MLB Player News

Hicks went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Monday's loss to the Dodgers.

Hicks powered the Marlins' offense with a three-run homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fifth inning, though the Dodgers rallied to walk it off in the ninth inning. Hicks has seen time at catcher, first base and designated hitter this season and produced regardless of role, slashing .311/.350/.544 with six homers, three doubles, 27 RBI and 17 runs across 28 games. His 27 RBI ranks second in MLB, trailing only Sal Stewart (29).

Ballesteros went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Monday's 9-7 loss against the Padres.

Ballesteros, making his second appearance of the season at catcher Monday, put the Cubs back in the game with a grand slam in the fourth inning to give his club the lead, though it wouldn't hold in a high-scoring loss. It has been a monster start to 2026 for the 22-year-old, who's slashing .387/.435/.710 with five homers, five doubles, 16 RBI and 12 runs across 25 games. Chicago has maximized his opportunities against right-handed pitching, with 57 of Ballesteros' 62 at-bats coming against righties.

Jeffers went 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored, a stolen base and a walk in Monday's 11-4 victory over Seattle.

Jeffers contributed to the offensive outburst, driving in two runs with RBI singles in the third and eighth innings. Monday's performance marked his sixth multi-RBI game of the season, as he's swung a hot bat to begin 2026. Through 22 games, the 28-year-old is slashing .282/.414/.465 with six extra-base hits, 18 RBI, 14 runs and a stolen base.

O'Hoppe said Monday that the fracture in his left wrist is small and he believes he will return from the injured list in a "couple of weeks," Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

O'Hoppe sustained the injury Saturday against the Royals after taking a foul ball off his exposed left wrist. X-Rays revealed a small fracture, but the 26-year-old catcher sounded optimistic that his stint on the IL will be a short one. O'Hoppe would be back in the lineup by mid-May if that timeline holds, but in the meantime, Travis d'Arnaud will serve as the Angels' primary catcher while Sebastian Rivero operates in the backup role.

Ballesteros will start at catcher and bat sixth in Monday's game versus the Padres.

It's the first start and second appearance at catcher this season for Ballesteros, who is slashing .397/.446/.690 with four home runs as the Cubs' primary designated hitter. Most of Ballesteros' playing time is likely to continue to come at DH, but it would be a major boost to his fantasy prospects if he catches enough to gain eligibility at the position.

Smith (back) will start at catcher and bat third in Monday's game versus the Marlins.

Smith missed both of the previous two contests with back tightness, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go in Monday's series opener. The veteran catcher has slashed .266/.337/.392 with three home runs across his first 89 plate appearances this season.

The Marlins optioned Hernandez to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst.com reports.

Hernandez will head to the minors after producing a .159/.284/.190 batting line across 74 plate appearances on the season. His roster spot will be absorbed by Christopher Morel (oblique), who was reinstated from the injured list.

Jansen is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees.

Jansen will be rested Monday after he picked up starts behind the plate in the final two games of the Rangers' weekend series versus the Athletics. Kyle Higashioka will handle catching duties in the series opener against New York.

Pages (hamstring) will start at catcher and bat ninth in Monday's game against the Pirates.

A sore left hamstring knocked Pages out of Saturday's 11-9 loss to the Mariners and kept him from playing in Sunday's series finale, but the lone day off appears to be all that the backstop needed to overcome the issue. Pages will step back in behind the dish Monday in Pittsburgh, and while he may continue to operate as St. Louis' main catcher, he'll likely continue to cede at least a couple starts per week to Ivan Herrera.

Naylor is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rays.

The left-handed-hitting Naylor will hit the bench for a second straight game while the Guardians face off against another southpaw (Steven Matz) in the series opener with Tampa Bay. Austin Hedges will handle catching duties Monday.