MLB Player News

Voit will serve as the Yankees' designated hitter in Thursday's season opener against the Orioles, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

With Aaron Hicks (back) beginning the season on the injured list, Voit and Greg Bird were already assured starting roles at either first base or DH. The Yankees have likely chosen to deploy Bird at first base initially for defensive reasons, but how both Voit and Bird perform at the plate will ultimately carry more weight regarding which of the two emerges as the primary option at the position once the team is at full strength. Manager Aaron Boone hasn't revealed the batting order for the opener, but if the Yankees' Grapefruit League lineups are any indication, Voit could slot in as the team's cleanup hitter.

The Athletics officially placed Olson (hand) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The transaction was merely a formality after Olson required surgery last week to repair the broken hamate bone in his right hand, which he suffered when he was hit by a pitch in Oakland's second game of the regular season. The Athletics have yet to offer a concrete timeline for Olson's return, but the expectation is that he'll be sidelined for at least a month or two. Kendrys Morales and Mark Canha are expected to split time at first base while Olson is out.

Manager Charlie Montoyo said Wednesday that Guerrero is ahead of schedule in his recovery from an oblique strain, Mike Wilner of Sportsnet 590 The Fan reports.

Guerrero has gotten back to hitting in a batting cage but isn't yet ready to take the field. When he gets back to game action, he'll head straight to Triple-A Buffalo rather than beginning a rehab assignment at a lower level. That likely indicates the Blue Jays don't want Guerrero to spend much time in the minors before handing him a long-awaited promotion.

Bour walked three times and scored a pair of runs across four plate appearances Sunday in the Angels' 8-4 exhibition win over the Dodgers.

Bour posted a career-best 14.7 percent walk rate in 2018, so the three free passes he took Sunday shouldn't be viewed as a major outlier. The 30-year-old's combination of plate discipline and power make him an underrated asset in deeper mixed and AL-only leagues, and he should at the very least have a clear path to steady action for the first month of the season while Shohei Ohtani (elbow) is on the injured list.

Tellez was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Tellez received his first cup of coffee in the majors in September and hit well with a .314/.329/.614 slash line and four home runs in 73 plate appearances, though he did strike out 21 times. The 24-year-old always figured to begin the season at Buffalo, but he didn't make the decision an easy one with five home runs and a .908 OPS this spring.

Diaz will be one of three players filling in at third base during Matt Duffy's (hamstring) stay on the injured list, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Duffy will miss at least the first seven games of the season as a result of his troublesome hamstring injury. Diaz and the versatile duo of Daniel Robertson and Joey Wendle are all slated to help man the hot corner during his absence. Given the nature of soft-tissue injuries and the fits and starts Duffy has already endured with the hamstring this spring, there's also a chance the veteran infielder is sidelined for more than just the minimum time. Whenever Diaz does shift across the infield from first base, Ji-Man Choi or Brandon Lowe will likely slot into the latter position.

Olson's surgery Friday was to repair a broken hamate bone, Andrew Simon of MLB.com reports. While there's no official timetable for his return, typically those injuries require 6-to-8 weeks off before the player can resume normal activity.

Often hitters struggle to hit for power even after returning from these procedures, and in many other instances, there are setbacks in the recovery process. With such a long period of inactivity, Olson almost certainly is going to need a lengthy recovery period and subsequent rehab assignment.

Gurriel went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk in Friday's game against the Mets.

The homer was Gurriel's first of what has been a stellar spring. He started out hot and hasn't let up, posting a .371 average and 1.036 OPS over 35 at-bats. Manager AJ Hinch plans to move him around the infield, much as did last season, so Gurriel may bring position versatility to fantasy lineups. His bat doesn't profile as powerful as a traditional corner infielder, but he'll be helpful for roster construction if he's qualified at middle infield (15 starts at 2B in 2018).

Olson underwent successful surgery on his right hand Friday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Olson injured his hand during the team's opening series against the Mariners. The A's have yet to provide a timetable for his return, though he figures to begin the season on the IL, with Mark Canha and Chad Pinder handling first-base duties while Olson is out.

Dixon was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Thursday.

Dixon was a long shot to break camp with the Tigers, and his .171/.286/.371 line in camp didn't do much to help his case. He'll wait for an injury to open up a roster spot.