MLB Player News

The Cardinals decided to pull Pujols, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina all at the same time in the fifth inning, even though it clearly harmed their chances of winning. Of course, that’s the kind of performance art a team can get away after already having clinched a division. With the three RBI today, Pujols tied Babe Ruth for second on the all-time list at 2,214. He’s 83 behind Henry Aaron for first place.

Weyrich’s report comes shortly after MASN’s Roch Kubatko noted that Mayo was on his way to Camden Yards ahead of Saturday’s showdown against the Royals just in case. It certainly sounds like veteran Ramón Urías (hamstring) is headed to the injured list with Mayo coming up to play everyday at third base until Jordan Westburg (hamstring) is ready to return. The 23-year-old top prospect is worthy of a speculative pickup, especially in deeper fantasy formats, based on his raw talent alone. He struggled mightily last year in his first real chance at the highest level, but he’s looked great this season at Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .255/.353/.539 with six homers in 27 games. We’re believers in the talent.

Lopez will undergo further evaluation and testing this weekend after twisting his right ankle while coming off the first during the first inning of Friday’s game against the Athletics. He’s presumably day-to-day for now. It’ll be rookie Javier Sanoja taking over the keystone in his absence.

Not great. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters the decision was made to scratch Alvarez prior to Saturday’s game against the White Sox after he was sore following pregame batting practice. He added that the middle-of-the-order force has been dealing with right hand inflammation for the last few days. It certainly sounds like a precautionary decision, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Alvarez undergo imaging to rule out anything serious. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. There should be some additional clarity on his status at some point later this weekend.

It’s not official that Mayo will be called up prior to Saturday’s game against the Royals, but he’s been summoned to Camden Yards just in case. Veteran Ramón Urías is dealing with a hamstring issue and it’s possible he’ll wind up requiring a trip to the injured list. The 23-year-old top prospect flopped last year in his first shot at the highest level, but he’s been on fire this season at Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .255/.353/.539 with six homers in 27 games. He’s obviously worthy of a speculative roster spot in deeper mixed leagues, even if it winds up only being a short stay in the majors until Jordan Westburg (hamstring) is back.

Kim gets the call to the majors ahead of Saturday’s game against the Braves after spending the first couple weeks of the year tearing the cover off the ball in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League to the tune of a robust .257/.323/.478 triple-slash line with five homers in 27 contests. The 26-year-old’s defensive versatility and prowess is an added benefit for the Dodgers. Yet, there are legitimate questions regarding his potential fantasy impact outside of the stolen base department, especially as he acclimates to facing big-league pitching for the first time. He’s a promising long-term prospect, but it’s a bit unclear whether he’s going to make an impact for fantasy purposes outside of deeper mixed leagues.

Toro provides Boston with an experienced stopgap solution at first base in the wake of Triston Casas suffering a serious left knee injury during Friday’s game against the Twins. The 28-year-old journeyman has hit .323 with two homers in 27 games this season at the Triple-A level. He holds a lifetime .220/.285/.353 triple-slash line in 365 games in the big leagues since 2019.

Casas suffered what Red Sox manager Alex Cora called a “significant injury” to his left knee on Friday night when he stumbled across the first-base bag while beating out an infield chopper. The 25-year-old first baseman is undergoing treatment at a local hospital. Fantasy managers should anticipate a lengthy absence since he’ll likely wind up requiring a significant surgical procedure. It’s unclear how Boston will fill the void at the cold corner at this juncture, but we’re fairly confident it won’t be top prospect Roman Anthony. The variable to watch is whether Rafael Devers is willing to consider giving it a shot. It’ll be journeyman Romy Gonzalez as a temporary stopgap until the Red Sox decide their next move.

Bernardino rejoins Boston’s relief corps ahead of Saturday’s showdown at Fenway Park against the Guardians after being away from the club for a couple days.

Guerrero heads back to the minors with lefty Brennan Bernardino coming off the bereavement list prior to Saturday’s contest against the Guardians.

No word yet on the results, but Yoshida was spotted throwing a football around at Fenway Park with the Red Sox training staff prior to Saturday’s game. The 31-year-old hasn’t been responding in the way the club hoped to ramping up his throwing program, so it doesn’t sound like he’s going to be an option at any point in the near future, even with Triston Casas (knee) facing an extended absence.