MLB Player News

Cron went 2-for-4 with a run in a 2-1 loss to the Phillies on Friday.

Cron boosted his average up over the Mendoza Line with his first multihit effort of the season. The 28-year-old has hit safely in seven of his nine April contests -- including each of the last three -- but a 31.9 percent strikeout rate in the early going is still helping keep his average well below acceptable levels.

Gurriel started at first base and went 1-for-4 in Friday's 3-2 win over the Rangers.

Gurriel returned to the active roster Friday after spending the first two weeks of the season on the disabled list with a hand injury. Manager A.J. Hinch said he doesn't plan to limit Gurriel's time, presuming he shows no signs of trouble with his surgically repaired left hand. Gurriel will play some third base at times this season and will hopefully improve his line against left-handers, against who he managed a .695 OPS in 2017.

Manager Buck Showalter said that Mountcastle (hand) is progressing well but has yet to resume hitting, Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Mountcastle is able to do everything else at this point, but he will likely need a few more weeks before returning to the field at the Double-A level. When the 21-year-old went down with a broken hand in mid-March, the initial timetable was four-to-six weeks, so he's currently right at the beginning of that projection. Expect to see him begin hitting in the next week or so as he gears up for a return in mid-May.

Gurriel (hand) was activated from the 10-day disabled list Friday.

As expected, the Cuban will return to the team after missing the first portion of the season due to hand surgery and a suspension. He should take over as the team's primary first baseman moving forward. To make room for Gurriel on the roster, J.D. Davis was sent back to the minors after Wednesday's contest.

Kirilloff hit two home runs and had six RBI in Wednesday's win over Peoria for Low-A Cedar Rapids. He's hitting .273 with a .852 OPS in five games.

Kirlloff, the 15th overall pick in the 2016 draft, missed the 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He's playing in the outfield and back to full strength. His strong first week shows he could advance rapidly as he doesn't appear to have much rust from the lost season.

Calhoun went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 7-2 win over the Rangers.

After getting his first day off of the season Tuesday, Calhoun jumped right back into the fray and extended his hit streak to five games. The 30-year-old has a sluggish .255/.283/.353 slash line through 12 contests, but his seven RBI and nine runs have allowed him to maintain solid fantasy value.

Olson is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.

After starting each of the team's first 12 games, Olson will head to the bench for the first time all season as the A's face a tough lefty in Alex Wood. The 24-year-old is hitting a respectable .256/.347/.395 with two homers through 49 plate appearances. In his stead, Mark Canha will start at first base and hit second.

White (groin) made his full-season debut Tuesday for High-A Modesto, going 0-for-4 with a walk, a run and a strikeout.

He was slowed out of spring training by a groin injury, but didn't miss much time. It is also news that he was assigned to High-A -- a big jump for the 21-year-old first baseman, who only played in the Northwest League last year after getting drafted by the Mariners in the first round. White is a unique first base prospect, as he is a plus runner with debatable power. If he impresses with his power stroke in the California League, his dynasty league stock will steadily increase this season.

Abreu went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Rays.

Abreu's ninth-inning homer nearly brought the Sox back, but the rally petered out. He had a nice first week of the season, swatting two home runs and going 8-for-20 before hitting the skids in Week 2. Abreu was languishing in a 1-for-19 slide before his eighth-inning double preceded the homer.

Calhoun is out of the lineup for the first time Tuesday against the Rangers, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Calhoun had started all of the Angels' first 11 games so far. The team faces just its second lefty of the season in Martin Perez. Chris Young starts in right field in Calhoun's place, as he seems likely to do against many lefties. Young has a 120 career wRC+ against lefties, compared to Calhoun's 101 mark.