MLB Player News

Abreu came through for the Astros in a big spot in the sixth inning. With the game still scoreless and two runners on against Zac Gallen, he knocked a two-run double to drive in the team’s only two runs, the only runs Houston would need for the win. The 36-year-old first baseman is batting .235/.295/.376 with 17 homers and 87 RBI across 586 plate appearances.

Garcia singled in the second inning and scored as Tyler Callihan worked a bases-loaded walk. The Password then victimized Tigers’ right-hander Casey Mize for a 373-foot (108.5 mph EV) two-run blast in the third inning that extended the Pirates’ early lead to 4-0. With his two-hit attack, the 23-year-old outfielder is now hitting a blistering .500 (14-for-28) on the spring with two homers, five RBI and three stolen bases.

The 35-year-old right-hander issued four walks on the evening while racking up five punchouts. All of the damage done against him came in the fifth inning as Clevinger loaded the bases with one out before turning the ball over to the bullpen — then both inherited runners came around to score. He got eight swings and misses on 67 offerings on the night, posting a CSW of 30 percent. For the spring, Clevinger now holds a 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and an 11/9 K/BB ratio over 12 1/3 innings as he desperately tries to land a spot on the Pirates’ Opening Day roster.

The 26-year-old outfielder finally got the Tigers on the board in the fifth inning, smacking a two-run single off of Joshua Loeschorn. It’s been a very rough spring for him overall, hitting .133 (4-for-30) with no homers, two RBI and a stolen base. If he weren’t such an exceptional defender in center field, he’d likely be opening the season at Triple-A Toledo.

Mize also issued four free passes on the evening while recording a pair of strikeouts. After a scoreless first inning, the Pirates tagged him for two runs in each of the next three frames — including a two-run blast by Jhostynxon Garcia in the third. Mize threw just 43 of his 67 pitches for strikes in the ballgame, getting five whiffs and posting a miserable CSW of just 15 percent. He’ll try to right the ship and improve upon his unsightly 7.15 ERA his next time out.

After 6 1/2 years in the Rays organization, Schnell, the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 draft, signed with the Nationals as a minor league free agent last year and hit .257/.321/.478 with 23 homers between Double- and Triple-A. Unfortunately, he struck out a whopping 175 times in 129 games. The Padres gave him a minor league deal in January, and he’s already lasted longer in spring training than should have been expected. Still, he’s probably never going to get a chance to show off his power in the majors unless he cuts back on the whiffs.

The homers were hit consecutively by Henry Bolte, Breyson Guedez and Nick Kurtz with two outs. King was pulled after allowing his sixth hit of the inning, but he came back out in the fifth, allowing a double and recording a strikeout before being lifted again. King has given up 14 runs and six homers in 12 2/3 innings for the spring, but it doesn’t seem like a big reason for concern. His velocity is fine, and he got 13 whiffs on 45 swings today.

Civale had a 4.85 ERA last season, and he’s currently throwing about two mph slower than he did then. As friendly as Sutter Health Park played for hitters last season, this could get ugly quickly.

Leiter has allowed one run through four innings this spring, so he’s still shaping up as a strong candidate for saves with the A’s. Ideally, a younger reliever would step up, but until it happens, Leiter might be the safest pick.

Smith delivered an RBI double in the third inning that increased the Rangers’ advantage to 4-2. He then tacked onto that lead with a 427-foot (106.1 mph EV) two-run blast off of Jimmy Herget in the fifth inning. The versatile 28-year-old has been locked in at the plate this spring, hitting .387 (12-for-31) with three long balls, seven RBI and a stolen base.

Nimmo capped off a seven-run uprising in the third inning with a bases-clearing double. He’s still off to a slow spring start with his new ballclub, hitting just .214 (3-for-14) with zero homers and four RBI, but there’s no reason to doubt that he won’t be ready to go when the regular season kicks off.