MLB Player News

The 33-year-old had a solid season overall in 2023, slashing .251/.304/.419 with 17 homers and 61 RBI in 457 plate appearances between the Marlins and the Padres. He’ll provide the Cubs with extra depth and versatility at first base and in the outfield, but he’ll be a longshot to crack the squad’s Opening Day roster.

Hao-Yu Lee takes over at second base with Keith heading to the bench. It’s a bit unclear how much of a concern the issue is at the moment. An update on his status should be available postgame.

It’s no surprise since Basallo hasn’t really looked like himself for a couple weeks. The 22-year-old former top prospect is out of the lineup for Monday’s game against the Mets with Carlos Narváez taking over behind the dish. It sounds like he’s going to play through the lingering issue for the final two weeks, but the Orioles don’t want to take any chances with one of their key young players.

Culpepper is out of the lineup for a second straight game after suffering a right shoulder contusion when he was hit by a pitch over the weekend. The positive news is that he was able to go through a full pregame workout without any issues and is available off the bench, if needed. The 23-year-old top prospect has hit a robust .283 (30-for-106) with three homers, 11 RBI and one steal in 30 games since ascending to the majors last month. It’ll be Ryan Kreidler getting the nod at shortstop on Monday night.

Larnach is slated to undergo an MRI, according to Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com. The 29-year-old corner outfielder seems like a strong bet to wind up on the injured list at this late juncture of the season. There should be additional clarity on his status later this week.

Ohtani figures to return to Los Angeles for the final week of the regular season after hitting the shelf with ongoing knee and biceps issues last week. However, there isn’t anything close to an official timeline coming from the organization at this juncture. It’ll be top prospect Josue De Paula continuing to handle DH in his absence. There should be a definitive return timetable for Ohtani at some point later this week after he ramps up a hitting progression.

Gervase fortifies Los Angeles’ bullpen heading into Monday’s series opener against the Reds. The 26-year-old righty has allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings at the highest level this season.

It’s a tough break for fantasy managers hoping to see Sheehan take the ball against the Giants later this week. The 26-year-old righty posted five strikeouts over six scoreless frames in a no-decision against the Marlins on Sunday. He allowed just one run over 11 2/3 frames in a pair of starts after returning to the majors back on September 7. It appears that his rotation spot will be going to Roki Sasaki (blister) in a couple days. The Dodgers also have former Royals starter Kris Bubic joining their pitching equation later this week.

Weathers is working his way back from a flexor strain in his left forearm and will take a big step in his throwing progression this week. It seems unlikely he’ll make it back before the regular season concludes, but he should be an option at some point during the postseason, especially as a reliever.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters they’ll be watching Díaz’s performance closely to determine whether he can return as part of their postseason bullpen. The results simply haven’t been there for Los Angeles to pencil his name onto their playoff roster, but they’re going to give him a chance to earn a spot over the next two weeks.

It sounds like there’s a strong possibility Swanson will return for Friday’s series opener against the Reds. The 32-year-old veteran shortstop has been out with an oblique strain since mid-August. His impending return likely pushes rookie Pedro Ramírez back into a part-time role with Nico Hoerner shifting back to second base.