MLB Player News

Twins manager Paul Molitor posted the team's starting lineup for Monday's Opening Day game against the Tigers.

The Twins will face LHP David Price with the following lineup: 

Danny Santana SS, Brian Dozier 2B, Joe Mauer 1B, Torii Hunter RF, Kennys Vargas DH, Trevor Plouffe 3B, Oswaldo Arcia LF, Kurt Suzuki C, Jordan Schafer CF. Phil Hughes will be the starting pitcher.

Athletics first baseman Mark Canha was informed Saturday he will be on the team's Opening Day Roster, reports the Bay Area News Group.

"Having the guys come up like that really meant a lot to me," Canha said. "When you work so hard for so long, to have it validated like it was today is real special."

Canha will be a part of a platoon at first with Ike Davis. He hit .297 with six home runs and 13 RBI in 74 plate appearances this spring.

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson is believed to have the center field position about locked up, but manager Don Mattingly still hasn't made his official decision, reports MLB.com.

"You can read between the lines," Mattingly said Saturday. 

Pederson started in center during the final week of spring training and hit .349 with six home runs and 13 RBI in 63 plate appearances.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told reporters that he'll be using an eight-man bullpen to start the season. He awarded reliever Liam Hendriks the final spot on the roster and sent Ryan Goins to Triple-A Buffalo to start the season, according to Sportsnet.ca.

The right-hander Hendriks allowed four earned runs over 8 2/3 innings of work this spring. The team will go with Steve Tolleson as their emergency shortstop while Goins is in the minors. Goins batted .308 (16 for 52) with two homers and seven RBI in 26 spring games.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen collected three hits in the team's 7-5 loss to the Phillies on Friday. McCutchen also drove in one run. He recently returned to the lineup after dealing with a lower-body injury.

McCutchen, 28, had a .314 batting average with 25 home runs and 83 RBI last season. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a solid day at the plate in an 11-5 loss to the Rays on Friday, reports the NY Times.

Cabrera, who hit a home run and a double, drove in three runs. 

For this spring, Cabrera is hitting .280 with three home runs, eight RBI and eight strikeouts.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen returned to the starting lineup Friday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

McCutchen, who dealt with a lower-body injury earlier this spring, left Wednesday's Grapefruit League contest in the eighth after losing his footing on home plate. He is hitting .321 (9 for 24) this spring.

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon isn't focused on increasing his power numbers in 2015 after falling one home run shy of 20 during his breakout season in 2014. Blackmon is slated to hit leadoff for Colorado.

"Power, whatever. I don't look at the game that way," Blackmon said, per The Denver Post. "I just want to be standing on first base when those guys come up to hit. Maybe second base.

"If I run into some home runs, that's good too. But the value I bring to the team is to be on base, maybe distract the pitcher with a few stolen bases here and there and maybe the guy behind me gets more fastballs."

Blackmon had 13 of his 19 home runs at hitter-friendly Coors Field last season and all 19 of his home runs came out of the leadoff spot.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen didn't run out a ground ball in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game and left the field slowly before being officially replaced in the game, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

McCutchen, who dealt with a lower-body injury earlier this spring, said he was fine after coming out of the game. He indicated that he slipped on the plate and throttled things back just to be safe. The outfielder finished the game 1 for 4 at the plate.

Blue Jays manager Jon Gibbons confirmed that Todd Redmond and Colt Hynes are on the team to start the season, according to TSN.ca on Wednesday. Barring any changes to the rosters, the last spot on the roster will come down to second baseman Ryan Goins and pitcher Liam Hendriks.