MLB Player News

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.

The Orioles announced Monday that Kjerstad (hamstring) will be re-evaluated soon to determine his readiness for a rehab assignment, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Kjerstad hasn't played in a game since he strained his right hamstring back on March 19, but he's finally closing in on a rehab assignment. Andy Kostka of TheBanner.com notes that the 27-year-old could begin an assignment over the weekend with Double-A Chesapeake if all goes according to plan during the week. Kjerstad is a good bet to remain in the minors once he's activated rather than being added to the Orioles' 26-man active roster.

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.

Pederson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers.

After sitting out Saturday's 5-1 loss due to a hamstring injury, Brandon Nimmo will check back into the lineup Sunday as the Rangers' designated hitter, which leaves no room in the lineup for Pederson. With an 0-for-7 showing at the plate over the first two contests of the series in Detroit, Pederson is now batting a lowly .205 on the season.

Bell is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.

After starting each of the Twins' last eight games, Bell will rest for Sunday's day game. Byron Buxton will get a day off from playing center field and occupy Bell's usual spot at designated hitter.

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.

Jimenez elected to enter free agency Saturday after clearing waivers.

Jimenez was DFA'd by the Blue Jays on Wednesday, as the team needed to make room on the roster for George Springer (toe), the latter of whom returned from the 10-day injured list. Jimenez will now have the opportunity to select his next landing spot, and he should garner interest from teams looking to add another right-handed bat to the roster. Jimenez has gone 9-for-31 (.290) with three walks, three RBI and two runs scored this season.

Buxton went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to Toronto on Saturday.

Buxton got Minnesota off to a good start with a solo blast leading off the bottom of the first inning. The long ball extended the veteran outfielder's streak of games with a homer to three, and he's now gone deep five times over his past six contests. Buxton is currently on a big-time heater, hitting safely in seven straight games and batting .400 (12-for-30) with the five homers, seven RBI and a stolen base over that span.

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.

Buxton went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk in Friday's 7-3 loss to the Twins.

Buxton is swinging one of the hottest bats in the majors, as he's on a six-game hitting streak with multiple hits in three of those contests and a homer in four of his last five. Over his last 17 games, Buxton is 24-for-77 (.312) with nine homers, 12 RBI, 16 runs scored, one stolen base and four walks. Buxton is now slashing .260/.317/.528 with nine long balls, 13 RBI, 24 runs scored, one stolen base and a 9:36 BB:K across 139 plate appearances this season. Buxton is in the 94th percentile with his 18.5 percent barrel rate.