MLB Player News
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Mark Vientos DH | NYM
Mets' Mark Vientos: Absent from Opening Day lineup
Vientos is not in the lineup for Thursday's opener versus the Pirates.
With right-hander Paul Skenes on the bump for the Pirates, the Mets will go with Jorge Polanco at first base and the left-handed-hitting Brett Baty at designated hitter. The right-handed-hitting Vientos is unlikely to be a strict short-side platoon bat, but he could sit regularly against tougher righties.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Rangers' Andrew McCutchen: Added to roster
The Rangers selected McCutchen's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday.
Despite remaining unsigned through the first couple weeks of spring training, McCutchen was able to hit the ground running after joining the Rangers on a minor-league pact. Over nine games in the Cactus League, McCutchen slashed .429/.556/.714 with one home run and a 6:5 BB:K across 27 plate appearances en route to securing his spot on the Opening Day roster. The 39-year-old is likely to fill the short side of a platoon at designated hitter with the left-handed-hitting Joc Pederson, though McCutchen may occasionally see action in the corner outfield.
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Mitch Garver DH | SEA
Mariners' Mitch Garver: Added to roster
The Mariners selected Garver's contract from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday.
Garver re-signed with Seattle as a non-roster invitee after camp opened and beat out Jhonny Pereda and Andrew Knizner for the backup catcher job. The 35-year-old will see some starts at catcher on days Cal Raleigh serves as the designated hitter, but Garver's playing time should be fairly limited.
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Heston Kjerstad DH | BAL
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Shelved with hamstring strain
The Orioles placed Kjerstad on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a right hamstring strain.
Kjerstad was diagnosed with the hamstring strain following an MRI after he sustained the injury in a Grapefruit League game last Thursday. He'll be eligible to return from the IL on April 1, but since he has yet to resume baseball activity since tweaking his hamstring, Kjerstad will likely require more than a minimum-length stay on the shelf.
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Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Posts 11 punchouts in final tuneup
Ohtani completed four innings in an exhibition start against the Angels on Tuesday, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters. He also went 1-for-2 as a hitter.
Ohtani looked dominant for most of the outing, racking up 17 whiffs among his 86 pitches and getting 11 of his 12 outs via strikeout. The only negative about his punchout spree is that it drove up his pitch count -- per Jack Harris of the California Post, the Dodgers intended for the two-way star to get into the sixth inning, but he ended up completing only four frames. Ohtani may have run out of steam a bit in the fifth, as he gave up three straight hits -- all of which were singles -- before being lifted, and all three runners eventually came around to score. Regardless, Ohtani showcased his overpowering arsenal in the outing, and it's a great sign for his readiness as a pitcher for the start of the season that he was able to approach 90 pitches. He's slated to make his first start as a pitcher Tuesday against the Guardians at Dodger Stadium.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Rangers' Andrew McCutchen: Secures roster spot
The Rangers informed McCutchen on Monday that he will be included on the Opening Day roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
McCutchen was a late addition to spring training, signing with Texas as a non-roster invitee earlier this month. He slashed .444/.583/.778/1.361 in 24 plate appearances in the Cactus League. McCutchen is expected to serve primarily as a designated hitter against left-handers.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.