MLB Player News

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.

Nevin (oblique) is beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Friday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Nevin is eligible for activation April 8 and would seem to have a good shot to be ready at that time. He could fill the short side of a platoon at third base for the Tigers against lefties.

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.

Miranda started at third base and went 0-for-3 with two walks in Thursday's season-opening win at Kansas City.

Miranda was limited to DH and first base for most of spring training due to a sore throwing shoulder. However, it looks like he's ready for everyday duty at the hot corner with the start of the regular season. His sore shoulder wasn't an issue at the plate as Miranda had a tremendous spring with five home runs and a 1.225 OPS.

Chapman went 3-for-5 with an RBI in a 10-9 win over the Cardinals on Opening Day.

Batting seventh in a deep and dangerous Blue Jays lineup, Chapman was one of four Toronto players to rack up multiple hits as part of a 19-hit attack. The veteran third baseman was also caught stealing, but that can be viewed as a positive sign for his fantasy value -- Chapman is an athletic player who had a sprint speed in the 78th percentile last year according to Statcast, but he's never attempted more than five steals in a season or successfully stolen more than three. If MLB's rule changes have encouraged him to use his legs more, he could make a surprising contribution in that category in 2023.

Lewis (knee) was cleared to run the bases recently and is hoping to begin playing in minor-league games by mid-April, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

When asked recently how his surgically repaired right knee was feeling, Lewis indicated it was 90-100 percent, with a goal of getting it to 120 percent. Sketchy math aside, the plan is for Lewis to go through a month-long progression with his minor-league at-bats before advancing to a rehab assignment. He's on the 60-day injured list, but it sounds like he could have a chance to return when eligible or shortly afterward.

Devers went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI in Thursday's 10-9 loss to Baltimore.

Devers offered his usual production from the two-hole, but he was the victim of a pitch-clock strikeout to lead off the eighth inning. The Red Sox were down 10-4 at the time but mounted a three-run rally after Devers' gaffe and left a runner on. There's no telling what the team might have done with an extra out and baserunner. The third baseman accepted blame when talking to Matt Ventour of MassLive.com, noting he's still adjusting to the new rules.

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.

Urias went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Red Sox.

Urias went yard in the fourth inning to help the Orioles establish a lead in the contest. The 28-year-old displayed solid power last year with 16 homers and a .414 slugging percentage over 118 contests. He's expected to fill a versatile role in the Orioles' infield this season, though hot hitting out of the gate could help him stay in the lineup regularly.