MLB Player News

Alvarez stuffed the stat sheet in another monster performance, finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. He blasted a two-run homer -- his fourth round-tripper of the season off Rangers lefty Andrew Heaney in the second inning before drilling a go-ahead RBI double off southpaw reliever Brock Burke in the fourth inning. The 26-year-old fantasy superstar is batting a robust .295 (13-for-44) with nine runs scored, four homers and nine RBI through 11 contests.

The Padres seem pretty comfortable with a 2-3-4 of Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr., but the leadoff hitter spot has not been solidified yet by new manager Craig Stammen. If true, this would be a small boost for Cronenworth’s value — he would see the majority of the at-bats in a good lineup and could significantly bump his run total in 2026.

It’s not exactly ominous, but back injuries are never great news and can linger. Jacob Melton is stepping in today for the Rays. The Rays should have an update on Mullins’ status in the near future.

Greene said that he has no UCL damage, but said he was dealing with elbow discomfort down the stretch in 2025. Francona elaborated that “He’s just not recovering the way he’s comfortable. The ball is coming out pretty good. You’re asking a guy to go out there and throw as hard as he can. We need to make sure he’s ok.” While Greene said that he “know[s]” he has bone spurs and added he hopefully “can still make a good amount of starts and not miss a really good chunk of the season and most importantly the playoff push.” This is all rather ominous news and Greene probably should come heavily discounted in drafts at the moment until we get a more definitive update.

No major concerns here on Carter’s availability for the regular season, as apparently whatever illness Corey Seager had is going around the clubhouse.

That’s in a best-case scenario. Minter is scheduled to throw his first live BP session today. The veteran lefty reliever is recovering from a torn lat muscle he suffered last May.

Lavender missed the 2025 season while recovering from an internal brace procedure. He has thrown just seven innings since 2023, and will look to get back on the horse in (likely) Syracuse or Binghamton.

He has no timeline for his return. Kittredge was set to be one of the main options in the pen ahead of closer Ryan Helsley this season, but this shut down sounds likely to land him on IL. More hold opportunities will funnel down to Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano.

It pushes back the expected timeline back a little from our last update, where AJ Cassavell noted that Canning was expected to start the year on IL but “might not be there very long.” Canning is still working on getting his change-of-direction back so he can field the position well, but is full-go when pitching.

Bautista, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff, told reporters his arm feels good and that he’s still hoping to pitch later in the season. Ryan Helsley will be getting the save opportunities for the Orioles in 2026.

Soto finished 2-for-4 with three RBI in the lopsided contest. While the United States and Japan enter the World Baseball Classic as the consensus favorites, overlooking the Dominican Republic would be a mistake. Their lineup isn’t just formidable — it’s the kind of relentless, star-laden construction that can tilt a short tournament in a matter of innings. In an event where momentum compounds quickly, they have more than enough firepower to be the last team standing when the hardware is handed out. Soto put the metaphorical exclamation point on a five-run fourth inning, which also included homers by Manny Machado and Junior Caminero, by taking lefty reliever Brant Hurter deep to right-center field for a gargantuan round-tripper. The Dominican Republic kicks off the international tournament on Friday in Miami with a pool play matchup against Nicaragua.