MLB Player News

Schwarber took Gavin Stone deep for a solo homer to lead off the first inning. After drawing a walk in the third, he plated two more runs with a double in the fifth. And with two runners on in the sixth, he slugged a three-run homer off Joe Kelly. Leading off the top of the ninth, Schwarber blasted his third home run of the game off Michael Grove. The 31-year-old slugger is hitting .261/.390/.504 with 27 homers, 79 runs scored, 73 RBI, and five steals across 479 plate appearances.

That is, of course, if this game is able to be played as there is a good chance a few games get banged due to rain Friday. Regardless, it’s great to see that the 24-year-old is back in the lineup after missing time with tightness in his lower back. There’s no reason to think he won’t be ready for the regular season.

Frazier, 33, has been out of action with a back injury, but the left-handed hitting infielder/outfielder is feeling well enough to hit against the Phillies.

Anthony was scratched from Monday’s lineup due to sickness and hasn’t been able to return. The Red Sox have had several players deal with illness this spring, with Marcelo Mayer returning to working out Friday and a few others like Triston Casas still unavailable.

The original plan was for Devers to make his debut March 5, but the Red Sox are playing it safe with the 28-year-old star. As long as Devers gets into action in the coming days, he should be ready to roll for the start of 2025, but he may begin the year as a designated hitter.

Abreu has been sick since the start of spring camp, and the 25-year-old hasn’t resumed swinging; only tracking pitches on Trajekt. The outfielder likely won’t have a long stay on the injured list — although nothing can be ruled out at this time — but this could be an opening for Roman Anthony to start the season with Boston, even if he likely would be sent down after Abreu is ready.

Perales is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t be ready to pitch until the end of the summer at the earliest. Webb and Stock were signed to minor-league contracts and will need to be added to the 40-man roster if the Red Sox believe they can help the club at some point in 2025.

Muñoz, 24, will open the season in Triple-A with the Stripers, but the 24-year-old could be a middle-inning option at some point before the 2025 season comes to a conclusion.

Gonzalez was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft in November, but the right-hander was never likely to break camp with Atlanta. He could help the bullpen at some point this summer.

Passan notes that the deal also includes a team option for an eighth year, so effectively the deal buys out his arbitration years and his first three years of free agency. The deal is pending a physical. It’s certainly well-deserved after a breakout 2024 season in which Butler slashed .262/.317/.490 with 22 homers, 57 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 125 games with the A’s. The dynamic 24-year-old has been selected inside the top 75 players overall in recent fantasy drafts.

Hampson got the Diamondbacks on the board with a game-tying two-run single off of Jhonathan Díaz in the second inning. He then scampered home later in the inning as Josh Naylor was caught stealing second base. The versatile 30-year-old is off to a nice start in his bid to land a spot on the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day bench, hitting .316 (6-for-19) with four RBI and a stolen base.