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.

The Braves, staring down an 0-7 start to their season, were in pure desperation mode in this one. That distress forced manager Brian Snitker to call on Iglesias for a five-out save after Daysbel Hernández put two runners on with one out in the eighth and fell behind Will Smith 2-0. That’s right, Snitker brought Iglesias into the game not just with two runners on, but in the middle of an at-bat down 2-0 in the count. Iglesias would then walk Smith, allow a two-run, game-tying double to Max Muncy, and later a walk-off home run to Shohei Ohtani. While he didn’t pitch well, this was a nightmare scenario for Iglesias to enter into as the Braves’ early season spiral only got worse.

Not even being spotted five unearned runs over the first two innings could help the Braves get their first win of the season. Albies did all he could though with a run-scoring double and then later a single that loaded the bases with two outs and the heart of the Braves’ order coming to the plate. They would not cash in on that golden opportunity and eventually blew their five run lead to fall to an unthinkable 0-7. This lineup will certainly come around despite their collective lackluster start.

The Braves pitching staff is already in dire straits just a week into the season and Elder could not provide them with the length they needed. He didn’t pitch terribly though, especially against a lineup as strong as the Dodgers. Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto each hit loud home runs, but that was the extent of the damage done. Of course, had he stayed in past the fourth inning it could have gotten uglier and the Braves were likely smart to pull him when they did in an effort to preserve their narrow lead. Elder seems to have a secure spot in this rotation with Reynaldo López’s long-term shoulder injury and is scheduled for another tough matchup with the Phillies next time out.

Ford has gotten off to a strong start at Triple-A on the heels of an impressive spring training performance in Mariners camp. The 22-year-old backstop’s speed and athleticism are extremely rare for a catcher and give him a shot at being one of the more unique talents in the fantasy landscape once he arrives. He’s a name to monitor in deeper mixed leagues on the chance that he gets a shot later this year with Seattle in a backup role.

Neto remains limited to DH for the time being and there isn’t an exact timetable for when he’ll be cleared to starting playing shortstop in rehab games. He has a couple weeks left on his rehab assignment, so there’s still plenty of time as he continues to work his way back from offseason shoulder surgery.

Colorado’s surprising decision to ship Veen to the minors and go with a Nick Martini and Mickey Moniak combo alongside Brenton Doyle and Jordan Beck remains rather inexplicable. The 23-year-old is tearing the cover off the ball so far at Triple-A, batting .368 (7-for-19) through five games.

Mayer recorded two batted balls with exit velocities over 98 mph and went deep for the second consecutive contest. The 22-year-old shortstop looked ready for the big leagues in spring training and it feels like only a matter of time before he forces his way to Fenway Park. We’re not envisioning superstar-caliber offensive upside in his immediate future, but he’s a gifted talent with the natural athleticism and feel for the game to outperform expectations.

Simpson is up to three stolen bases already and his game-changing speed makes him one of the most exciting prospects in the fantasy landscape at the moment. The 24-year-old will need to prove he can handle big-league caliber pitching if he’s going to make the leap to full-fledged fantasy stardom, but his stolen base upside is going to make him a relevant mixed-league contributor at a bare minimum once he arrives in the majors.

Henderson got through his fifth, and likely final, rehab game and could be activated for Thursday’s series finale against the Red Sox. The fact that it’s an afternoon matinee complicates matters since the Orioles would probably prefer not to have him playing again in such a short span, especially after traveling back to Baltimore. There should be an official update on his status at some point in the near future. Fantasy managers should expect him back by Friday at the latest.

Rodón was struck on the right forearm by a 115-mph line-drive off the bat of Ketel Marte during Wednesday’s start against the Diamondbacks, but appears to have somehow managed to avoid serious injury. The 32-year-old southpaw, who underwent X-rays for precautionary reasons afterwards, was charged with four runs over six innings. He should be ready to take the ball on Monday against the Tigers in his next outing.