MLB Player News

Acuna is starting at designated hitter rather than right field in Tuesday's ALDS Game 3 versus the Dodgers due to a sore right knee, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Acuna remains sore after banging up his knee on a slide Sunday in Game 3, so Atlanta will ease the stress on him a bit by inserting him into the DH slot. Lane Thomas will patrol right field for Atlanta. Acuna is 2-for-9 with two runs scored and a stolen base in the first two games of the series.

Mahle revealed Tuesday that the abdominal pull he suffered prior to his Game 2 against the Phillies in the NL Wild Card Series is no longer an issue, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.

Mahle felt a tug in his abdominal area while warming up in the bullpen before the game. However, the hurler said he didn't feel soreness during the outing when he tossed seven innings of one-run ball, nor did he feel anything during a recent bullpen session. Mahle is scheduled to start Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Edman is absent from the lineup Tuesday for Game 3 of the NLDS in Atlanta.

Atlanta is starting lefty Chris Sale, and the switch-hitting Edman has always been a better hitter from the right side of the plate. However, Edman hit just .203/.288/.335 in his final 50 regular-season contests and is hitless in the first two games of the series, so his recent struggles are taking precedence. Miguel Rojas will slot in at second base in place of Edman.

Muncy is absent from the lineup Tuesday for Game 3 of the NLDS against Atlanta.

With ace lefty Chris Sale taking the ball for Atlanta, the lefty-swinging Muncy will begin the festivities on the bench. Muncy has homered in each of the first two games of the series, and he's a candidate to appear off the bench in Game 3. Enrique Hernandez will cover third base for the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Ohtani will start at designated hitter and will bat fifth Tuesday in Game 3 of the NLDS against Atlanta.

It's the lowest Ohtani has batted since back in 2020 when he was still with the Angels. Ohtani has gone 1-for-4 at the plate in each of the first two games of the series, and he collected just a .503 OPS with zero home runs and a 34.9 percent strikeout rate over his final 18 regular-season contests. With Ohtani down in the No. 5 spot for Game 3, Mookie Betts has been elevated to the leadoff role.

Yastrzemski is absent from the lineup Tuesday for Game 3 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.

The left-handed-hitting Yastrzemski didn't start the first two games of the series versus lefty hurlers, and he will remain out of the lineup for Game 3 even though righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto is toeing the rubber. Mauricio Dubon will play left field, Ha-Seong Kim will handle shortstop and Sean Murphy is serving as Atlanta's designated hitter.

Caba (undisclosed) was activated from the 7-day injured list Sept. 21.

Caba landed on the shelf Sept. 2 due to an unspecified injury and should have a normal offseason after returning to health. He hit .236 with seven home runs, 47 RBI, 21 stolen bases and 50 runs in 82 games during the regular season at High-A Beloit.

The Padres removed Vasquez from their NLDS roster Monday.

Vasquez was added to the roster as a replacement for Walker Buehler (personal), who was on paternity leave. With Buehler back in tow, Vasquez will exit the roster. Vasquez did not make an appearance during the first two games of the series.

The Padres activated Buehler from the paternity list Monday.

Buehler was away for the first two games of the series but will be back on the roster as the series shifts to San Diego for Game 3 on Tuesday. The veteran right-hander is a candidate to start Game 4, if needed. Buehler logged a 4.63 ERA and 131:57 K:BB over 153.2 innings covering 32 starts this season for the Padres.

Clarke recently underwent surgery to remove a loose body from his left elbow.

Clarke had been slated to play in the Arizona Fall League, but he'll have to rehab instead. The southpaw is expected to be recovered in time to pitch in instructional camp in January. It's the second surgery in less than a year for Clarke, who had an operation in January to address an aneurysm in his left arm. In between those two procedures, the lefty held a 3.34 ERA and 44:17 K:BB over 29.2 innings across four minor-league stops, showcasing his electric stuff but also his control issues.