MLB Player News

Voit (knee) was cleared Tuesday to begin light activities and could hit off a tee next week, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

All of the reports regarding Voit's recovery from late-March partial meniscus tear surgery have been promising. He appears to be on track to return in early-to-mid May.

Vaughn will start Wednesday and Thursday against Cleveland and should play quite a bit on the upcoming road trips to Boston and Cleveland, per manager Tony La Russa, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

He is riding the pine against righty Shane Bieber on Tuesday, and Logan Allen and Martin Perez are the only southpaws the White Sox project to face over the next week, so these comments suggest La Russa is going to give Vaughn some starts against righties. It'll be big for Vaughn's playing time outlook if he can perform over the next week, making it tougher for his skipper to keep him out of the lineup.

Vaughn is not in Tuesday's lineup against Cleveland.

Manager Tony La Russa will go with Nick Williams in left field with a righty (Shane Bieber) on the hill, as has been his wont. Considering that Williams has a 99 career wRC+ against righties and Vaughn is one of the game's top hitting prospects, this curious usage pattern has understandably drawn the ire of those who invested in the rookie in fantasy. For now, we should expect the 76-year-old skipper to stick to his guns.

Olson (thumb) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Just as manager Bob Melvin suggested would be the case following Monday's win, Olson will head to the bench for the series finale due to a bruised left thumb. The Athletics are hopeful that with the benefit of a team off day Wednesday, Olson will be ready to play in Oakland's four-game home series with Detroit, which begins Thursday. With Mitch Moreland (hamstring) also sitting out Tuesday, the Athletics will turn to Seth Brown to cover first base.

Cooper went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI in Monday's win over Atlanta.

He played hero for Miami in this one, with his two-run double in eighth inning tying the game at 3-3 before he brought Jon Berti home with a single for the game-winning run in the top of the 10th. Cooper already has two three-hit performances this season but doesn't have any other knocks, leaving him with a .240 batting average, and his 4:11 BB:K through eight games suggests he hasn't quite locked in his swing yet.

Bell went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Monday's win over the Cardinals.

Making his first appearance for the Nationals after an offseason trade from the Pirates and then a delayed start to the campaign due to COVID-19 protocols, Bell slotted immediately into the cleanup spot and showed good patience. While he's coming off a rough 2020, hitting behind Trea Turner and Juan Soto should provide Bell with all the RBI opportunities he could ask for, and if he rediscovers his 2019 form, he'll provide a huge boost to the Washington offense.

Athletics manager Bob Melvin said after Monday's 9-5 win over the Diamondbacks that Olson (thumb) probably won't play in Tuesday's series finale in Arizona, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Per Alex Coffey of The Athletic, Oakland is viewing Olson as day-to-day after he exited Monday's contest with a left thumb contusion. He sustained the injury when he was struck by a pitch during a seventh-inning plate appearance. Initial X-rays have already ruled out any structural damage, but Olson may need a day or two for the pain to subside. Oakland has an off day Wednesday before kicking off a four-game home series with the Tigers on Thursday.

Cabrera made his first start at first base and went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Monday's 9-5 loss to the Athletics.

The Diamondbacks placed Christian Walker (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Monday, so they will be rotating fill-ins at first base. That will likely be Cabrera and Pavin Smith. Cabrera has been an impact bat early for Arizona, tying Eduardo Escobar for the team lead with eight RBI. Manager Torey Lovullo won't overwork the 35-year-old infielder, but Cabrera should get four to five starts per week while appearing at all three infield base positions.

Calhoun went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 9-5 loss to the Athletics.

Calhoun recorded a multi-hit game for the first time since being activated from the 10-day injured list Friday. The 33-year-old didn't do anything flashy, as he tallied three singles and a walk on the night, but it was encouraging to see him get going at the plate after starting out 1-for-10 in his first two games. He'll be up against Jesus Luzardo on Tuesday and could be in for a down day, as he's historically struggled against lefties.

Votto went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 3-0 win over the Giants.

Votto was hitless in his first two at-bats but connected on a heater just two pitches into the sixth and sent it into McCovey Cove to extend the Reds' lead to 3-0. The 37-year-old has lost touch with the long ball in recent years despite his home field being one of the more homer-friendly ballparks in the league. Fantasy managers should temper expectations for Votto in his 15th season. He's still the team's everyday first baseman, but he hasn't produced elite numbers at the plate since racking up 36 home runs and 100 RBI in 2017.