MLB Player News

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his fourth home run in the last six games on Wednesday night against the Phillies. He took Antonio Bastardo deep for a solo shot in the seventh inning.

The 26-year-old also had an RBI single and finished 2 for 4 in a 5-3 win.

Alvarez has really picked up the pace of late. He is batting .348 (8 for 23) with seven RBI in his last seven contests.

With a steal in each of his last five games, the Brewers' Jean Segura has pretty much established that the stolen base will remain as much a part of his game in the majors as it was in the minors, where he stole 50 bags one year. As last year's Emilio Bonifacio owners can attest, steals alone are enough to make a player indespensible at one of the weakest positions in Fantasy.

But part of the allure of Segura is that he may be more than just a pure speedster. In fact, his steals were often overshadowed by his high batting averages in the minors, and it's pretty clear by now strikeouts aren't going to hold him back. I also like that he hit .321 over his final 24 games last year, seemingly turning the corner after a bumpy start to his major-league career.

I'll be moving Segura into my top 15 at shortstop in short order, keeping him behind Alcides Escobar for now but recognizing that he has the higher ceiling of the two.

Rockies third base prospect Nolan Arenado continues to tear up Triple-A pitching. Arenado added three more hits for Colorado Springs Tuesday, raising his season average to .414 (24 for 58) through 16 games.

The rest of Arenado's slash line is .431/.759/1.189. He's added three home runs, 11 doubles, 14 runs and 21 RBI.

ESPN analyst Jim Bowden tweeted Monday one scout who saw Arenado play recently said, "He's more than ready."

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura added three more hits Tuesday against San Diego, as well as a run scored, RBI and his sixth stolen base.

Segura continues to rake, as he raised his average to .377 with a sharp .941 OPS. Segura also notched his eighth infield hit.. According to FanGraphs, Segura has recorded an infield hit on 24.2 percent of ground balls. Considering last year's league leader, Norichika Aoki, finished at 13.5 percent, we should expect Segura to stop reaching on dribblers at such an absurd rate.

Still, Segura is consistently making enough contact (10.8 percent strikeout rate) to keep hitting for a solid average.

To recap, the Pirates' Pedro Alvarez hit .042 with a home run over his first eight games last year. Then, he hit .367 with six home runs over his next 14 games. Then, he hit .143 with a home run over his next 33 games (brr, that's cold). Then, he hit .308 with 13 home runs over his next 30 games (ow, that's hot).

Then, he hit .217 with no home runs over his next 20. Then, he hit .407 with six home runs over his next 15. Then, he hit .212 with three home runs over his final 29.

And that, folks, is how he arrived at a .244 batting average and 30 home runs for the season.

After his 4-for-45 start this year, you probably benched him, but seeing as he has three home runs in his last five games, you should probably activate him before the next cold spell arrives.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura is hitting at a torrid pace to open the season.

Segura has been used primarily near the top of the order this year, and has rewarded manager Ron Roenicke with his play. Segura is showing the same strikeout and walk rates he displayed last season, but has also shown a little more power. He's not a threat to club a ton of home runs, but he's capable of using his speed to leg out doubles and triples.

Segura has also been a little lucky with a .400 BABIP thus far. Like most .359 hitters, his average is going to drop. But considering he's hitting at the top of a strong lineup, and has displayed solid skills, he should remain an above-average Fantasy asset when his numbers even out. 

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon collected his first career hit and RBI in Monday's series opener against the Cardinals. He drove in Ian Desmond with an opposite-field double in the fourth inning and finished 1 for 4 in a 3-2 loss.

"It is the one thing you are going to cherish for the rest of your life," Rendon told MASNSports.com. "You don't get another one. The second one doesn't count as much as the first one. It is just a memory in the back of your head."

Rendon, filling in for the injured Ryan Zimmerman, has gone 1 for 8 with four strikeouts in two games.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez continued his recent power surge on Monday night against the Phillies. He went 2 for 4 with a home run in a 3-2 loss.

The 26-year-old took starter Jonathan Pettibone deep for a solo shot in his first at-bat before reaching on an infield single in the seventh inning.

Alvarez has gone 5 for 15 (.333) in his last five games with three homers and four RBI.

After the Nationals promoted top prospect Anthony Rendon to take the place of injured third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on Sunday, the only uncertainty surrounding him is his playing time once the All-Star slugger returns. Manager Davey Johnson emphatically offered his point of view on the matter prior to Monday's series opener against St. Louis.

"I don't care if he hits .900, there's no way (he's) beating out Ryan Zimmerman," Johnson told The Washington Post about Rendon, who was slotted sixth in the batting order for the second straight game.

There's little question Anthony Rendon can slide right into the Nationals lineup and be a competent -- if not great -- major league player. He may not offer a lot of home runs or steals, but he has solid plate discipline and could produce a high OPS. 

Rendon has one major problem, however: a playing time crunch. Once Ryan Zimmerman returns from his DL stint, there's little the Nats can do to keep Rendon in the lineup. It's the same quagmire faced by Evan Gattis owners, but with a less optimistic outlook -- Gattis will at least play from time to time at catcher (while possibly rotating in at first base and outfield). With a stacked Washington infield, Rendon, like fellow time-crunched teammate Tyler Moore, would be lucky to get five at-bats a week.

Still, without getting too glib -- these things tend to work themselves out. Zimmerman's injury may be re-aggravated in his rehab. Adam LaRoche or Danny Espinosa may get hurt. Zimmerman owners and those Fantasy players looking to solidify their corner infield spot for the next two weeks (Pedro Alvarez owners, perhaps?) may want to look into Rendon as a short-term alternative. While he may not last deep into May, he should be a decent option until then.