MLB Player News

We were surprised Hoffman was available at all today, and it was probably unnecessary to use him in a three-run game against a team that had totaled six runs through the first 26 innings of the series. Still, there he was. Hoffman got two quick outs before giving up a single, an RBI double and a soft infield single. The game ended afterwards because pinch-runner Jacob Young, trying to get the tying run to second base, was thrown out stealing. The Jays have Thursday off, so Hoffman should be good to go on Friday.

Spectacular defense made Lagares a nice regular for a little while after he debuted with the Mets in 2013, but after his best season got him a Gold Glove in 2014, injuries began to take a toll and he just didn’t hit enough to remain a regular. He wound up at .250/.291/.360 with 31 homers in 850 games over 10 big-league seasons. He briefly played in Korea in 2022, but since then, he’d only played winter ball for Aguilas in his native Dominican Republic.

With Milwaukee leading the way in the NL Central, Murphy has won NL Manager of the Year both seasons since he replaced Craig Counsell at the helm of the Brewers. Whether he or the team’s front office deserves the most credit for the team exceeding expectations is a fair debate, but there’s certainly no need to mess with what’s working.

Interviewed on TSN 1050, Jays manager John Schneider today said Bieber could be back on the mound within a week or two. If all goes well from there, his IL stay to open the season should be a short one.

Injuries and inconsistent production have prevented CES fr making good on his prospect promise. He’s only 26 years old and there are some intriguing batted ball metrics under the hood, but the Reds roster is really crowded now, which makes it hard to see how he makes the Opening Day roster.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Uceta was testing his “cranky” shoulder on Thursday, and it “didn’t feel great” the longer he played catch. Uceta is set to play a key role as a high-leverage reliever for the Rays, so his absence would be a big one.

López pitched just five innings in 2025 before having shoulder surgery, so it’s nice to see that his velocity is pretty close to his career norms this early into spring training. With Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both undergoing elbow surgery, López now has a clear path to a spot in the starting rotation. Even if he’s not a great bet to remain healthy for the entire season, he’s going late enough in drafts that it’s worth taking a shot on a pitcher who had a 1.99 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 148/42 K/BB ratio in 2024.

Conley spent last season with the Nationals, pitching to a 5.01 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 107/43 K/BB ratio in 118 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old has not yet made his MLB debut and should operate just as organizational depth.

Almonte was with the Dodgers before, but was part of the trade that also sent Michael Busch to the Cubs. Almonte pitched just 19 1/3 innings in the minor leagues last year as he worked his way back from shoulder surgery. He allowed four runs on 14 hits while striking out 17 and walking 10. The 31-year-old has not appeared in an MLB game since 2024.

Kwan is a Gold Glove winner in left field, but moving to center field could help the Guardians put their best offense on the field. That would open up left field for George Valera with Chase DeLauter playing right field. All three bat left-handed, so the alignment would obviously change versus left-handed pitchers, but this feels like a likely outcome if Kwan looks good enough in center field.

The 30-year-old views that as “probably the best-case scenario.” There is no need to undergo an MRI, and Junk is “not concerned this is gonna be a mult-week thing.” That’s good news, but with Braxton Garrett healthy and Chris Paddack now in town, Junk should be off your fantasy radar.