MLB Player News

Garcia went 2-for-5 with an RBI on Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Garcia has started both games since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, and he looks to have the inside track to a starting job in right field while Ryan O'Hearn (quadricep) is sidelined. Garcia recorded the first RBI of his career with a single in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. He has gone 3-for-9 with three strikeouts in his two starts this season.

Freeman went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Wednesday against the Rangers.

Freeman made his first start since returning from paternity leave and hit third in the order. All of his production came in the fifth inning, when he singled in a run while coming around to score later in the frame. Freeman had been in a slump prior to Wednesday's game, collecting only one hit across his last 15 at-bats. He should continue to mix into the lineup as Colorado's part-time right fielder.

Laureano went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 4-0 loss to the Dodgers.

Laureano had gone 0-for-7 over his previous three games and is batting just .137 (7-for-51) with two extra-base hits, two steals and a 7:21 BB:K over 18 contests in May. The outfielder's slump has him down to a .215 average and .659 OPS while adding five home runs, five steals, 19 RBI, 20 runs scored, five doubles and two triples across 46 games this season. He is still seeing the majority of the starts in left field, though he may get more off days mixed in if he doesn't turn things around.

Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, a second RBI and a walk in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Padres.

Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning and added a solo shot in the ninth. He has gone 15-for-41 (.366) over his last 12 contests, adding two homers and eight RBI in that span. For the season, the veteran outfielder is hitting .265 with a .765 OPS, six homers, 25 RBI, 25 runs scored, eight doubles and a stolen base over 45 games. He's hit eighth in the order over the last three games, but he's starting to get more productive and could move up in the next lineup shuffle.

Mitchell was removed from Wednesday's game against the Cubs due to back tightness, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Mitchell said after the game that his removal was precautionary, and he didn't seem too concerned about it becoming a serious issue. He'll have a chance to rest and recover during the Brewers' day off Thursday, which could help him return to the starting nine for Friday's series opener against the Dodgers. If Milwaukee elects to hold him out, Blake Perkins would be in line for a start in the outfield.

McCarthy went 2-for-5 with a triple, a stolen base, and two runs scored Wednesday against the Rangers.

McCarthy led off the bottom of the first inning with a single followed by his ninth stolen base of the season, tying Brenton Doyle (oblique) for the team lead. The 28-year-old McCarthy is carrying a hot bat in May, going 15-for-46 (.326) with two doubles, two triples, two homers, three steals, 11 RBI and seven runs in 15 games.

Dunn went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple and two runs scored in Wednesday's 9-4 win over Philadelphia.

Dunn typically starts against left-handers, but he got an opportunity against Phillies' right-hander Aaron Nola. He tripled and scored in the fourth inning and then scored a second run after a sixth-inning double. He's hit safely in four consecutive games, going 7-for-14 with five runs scored during the streak. A couple of Cincinnati outfielders -- TJ Friedl and Will Benson -- are slumping through the first two months, which could lead to regular opportunities for Dunn, who is batting .357 (10-for-28) over 11 games since being recalled from Triple-A Louisville.

Merrill was removed from Wednesday's game against the Dodgers with an apparent back injury, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

The young outfielder appeared to tweak something while trying to rob Shohei Ohtani's home run in the first inning, and Merrill was later taken out of the game at the start of the fifth. The Padres will likely send him for imaging to determine the specifics of his injury. If he has to miss any time, Bryce Johnson would be in line to pick up starts in center field.

Castellanos will start in right field and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.

With Fernando Tatis seeing the bulk of his playing time at second base of late in the absence of Jake Cronenworth (concussion), Castellanos has begun to seize control of a near-everyday role in the corner outfield. The Padres will include him in the lineup Wednesday for the seventh time in nine games.

Conforto is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers.

After a seven-game stretch in which he produced six extra-base hits and drew five walks, Conforto's bat has cooled down during the Cubs' series with Milwaukee. He's gone 0-for-4 with two strikeouts over the first two contests against the Brewers and will take a seat for the second day in a row Wednesday. Conforto may still be the Cubs' favored option at designated hitter versus right-handed pitching, but Miguel Amaya will start at DH on Wednesday against Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison.