MLB Player News

Rendon (oblique) remains on the bench for Monday's game against the Athletics.

Rendon avoided the injured list to start the season after battling oblique tightness late in camp, but he's yet to appear in a game thus far. The fact that he remains on the active roster suggests his return is imminent, with manager Joe Maddon indicating he could serve as the designated hitter before he's ready to take the field, but it will be David Fletcher at third base again for now.

Angels manager Joe Maddon indicated Sunday that he is considering having Rendon (oblique) return to action as the designated hitter before playing third base, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Rendon took batting practice and fielded groundballs over the weekend, suggesting that his regular-season Angels debut is imminent. While the team could play it safe by having Rendon open in a designated-hitter role, the move would likely be temporary given the value his defense adds to the team's infield.

Bregman went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 7-6 loss to Seattle.

Bregman has hit safely in all three games thus far, going 3-for-13 with a double, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored. As one of the Astros' more prolific bats, Bregman has hit third or fourth in the order in 2020.

Donaldson went 0-for-2 with two walks in Sunday's win at the White Sox. He's 1-for-9 with four walks in his first three games with the Twins, hitting second in the order in all three contests.

Donaldson had a quiet weekend at the plate even with the Twins scoring 27 runs in three games. Donaldson still drew walks at a good clip and saw 3.9 pitchers per at bat, according to The Athletic, which shows he's seeing the ball well at the plate and his hits should come.

Ramirez went 3-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI, four runs and one strikeout in Sunday's win against the Royals.

After struggling in 2019, Ramirez provided a boost to his numbers early this season as he took part in Cleveland's strong showing on offense Sunday. In addition to home runs in the fourth and sixth innings, Ramirez scored two additional times as all but one of the members of the starting lineup recorded hits. The 27-year-old has gone 5-for-12 with three extra-base hits to begin the season.

Rendon (oblique) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game at Oakland.

The 30-year-old will sit for the third straight game to begin the season as he continues his recovery from the oblique issue sustained in summer camp. Rendon fielded grounders and took batting practice prior to Saturday's contest and is scheduled for increased work Sunday, so he appears to be trending toward his return. David Fletcher receives another start at third base in his place.

Chapman, who entered Sunday's action 1-for-9 over his first two games, is also showing some signs of frustration with his future financial outlook, Shayna Rubin of the Marin Independent Journal reports.

Chapman is under team control through 2023, was originally on the books for a modest $623,500 this season (now prorated to $230,926) per Spotrac and isn't slated for unrestricted free agency until he's 30. That's a frustrating overall outlook for a player that, this year's slow start (1-for-9) over a very modest two-game sample notwithstanding, has outpaced his current compensation with 60 home runs, 159 RBI and a pair of Gold Gloves over his first two full seasons as an everyday player. However, the Athletics, already notorious for a conservative financial approach when it comes to doling out big paydays, could become even more prudent in that regard in light of their likely significant revenue losses in 2020. Chapman notably stated "it's every player's goal to get to free agency and be able to choose where you go" during a recent appearance on ESPN's Opening Night broadcast of the Dodgers-Giants game, lending credence to the notion he's playing with his financial future already weighing fairly heavily on his mind.

Astudillo has been cleared to rejoin the Twins at their alternate training site, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Astudillo tested negative on back-to-back coronavirus tests, so he has been cleared. He will look to knock off any rust and get back up to speed before potentially joining the 30-man roster in the coming days.

Rendon (oblique) fielded groundballs and took batting practice prior to Saturday's game and reportedly felt good, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Rendon continues to work his way back from the oblique issue he suffered near the end of summer camp. Manager Joe Maddon indicated that Rendon will increase his work Sunday, so the third baseman appears to be close to making his regular-season debut with the club. "He's definitely trending in the right direction," said Maddon.

Moncada is out of the lineup for Sunday's game versus the Twins.

Moncada is off to a strong start through the season's first two games (4-for-9 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI), but he'll receive a breather Sunday. Danny Mendick will receive the start at the hot corner and bat eighth in the series finale.