MLB Player News

Senzel (toe) is expected to play a utility role when he returns from the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Senzel is likely to play both third base and the corner outfield spots when he begins a rehab assignment, and those are very likely the positions he'll play with the Reds, as well. The second pick of the 2016 MLB Draft has struggled to stay on the field thus far, and his career .240/.303/.360 slash shows that he hasn't been particularly effective when he has.

Muncy went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in Thursday's 8-2 victory versus the Diamondbacks.

Muncy made some plate adjustments this spring in the hopes of improving upon his .196/.329/.384 slash line from last season, and his Cactus League results were solid as he slashed .304/.418/.587 with three homers. The third baseman wasn't able to carry forward the positive spring, however, as he became just the second major-leaguer in history to strike out five times on Opening Day, per Eric Stephen of SBNation.com. Muncy should have a long leash as a middle-of-the order bat for Los Angeles and will be given plenty of opportunities to bounce back from his season-opening platinum sombrero, but the performance is a reminder to fantasy managers that Muncy has hit below .200 in two of his past three campaigns.

Longoria isn't in the lineup Friday against the Dodgers.

Longoria will take a seat Friday after starting the season with an 0-for-3 performance Thursday. Josh Rojas will take over at the hot corner and bat in the leadoff spot.

McMahon went 1-for-5 with a double and a stolen base Thursday against the Padres.

McMahon, a left-handed bat, was in the starting lineup and hit sixth even with southpaw Blake Snell on the mound, though it remains to be seen if he'll get regular at-bats without the handedness advantage beyond Opening Day. His production came entirely against righty Domingo Tapia in the sixth inning Thursday, when he hit a double with no outs but was ultimately stranded at third. When Colorado faces right-handed starters, McMahon is expected to hit third in the order.

Arenado went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Blue Jays.

Arenado was one of five Cardinals to post multiple hits in the back-and-forth game. The third baseman battled a minor hand injury after he was hit by a pitch at the World Baseball Classic, but he appears to be in great form to open the season. Arenado is expected to bat cleanup throughout the year as he looks to follow up a strong 2022 that saw him slash .293/.358/.533 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI over 148 contests.

Hayes is batting sixth in the Pirates' season opener Thursday at Cincinnati.

It's not an ideal lineup spot for what Hayes brings to the table in fantasy, though he could move up quickly if he shows improved power and OBP skills out of the gate. The 26-year-old third baseman posted a highly underwhelming .244/.314/.345 slash line with seven home runs (and 20 stolen bases) over 136 games for Pittsburgh in 2022.

Vargas will begin the season as the Nationals' primary utility infielder.

The 31-year-old switch hitter posted a surprising .280/.308/.398 slash line in 196 plate appearances for the Nats last season after coming over from the Cubs, earning a one-year deal in the offseason for his efforts. Vargas saw action at three different infield spots as well as left field for Washington in 2022, but his main role this year will probably be to spell Luis Garcia at second base against tough left-handers, although Garcia will get the nod Opening Day against Atlanta's Max Fried.

The Reds placed Senzel (toe) on the 10-day injured list Thursday.

Senzel did wind up appearing in a few Cactus League games at the end of spring camp, but he still has a bit more work to do as he recovers from a pair of surgeries for a left toe fracture. He should be an option for the Reds by mid-April if all continues to go well.

The Reds selected Vosler's contract Thursday.

Vosler had a strong showing in the Cactus League this spring and might be a regular option between first base and designated for the Reds as the season gets underway. He's actually starting at first base and batting fifth in Thursday's Opening Day game against the Pirates. The 29-year-old posted an .812 OPS in 111 plate appearances last season with San Francisco.

Castro is absent from the Pirates' lineup for Thursday's opener against the Reds.

Castro struggled this spring which caused him to lose the grip on his presumed starting role at second base. It will be Ji Hwan Bae at the keystone Thursday. The switch-hitting Castro figures to start at second against lefties, although it probably won't be a strict platoon.