MLB Player News

Beer’s major league stint with the Diamondbacks in 2022 was a bust (.189/.278/.243 in 126 PA), and he also hasn’t hit in the minors the last two years like he did in the first three seasons of his career. It’s a long shot that he’ll put himself into the mix at first base or designated hitter for the Pirates.

Garcia’s exceptional performance in Grapefruit League action, which includes going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer on Friday against the Tigers, seemingly cements his spot on Pittsburgh’s season-opening roster as lefty-mashing platoon outfielder. The 23-year-old top prospect, who came over from the Red Sox in an offseason trade centered around Johan Oviedo, propensity to swing-and-miss amplifies the risk immediate risk as he acclimates to facing big-league pitching but he’s capable of generating enough hard contact to make an impact in deeper fantasy formats. The Password will go undrafted in most fantasy leagues this spring but he’s a name to watch on the early-season waiver wire front.

Rangel was in the mix to make Philadelphia’s season-opening roster as a low-leverage relief option. He’ll instead open the year back in the minors as organizational depth. The 28-year-old posted an encouraging 2.45 ERA across 11 innings over five appearances for the Phillies last season.

Hawkins flashed impressive fastball velocity this spring and figures to arrive as part of San Diego’s relief mix at some point this season. The 26-year-old was added to the club’s 40-man roster last November after compiling an impressive 1.50 ERA across 60 innings between High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio last season.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro deemed India’s early exit as precautionary while speaking to reporters after the contest. The 29-year-old utility specialist will undergo further evaluation to determine the severity of the issue later this weekend. There should be some additional clarity shortly but it doesn’t sound like a major concern.

Kelly has progressed to pitching in Cactus League contests, but his fastball velocity was down noticeably on Friday during his spring debut. He’s unlikely to have enough time to fully ramp up in advance of Opening Day, which is less than two weeks away. The 37-year-old veteran, who missed time with a back issue earlier this spring, figures to require only a brief trip to the injured list and be ready to make his season debut at some point in early-to-mid April. His brief absence gives Michael Soroka a little extra runway at the start of the year and means Arizona will probably go to a six-man rotation once he’s back in the fold. Kelly is a strong late-round selection for fantasy managers willing to wait a couple weeks for his return.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters they don’t want to take any chances with their starting backstop which is why he’ll undergo some precautionary imaging to rule out anything serious. There should be a definitive update on his status at some point later this weekend.

It’ll be a playoff atmosphere (in mid-March) at loanDepot park in Miami when Skenes squares off against a loaded Dominican Republic lineup that leads the international tournament in runs scored and is coming off a 10-0 shutout win over Korea. United States manager Mark DeRosa told reporters Skenes is slated to throw roughly 75-80 pitches in this outing. It’s a high-profile spot for 23-year-old superstar to face off against one of the best lineups he’s likely to face in his entire career. It’ll be Athletics starter Luis Severino taking the ball for the Dominican Republic. Get your popcorn ready, folks.

Hoffman fortifies Team USA’s high-leverage relief mix heading into a WBC semifinal showdown matchup against a star-studded Dominican Republic squad following a narrow win over Canada on Friday night. The 33-year-old Blue Jays closer recorded a career-high 33 saves last year in his Toronto debut.

The homer left his bat at 108 mph and was projected at 419 feet. Tucker left the Dodgers for a week for the birth of his child, but he’s never been one to require a ton of spring at-bats. He’s 3-for-12 with six walks at the moment.

Emerson’s first spring homer gave him a .206/.263/.353 line through 38 plate appearances. He might have had a chance at making the Mariners with a brilliant spring, but some extra seasoning in the minors was always the likely outcome here. If he performs well in Triple-A, he could come up to play third base, with Brandon Donovan moving to the outfield or second base.