MLB Player News

Cubs third baseman Mike Olt has returned to the starting lineup Saturday.

Olt was held out of Friday's game due to concerns about his shoulder. The club doesn't want Olt to over-exert himself early. It doesn't seem to be a serious concern, however, and Olt will get right back into the lineup Saturday. He will hit sixth.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez came up big at the plate, launching a pair of home runs in his team's 12-2 win over the Cardinals.

Alvarez took St. Louis starter Shelby Miller deep for a pair of solo home runs in the second and fourth innings, respectively. He drove in another run on a ground out in the eighth inning and finished 2 for 4 with one walk, three runs and three RBI. He improved his batting average to .158 (3 for 19) on the year.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado continues to recover from a knee injury, and was able to do some baseball activities Thursday. Beyond running, it is not clear what these activities entailed, but MLB.com reports he felt good the following day.

Machade remains without a concrete timetable for his return from knee surgery, but it is a good sign that he has been cleared to begin running. 

Rick Renteria plans on easing Cubs promising third baseman Mike Olt into the lineup as an every-day player to take it easy on a shoulder that experienced soreness this spring, per ESPN.

Renteria cited slick conditions at Wrigley Field for holding Olt out of the lineup Friday against Philadelphia. Olt slugged his first major league home run Thursday against Pittsburgh.

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon has returned to the starting lineup Friday.

Rendon sat Thursday in favor of Danny Espinosa. Despite the strong game from Espinosa, Rendon will get his turn to start Friday. Both players are expected to receive playing time this season, and could be in and out of the lineup quite a bit if they continue to produce. 

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria didn't hit his first home run of the season until the 12th game a year ago, but he didn't feel like waiting that long this time around.

Longoria took Blue Jays reliever Esmil Rogers deep in the seventh inning for a three-run blast to cap off a 7-2 win. He finished the game 2 for 4 with one run scored and three driven in, while striking out in each of his other two at-bats.

Longoria is hitting .400 through the season's first four games, with three runs scored and four driven in. He hit 32 home runs a year ago.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe came up big on several occasions Thursday afternoon against the White Sox in Chicago.

Plouffe trimmed a two-run deficit in half with an RBI single in the seventh inning. He then tied the game with a run-scoring single off Matt Lindstrom in the ninth inning. He finished 2 for 4 with one walk, one run scored and two RBI in a 10-9 victory. He's hitting .533 (6 for 13) with five RBI in three games.

Cubs corner infielder Mike Olt clubbed his first career home run during a 3-2 win Thursday against the Pirates.

Olt, who was playing in his third game for the Cubs and making his 19th MLB appearance, crushed a solo home run to right field leading off the second inning against Wandy Rodriguez. It would be his only hit in three at-bats.

Olt is batting .143 (1 for 7) with three strikeouts through three games.

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon is not in the team's starting lineup Thursday.

Rendon will be replaced by Danny Espinosa, who will hit seventh. Rendon won the second base job out of camp, but manager Matt Williams has said both players will see playing time at the position.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura got his first day off in the team's third game, replaced by Jeff Bianchi in Wednesday's lineup against the Braves. Manager Ron Roenicke said he planned to give Segura, who dealt with a shoulder injury late in spring training, extra days off early in season, per MLB.com.

"This was the plan with Segura to make sure we take care of the arm," Roenicke said. "There's been no setbacks, which is great, and I don't want there to be."