MLB Player News
-
Josh Bell DH | MIN
Twins' Josh Bell: Connects for first homer
Bell went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run, two walks and three total runs scored in Wednesday's 13-9 loss to the Royals.
Bell has gone 3-for-15 (.200) with four walks and seven strikeouts over his first five games this season. All three of his hits have gone for extra bases (two doubles, one homer). The 33-year-old is getting steady playing time as the Twins' designated hitter, but he's batted no higher than fifth in the order after being viewed as a potential cleanup hitter late in spring training.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Grabbing breather Wednesday
Stanton is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Seattle.
Stanton will receive his first day off of the season after picking up exactly two hits in each of the Yankees' first five games. Ben Rice will get a day off from first base but will stick in the lineup at designated hitter in Stanton's stead.
-
Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Idle against southpaw
Pederson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles.
The left-handed-hitting Pederson has now hit the bench for each of the Rangers' first three matchups versus southpaws, which doesn't come as a major surprise with the 33-year-old having produced a 79 wRC+ over 668 career plate appearances against lefties. Andrew McCutchen is expected to serve as Pederson's primary platoon mate this season, but Brandon Nimmo will be in the designated-hitter spot Wednesday while McCutchen draws his first start in right field.
-
Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Smacks third homer in win
Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk in Tuesday's 9-2 win over the Red Sox.
Alvarez has now homered in back-to-back games after taking Brayan Bello deep in the fifth inning. He previously drove home Jeremy Pena with an RBI double in the first inning against Bello. Coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season, Alvarez looks back to his normal self in the early going this season, slashing .381/.536/.905 with three home runs, six RBI, six runs scored and a 6:4 BB:K across 28 plate appearances.
-
Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Launches second homer of season
Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 8-1 win over the Red Sox
Alvarez stayed hot Monday, extending Houston's lead with a two-run shot in the third inning, marking his second home run of the season. The star slugger has been pitched around early, drawing five walks through his first five games, but he continues to make pitchers pay when he gets something to hit. The 28-year-old boasts a 1.222 OPS across 24 plate appearances and so far, has reinforced his status as one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball.
-
Yordan Alvarez DH | HOU
Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Hot start to campaign
Alvarez went 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 9-7 win over the Angels.
Alvarez is off to a nice start this season, going 4-for-13 with a home run and five walks through his first four games. Health will be key for the slugger in 2026, and he is slated to alternate between DH and left field. Alvarez was limited to 48 games last year, when he batted .273 with just six homers, 27 RBI and a .797 OPS across 199 plate appearances.
-
Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Rangers' Andrew McCutchen: Homers in Rangers win
McCutchen went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, a double and an additional run scored in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Phillies.
Making his second start this season, McCutchen extended Texas' lead to 5-0 with a three-run blast off left Jesus Luzardo, his first home run this season. The 39-year-old McCutchen is expected to fill the short side of a platoon with Joc Pederson at DH after making the team out of spring training as a non-roster invitee. Through three games, McCutchen is 4-for-9 with four RBI.
-
Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: In lineup against righty
Pederson served as the designated hitter and went 0-for-1 with a walk in Saturday's 5-4 extra-inning win over Philadelphia.
Pederson, who was held out of the first game of the series with left-hander Cristopher Sanchez on the mound, got the start against righty Aaron Nola. As soon as lefty reliever Tanner Banks entered the contest, Texas manager Skip Schumaker sent Andrew McCutchen out to pinch hit for Pederson. It looks like DH will be strict platoon between the two.
-
Giancarlo Stanton DH | NYY
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton: Swats first homer Friday
Stanton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Friday in a 3-0 win over San Francisco.
Stanton provided the final run of the low-scoring affair with a 414-foot solo shot in the sixth inning. The slugger had a great spring, belting four homers in just 29 plate appearances, and he's gone 4-for-8 with a pair of RBI in his first two contests of the campaign. Stanton hasn't reached the 30-homer mark in a regular season since 2022, but that's largely due to a plethora of injuries that have cost him over 200 games across the past three years.
-
Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Rangers' Andrew McCutchen: Starts against lefty
McCutchen started at designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with a double in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Phillies.
McCutchen got the start against Philadelphia lefty Cristopher Sanchez but was removed the moment a right-hander entered the game. The lefty-batting Joc Pederson pinch hit for McCutchen in the seventh inning. Those two are expected to make up a DH platoon to start the season.