MLB Player News

Cron went 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and walk in Sunday's win over Detroit

Cron drove in a run during the first inning on a groundout to second, and he belted a two-run shot to left in the third to extend the Twins' lead to three. The 29-year-old was just 1-for-13 over his previous four contests entering the day, so perhaps Sunday's blast will get him back on track at the dish.

Bell went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, one walk and two RBI against Washington on Sunday.

He's lifted his batting average to .314 and looks more like the promising rookie from 2017 than the disappointing hitter from last season. Bell has nine extra-base hits in 14 games, including three homers: He didn't collect his ninth extra-base hit until his 35th game in 2018. Pittsburgh's offense has struggled to score runs, but not because of Bell. As a result, it wouldn't be surprising to see opponents begin to pitch around the 26-year-old in the coming games.

Walker went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in Sunday's 8-4 win over San Diego.

After two homers in his first two games, Walker was just 5-for-36 in April prior to Sunday's breakout game. He owns a .923 OPS in 52 plate appearances after posting just a .614 OPS in 53 plate appearances last season.

Abreu went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two stolen bases Sunday against the Yankees.

Abreu tacked on an insurance run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the White Sox a 5-2 lead. The 32-year-old slugger has struggled at the plate through the first weeks of the season and is batting .200 over 14 games, although he's clubbed three homers and sits on 10 RBI. The career .293 hitter will look to turn things around heading into Monday's series opener against the Royals.

Chief baseball officer Derek Falvey didn't provide an indication that Kirilloff (wrist) was close to returning from the 7-day injured list at Double-A Pensacola when asked about the matter Saturday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Rather than specifying a timeline for Kirilloff's return, Falvey merely noted that the Twins had always expected the 21-year-old to miss the first few weeks of the season due to the wrist injury he sustained in spring training. Until word surfaces that Kirilloff is ready to play in simulated games, a return to Pensacola won't be forthcoming.

Flores is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against San Diego.

Flores went 2-for-11 with a double as he started the first three games of the series, but he will take a seat for the finale. Ildemaro Vargas will start at the keystone and bat second while Ketel Marte is in center field.

Rizzo won't play Sunday against the Angels with the contest being postponed due to inclement weather in Chicago, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

A makeup date for the interleague game has yet to be announced. Rizzo and the Cubs will be back in action Monday, when the team kicks off a three-game series in Miami.

Abreu went 0-for-3 in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Yankees and is batting just .192.

Abreu opened the campaign on a tear, bashing three home runs and knocking in nine over the first eight games, but he has slid back since. He has one hit in his last 20 at-bats.

While Guerrero may not debut this weekend, he will be up "sooner than later," according to general manager Ross Atkins, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. "It's about getting built up and getting into really just regular-season form and being hopefully ready to make a debut at some point soon," Atkins said.

The Blue Jays have now waited long enough that they have Guerrero under team control for this year and the following six MLB seasons. It seems likely that Guerrero will be up for the team's next homestand, which begins April 23 against the Giants. He has only played in two games with Triple-A Buffalo, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two walks and zero strikeouts. Guerrero has apparently slimmed down since spring training and now weighs closer to 240 pounds than the 250 pounds at which he is listed.

Voit hits the bench for the first time Saturday against the White Sox.

With the rash of injuries hitting the Yankees this season, Voit has been needed in an everyday role. He's shown good power, hitting four homers, but his batting average sits at just .184. Greg Bird starts at first base Saturday, with Clint Frazier starting in left field.