MLB Player News

Belt (knee) will bat second and play first base for Friday's Opening Day contest against the Marlins, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Belt battled knee inflammation late in camp, though the Giants remained optimistic about his readiness for Opening Day. That optimism has proven accurate, though it's still possible Belt gets a few extra off days early in the year to make sure he stays healthy.

Choi will sit for Friday's game against the Orioles with lefty John Means on the mound, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Choi is a career .179/.275/.282 hitter against lefties, and the Rays like their platoons, so he's unlikely to start against many southpaws this season. Harold Ramirez will get the start at first base Friday.

Ohtani (0-1) was tagged with the loss Thursday against the Astros after allowing one run on four hits and a walk while fanning nine across 4.2 innings.

The two-way star could not get out of the fifth inning, and while he looked dominant at times, the one run he allowed -- an RBI single from Alex Bregman that scored Michael Brantley -- was enough to tag him with the loss as the Angels' offense had little success on the night. Ohtani contributed to those struggles with an 0-for-4 performance from the leadoff spot. He went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA last season in addition to his massive numbers at the plate, and he'll aim to earn his first win on the season when he faces the Rangers on the road next week.

Canha went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in Thursday's win over the Nationals.

Somewhat surprisingly, Canha hit seventh against lefty Patrick Corbin while designated hitter J.D. Davis hit second, but the veteran outfielder still had plenty of success getting on base from the bottom of the order. If that slot in the lineup becomes his regular home, it would impact Canha's upside in runs, but more likely manager Buck Showalter will figure out he's a better fit higher in the order.

Alvarez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Thursday's win over the Angels.

Alvarez served as the designated hitter and hit fourth in the lineup for the team's opening game of the 2022 season. He delivered his first home run of the new campaign in the eighth inning, going back-to-back with Alex Bregman. Alvarez is looking to build off his strong 2021 results, as he blasted 33 homers while hitting .277.

Hummel walked as a pinch hitter in Thursday's 4-2 win over San Diego.

The 27-year-old Hummel won a roster spot after the Diamondbacks placed Jordan Luplow (oblique) on the injured list. The switch-hitting outfielder will fill a depth role and could emerge as a platoon option for any of David Peralta, Pavin Smith or Daulton Varsho, being the only rostered outfielder who bats from the right side.

Beer went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Padres.

April 7 was National Beer Day, and appropriately enough, the rookie prompted a celebration in the home team's locker room after a walkoff blast. Arizona's offense scuffled for most of the game, but it got going after Yu Darvish didn't come out for the seventh inning. Beer served as the designated hitter and batted seventh in the order, and he will likely remain in the lower third most of this season -- that's been manager Torey Lovullo's customary practice with young players.

Beer will serve as the Diamondbacks' designated hitter and will bat seventh in Thursday's season opener against the Padres.

Few players are expected to benefit from the universal DH quite like Beer, a power-hitting 25-year-old who profiles as a below-average defender even at first base. Expect the lefty-hitting Beer to at least handle a short-side platoon role at DH, and the early season absences of two key contributors in Nick Ahmed (shoulder) and Josh Rojas (oblique) could even allow him to stick in the lineup versus some lefties, too. Beer produced a .909 OPS in 435 plate appearances at Triple-A Reno last season before getting a cup of coffee with Arizona in September.

The Padres optioned Rooker to Triple-A El Paso on Thursday.

Rooker won't immediately report to the big club after the Padres acquired him earlier in the day in a four-player deal with the Twins. He'll get the opportunity to play on an everyday basis at El Paso, and his presence on the 40-man roster should put him near the top of the list for a promotion when the Padres require another corner outfielder or right-handed bat off the bench.

Mercedes (hand) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to April 4.

Mercedes sustained a hamate fracture in his left hand that required surgery in late March, and he has a recovery timetable of approximately 6-8 weeks. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 29-year-old spend time in the minors once he's back to full health, but he should be in the mix to return to the big leagues at some point in 2022.