MLB Player News

Cardenas hit .269/.358/.475 with 22 home runs last year as a 25-year-old in Triple-A, but he wasn’t added to the Rays 40-man roster or claimed in the Rule 5 draft. He went back to Triple-A Durham and has gotten better, hitting .281/.346/.530 with 11 home runs and five steals in 49 games. He seems to have taken a more aggressive approach, walking less and striking out less but making more authoritative contact. The Phillies’ outfield depth has been depleted due to injuries, and they’re currently playing David Dahl regularly, so there’s a chance Cardenas could force his way to the majors.

Kirk drew a walk and scored a run in the eighth, then came up clutch in a big spot for Toronto in the ninth, taking Michael Kelly deep for a game-tying solo homer. It was the first of the season for the 27-year-old backstop looking to follow up an impressive 2025 season in which he hit 15 homers while posting a .769 OPS.

Langeliers continued his tear to start the season with a two-hit day against the Blue Jays, including a grand slam in the seventh inning to give the A’s the lead. It was already his third home run of the season after blasting two in Friday’s opener. The 28-year-old slugger is in for a big season.

Kelly replaced Hogan Harris on the mound for the A’s with the bases loaded and two outs with a one-run lead in the eighth. He was able to escape the inning and returned for the ninth before blowing the save chance on a solo homer by Alejandro Kirk. Harris had given up two runs in the eighth, while Mark Leiter Jr. and Elvis Alvarado surrendered runs in the sixth and seventh. The takeaway here is to avoid the situation if hunting for saves.

Cease was outstanding in his debut with the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old right-hander dominated the A’s over five shutout innings before a walk and a double brought a run in to score in the sixth. Cease would end his day with one out in the inning at 90 pitches -- 61 for strikes. His fastball was sitting at 98.7 mph, up 1.6 mph from last season. He generated an incredible 24 whiffs to collect a dozen strikeouts, at one point striking out seven consecutive batters. Cease will look to follow his excellent start with a matchup against the White Sox in Chicago on Sunday.

Springs worked two scoreless innings before three straight hits brought a run in to score in the third. He was then able to escape a bases-loaded jam to end the inning. Springs bounced back with a pair of clean innings and would end his day with a runner on and one out in the sixth. The inherited runner would come in to score. Springs scattered five hits and three walks while striking out two and generating six groundouts to limit the damage. He’ll make his next start at home in Sacramento against the Astros on Friday.

Fluharty took a comebacker to the knee, but the good news is that X-rays have already returned negative and it appears to just be a bruise for the left-hander. Consider the 24-year-old day-to-day.

Hicks was hit by a pitch in the second inning, then put the Marlins on the board with a sacrifice fly in the third. He later came through for Miami with a game-tying two-run blast in the fifth for his first home run of the season. The 26-year-old backstop should get regular playing time against right-handed pitching, making him a viable second catcher in deeper leagues.

Tovar’s only hit of the day left the yard and put two runs on the board for Colorado as he took Eury Pérez deep in the fourth inning. The 24-year-old shortstop is a prime bounce-back candidate after missing nearly half the season to injury in 2025. Hits in each of his first two games, including the home run on the road, is a good start.

Rumfield put the Rockies on the board with a solo homer off Eury Pérez in the second inning. It was Rumfield’s first career home run after winning the first base job this spring. The 25-year-old has flashed excellent contact skills that should play up in Colorado.

Fairbanks took the mound with a one-run lead in the ninth to close it out against Colorado. He induced a pop-up, struck out one batter, and got a fly out to secure the win and convert his second save of the season in as many games.