MLB Player News

France is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.

France will head to the bench after he went 6-for-16 with a solo home run, a double and three additional runs while starting at first base in five of the Padres' previous six games. The Padres have an opening in their everyday lineup for one of France, Miguel Andujar and Nick Castellanos, and manager Craig Stammen looks like he could ride the hottest bat of the trio in the short term until one player clearly separates himself from the others.

Cronenworth is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.

Cronenworth was able to play the entirety of Saturday's 4-1 win after taking a Yusei Kikuchi fastball to the chin in the fifth inning, and though he reported no issues following the game, the Padres will elect to hold him out of the starting nine for the series finale in Anaheim. Fernando Tatis will receive his third start of the season at second base while Cronenworth rests up Sunday.

The Astros placed Loperfido on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a right quadriceps strain.

The 26-year-old sustained the quad injury during Friday's 9-4 loss to the Cardinals. Loperfido will be eligible to be reinstated April 28, and Astros general manager Dana Brown said during a radio appearance Sunday that he's optimistic that the 26-year-old outfielder will be ready to return at that time, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. In the meantime, the Astros will likely lean on Brice Matthews, Dustin Harris and Shay Whitcomb to pick up reps in left field in Loperfido's absence.

O'Hearn is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.

The left-handed-hitting O'Hearn hasn't been a strict platoon player for the Pirates this season, but after he played eight of 13 innings in Saturday's 8-7 loss, he'll get a breather for Sunday's matinee game while southpaw Shane McClanahan toes the rubber for the Rays. Jake Mangum will pick up a start in the outfield in O'Hearn's stead.

The Dodgers recalled Ward from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.

With Freddie Freeman going on the paternity list in a corresponding move, the 28-year-old Ward will receive his first call-up to the majors. The Dodgers added Ward to the 40-man roster over the winter after he slashed .292/.382/.558 with 36 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 143 games at Oklahoma City last season on his way to claiming Pacific Coast League MVP honors. He's gotten off to another strong start with the Triple-A club in 2026 (1.020 OPS, three steals in 18 games) and could end up serving as the Dodgers' main option at first base while Freeman is away from the team for the next 1-to-3 days.

The Dodgers placed Freeman on the paternity list Sunday, Jon Paul Hoornstra of Newsweek.com reports.

Freeman has played in all 20 of Los Angeles' games this season but will now step away from the team for a few days to be with his growing family. The veteran first baseman should rejoin the club during the upcoming three-game series in San Francisco this week. Ryan Ward was called up Sunday to round out the Dodgers' 26-man roster.

The Marlins optioned De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday.

With Kyle Stowers (hamstring) returning from the injured list Sunday, De Los Santos will head back to Triple-A in order to get regular playing time. Over his two abbreviated stints in the majors this season, the 22-year-old has gone 2-for-7 with a double and a 0:3 BB:K.

Baker was charged with a blown save Saturday against the Pirates, allowing one run on two hits and one walk with two strikeouts in one inning.

With the heart of the order due up for the Pirates in the bottom of the eighth, manager Kevin Cash called on Baker to protect a 5-4 lead. He yielded a leadoff walk to Brandon Lowe and an infield singled to Ryan O'Hearn before Nick Yorke tied the game with a single. It was Baker's second blown save of the season, though he'd previously recorded four of the Rays' previous five saves. Baker now owns a 4.32 ERA and 9:3 K:BB across 8.1 innings and currently remains Tampa Bay's leading candidate for saves.

O'Hearn went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and two runs scored in Saturday's 8-7 extra-innings loss to the Rays.

After Bryan Reynolds walked ahead of him, O'Hearn got the scoring started with a two-run homer off Drew Rasmussen in the bottom of the first inning, snapping an 11-game homerless streak for O'Hearn. He later walked and scored on Marcell Ozuna's two-run shot in the fourth. O'Hearn is now slashing .329/.417/.543 with four long balls, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored, one stolen base and an 11:14 BB:K across 84 plate appearances.

De Los Santos will be optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

De Los Santos was recalled April 10 and has started just two games since his promotion. He has one hit across five at-bats in that span, though he'll return to Jacksonville in a corresponding move for the return of Kyle Stowers (oblique) from the injured list.