and his bat could get going at any point, though strikeouts remain a prominent part of his game.
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Kyle Higashioka C | TEX
Rangers' Kyle Higashioka: Smacks first homer of 2026
Higashioka went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer during the Rangers' 3-2 win over the Mariners on Tuesday.
Higashioka gave the Rangers the lead for good in the fifth inning, when he took George Kirby deep to left-center field for a two-run homer for his first long ball of the season. It was Higashioka's fourth start behind home plate in 11 games, and for now, it looks like he is the clear second option at catcher behind Danny Jansen to open the 2026 season.
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Nathan Eovaldi SP | TEX
Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Bounces back for first win of 2026
Eovaldi (1-2) earned the win in Tuesday's game against the Mariners, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven across six innings.
Eovaldi struggled in his first two starts of the season, taking the loss in both outings while allowing 11 runs on 16 hits and three walks over 8.2 innings. It looked to be more of the same Tuesday after he yielded a home run to Brendan Donovan on the first pitch of the game, but Eovaldi settled in after that. He retired nine of the next 10 batters he faced and ended his night with 22 whiffs on 93 pitches (60 strikes), coming away with the win after the Rangers tacked on three runs in the fifth. Eovaldi is slated to make his next start next week on the road against the Athletics.
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J.T. Realmuto C | PHI
Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Departs with bruised foot
Realmuto was removed from Tuesday's game against the Giants with a bruised right foot, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Realmuto was hit on the foot by a foul tip while catching in the first inning, and he was replaced by Rafael Marchan in the second. The fact that the Phillies are calling Realmuto's injury a bruise suggests he didn't suffer a fracture, though the team may still give him a break during Wednesday's series finale so he can properly recover.
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Matt McLain SS | CIN
Reds' Matt McLain: Lifts Reds late in win
McLain went 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 extra-inning win over Miami.
Cincinnati was held scoreless through the first eight innings before tying it up in the ninth and winning it in the 10th. McLain had a hand in both innings. He doubled, stole a base and scored a run in the ninth and then doubled in a pair in the extra frame. The multi-hit game was McLain's third in the last five games.