MLB Player News

Ohtani (2-2) took the loss against Houston on Tuesday, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out eight batters over seven innings.

Ohtani worked exclusively as a pitcher Tuesday, as manager Dave Roberts opted to give him a break from hitting. The two-way star was excellent again on the mound, racking up 15 whiffs and eight punchouts while holding Houston to two runs -- both on solo homers. Those were the first long balls Ohtani has given up this season, and they were enough to beat him, as Los Angeles managed just one run of offense. Despite the defeat, Ohtani still holds a sterling 0.97 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 42:9 K:BB through 37 innings spanning six starts. He's expected to be back in the DH role Wednesday, and his next start on the mound is lined up to be a road tilt in San Diego.

Vientos went 1-for-4 with two RBI in Monday's win over the Rockies.

While he didn't have much to show for it, Vientos was scorching the ball all afternoon, and two of his outs left his bat with exit velocities over 100 mph. The 26-year-old is slashing .273/.333/.523 over his last 13 games with two doubles, three homers, five runs and nine RBI as he turns things around after a slow start to the campaign.

Harper went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in Monday's 1-0 win over the Marlins.

Harper accounted for all the offense Monday, launching a solo homer off Janson Junk in the third inning -- his seventh of the season. He's been red-hot since his sluggish start to the season, batting .323 since April 6. The veteran also continues to thrive specifically against Miami, as the homer marked his 39th against the Marlins in his career. Harper is now slashing .271/.362/.519 with nine doubles, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored across 149 plate appearances.

Ohtani won't be in the lineup as a hitter Tuesday, but he will start on the mound against Houston, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Manager Dave Roberts stated after Monday's game that he was initially going to have Ohtani hit as well Tuesday, but he's since changed his made. The Dodgers have made it a point to give Ohtani a day off when they can, even if it means limiting him to pitching only on his turn through the rotation. It's fair to expect the two-way star to be back in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale.

Vientos went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers in Sunday's win over the Angels.

Vientos powered the Mets' offense, getting the club on the board with a two-run blast in the fourth inning before extending the lead in the ninth frame with another two-run shot. It marked the 26-year-old's first multi-homer game of the season and his first long ball since April 18. After a brutal cold spell in the middle of April, Vientos may be starting to heat up, with his OPS up to .737 across 26 contests after entering Sunday's game at .650.

Ozuna went 3-for-5 with a walk, two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI in Saturday's 17-7 rout of the Reds.

The six combined runs and RBI were a season high for the veteran DH, while the multi-hit performance was Ozuna's first since April 18. It's been a tough start to his first campaign with Pittsburgh, and even after Saturday's effort he's slashing .185/..254/.306 with three homers and 13 RBI in 28 games.

Torrens signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract extension with the Mets on Saturday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Torrens' extension will ensure that he sticks with the Mets through the 2028 season. The 30-year-old backstop has struggled at the plate this season, logging a .467 OPS through 31 plate appearances, but he makes up for his lack of offensive production with his incredible defensive skills. He'll likely continue serving as a backup to Francisco Alvarez as long as the two are both in Queens.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk Friday against the Reds.

Ozuna went yard in the fifth inning to record his third home run of the season and first since April 18 -- a span of 10 games and eight starts. He continues to hit poorly to begin the year, as he's batting just .118 with a 32.4 percent strikeout rate in his last 10 contests. Ozuna remains Pittsburgh's primary designated hitter, but he has been out of the lineup for three of the team's last seven games and could continue to see his playing time slip.

Vientos is not in the Mets' starting lineup against the Angels on Friday.

Vientos will take a seat for Friday's series opener while Brett Baty draws the start at first base and bats fifth. Vientos has reached base safely in six of his last seven games, and over that span he has gone 6-for-22 (.273) with two RBI and a 4:7 BB:K.

Torrens went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in Thursday's loss to the Nationals.

The Mets have bigger problems right now than the production they're getting from their No. 2 catcher, but Torrens has still gone just 2-for-18 without a run or an RBI over his last eight appearances dating back to April 9. He'll continue providing Francisco Alvarez with occasional breathers, but Torrens isn't making any kind of case for a bigger role.