MLB Player News
-
Eloy Jimenez DH | TOR
Blue Jays' Eloy Jimenez: Unable to crack Opening Day roster
The Blue Jays reassigned Jimenez to minor-league camp Monday.
Though his longshot bid to win a spot on Toronto's Opening Day roster fell short, Jimenez was able to make a positive impression this spring with an .857 OPS over 45 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League. The 29-year-old offers limited utility on defense, so any opportunity he might have to re-emerge in the big leagues will hinge on him tearing up International League pitching at Triple-A Buffalo over an extended period. Jimenez last appeared in the majors in 2024, when he slashed .238/.289/.336 with six home runs over 349 plate appearances between stops with the White Sox and Orioles.
-
Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Angels' Jorge Soler: Belts two long balls in spring game
Soler went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four total RBI in an exhibition loss to the Dodgers on Sunday.
Soler accounted for the bulk of the Angels' run production with a solo blast in the second inning and a three-run shot in the sixth. The 34-year-old has looked rejuvenated this spring, slashing .361/.452/.750 with three homers, five doubles, nine runs and six RBI through 15 games. Soler is expected to work primarily as the Angels' DH this season but could also see occasional time in the outfield.
-
Josh Bell DH | MIN
Twins' Josh Bell: Likely cleanup hitter
Bell went 0-for-2 with a walk in Sunday's Grapefruit win over Atlanta. He hit cleanup in the order in a lineup that was likely a preview of the regular lineup for the start of the regular season, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
Bell is having a solid spring, as he's hitting .286 (12-for-42) with a home run and .839 OPS and a surprising steal of third base. He looks to have an everyday role between 1B and DH.
-
Mitch Garver DH | SEA
Mariners' Mitch Garver: Set to win No. 2 job
Garver is expected to begin the season as Seattle's No. 2 catcher, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
The 35-year-old re-signed with the Mariners as a non-roster invitee in February and will once again served as the backup catcher to Cal Raleigh. Garver still needs to be added to the big-league roster, but the club isn't expected to finalize the roster until Wednesday. During the 2025 regular season, Garver clubbed nine homers and produced a .640 OPS over 87 games.
-
Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Spring slide continues
Pederson went 0-for-2 in Friday's spring game against San Francisco.
Pederson's struggles from 2025 have carried over into 2026. He's batting just .171 (6-for-35) with zero RBI over 15 Cactus League games. Pederson is expected to be part of a rotation at designated hitter, which could also include players that have been more productive this spring. Both Andrew McCutchen (.533 average) and Mark Canha (.316, three HR) have been better than Pederson.
-
Heston Kjerstad DH | BAL
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Battling hamstring tightness
Kjerstad is dealing with tightness in his right hamstring, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Kjerstad will undergo imaging as a precaution to determine whether he's dealing with any structural damage, at which point the team will know more about how long he'll be out. The 27-year-old outfielder has posted just a .605 OPS through 42 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League and seems likely to open the regular season in Triple-A.
-
Brent Rooker DH | ATH
Athletics' Brent Rooker: Strong spring continues
Rooker went 2-for-3 with a double in Friday's Cactus League win over the Cubs.
Rooker didn't drive in a run but still squared the ball up consistently Friday, as his fourth-inning single registered at 105 mph off the bat while his fifth-inning double left the bat at 109.2 mph. Coming off three consecutive seasons with 30-plus homers and an OPS north of .800 in each campaign, the 31-year-old has looked locked in this spring, slashing .349/.404/.721 with four doubles, four homers and 10 RBI across 16 Cactus League appearances, and he'll enter the 2026 regular season with high expectations at the plate.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Continues spring power surge
Stanton went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in Thursday's split-squad Grapefruit League win over the Orioles.
Stanton kicked off the scoring with a first-inning sacrifice fly, then belted a solo homer to right field in the sixth inning. The veteran slugger didn't make his Grapefruit League debut until March 3 and didn't hit his first homer of the exhibition slate until March 9, but his four long balls is tied with top prospect Spencer Jones for the Yankees' lead this spring. If Stanton can stay reasonably healthy this season, a big if given the state of his chronically sore elbows, he should provide fantasy managers with big power numbers after going deep 24 times in only 77 regular-season games last year.
-
Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Rangers' Andrew McCutchen: Doing damage since signing
McCutchen started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's spring game against the Royals.
McCutchen, who was signed in the middle of spring training, has hit safely in all six games in which he's appeared. The 39-year-old is 8-for-15 with three doubles, a home run, seven RBI and five runs scored. He's making the most of a brief opportunity to earn a roster spot, likely as a DH.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Swats first spring homer
Stanton went 2-for-3 with a solo home run Monday in a Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates.
Stanton opened the scoring with a 424-foot cannon to left-center field in the second inning. The veteran slugger didn't make his spring debut until March 3, as the Yankees decided to ease him into action. Stanton has gone 2-for-8 with three strikeouts so far during the exhibition slate. He's probably going to spend most of his time at DH this year, but by playing 20 games in the outfield in 2025, he's eligible at that position in most fantasy leagues.