MLB Player News

Betts went 3-for-5 with two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI in Friday's 8-5 extra-inning win over the Tigers.

The illness that cost Betts the season-opening series in Tokyo and caused him to lose 18 pounds appears to no longer be an issue for the 32-year-old. Betts nearly won the game for the Dodgers in the eighth inning when he broke a 2-2 tie with a solo shot off Will Vest, but when that didn't stick he walked it off in the 10th with a three-run blast off Beau Brieske. Betts is 4-for-8 with a walk since returning to the lineup Thursday, and he has yet to strike out.

Allen is starting at shortstop and batting eighth against the Padres on Friday.

Allen didn't see the field on Opening Day, but he'll get his first start of the 2025 season Friday while Orlando Arcia retreats to the dugout. Allen appeared in 41 regular-season games for the Athletics in 2024 and slashed .175/.216/.247 with one home run and four RBI across 105 plate appearances before being traded to Atlanta in November.

Arcia is not in Atlanta's starting lineup against San Diego on Friday.

Arcia started at shortstop on Opening Day and went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. He'll begin Friday's contest in the dugout while Nick Allen gets the start at shortstop and bats eighth against Padres right-hander Dylan Cease.

The Padres selected Iglesias' contract from Triple-A El Paso ahead of Thursday's 7-4 win over Atlanta.

Iglesias went unused off the bench in the win, but he secured his spot on the Opening Day roster after beating out Tyler Wade for a utility infield job. The 34-year-old Iglesias may see occasional starts against left-handed pitching but may otherwise find consistent at-bats difficult to come by while second baseman Jake Cronenworth, third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Xander Bogaerts are all healthy.

Koss is an option to slide into the outfield and could operate in a utility role this season, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Koss earned a spot on the 40-man roster after a successful Cactus League campaign. The 27-year-old shortstop finished with a .341/.426/.512 slash line in 41 plate appearances as a non-roster invitee. "He's another guy I watched this spring who carried himself with such confidence," president of baseball operations Buster Posey said Thursday. "At shortstop, third -- wherever he was playing. To me, he's the epitome of a baseball player." Koss didn't suit up for the Giants on Opening Day, though the first game he gets into will mark his MLB debut after several years in the minors.

Shaw went 1-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in Thursday's 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks.

Shaw was making his third straight start for the Cubs, and the rookie put together his best performance to date during the team's domestic opener. There may be some growing pains for the 23-year-old, but Chicago seems committed to him at third base, and Shaw did manage a robust .867 OPS across Double-A and Triple-A last year. The 13th overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft has the talent to make an impact in the majors right away.

Lindor went 0-for-4 with one RBI and two strikeouts in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Astros.

The 31-year-old struck out swinging twice but still produced the Mets' lone run of the contest as he delivered a sacrifice fly to score Starling Marte during the ninth inning. Lindor has been a slow starter throughout his career with a .245 average in March and April, and he followed that trend on Opening Day this year.

The Cubs placed Brujan on the 10-day injured list Tuesday due to a right elbow sprain.

Brujan sustained the injury over the weekend, when he attempted to make a defensive play. He'll be eligible to come off the IL on Wednesday, though it's unclear if he'll be ready to play by then. Once activated, Brujan is projected to fill a utility role for the Cubs.

The Giants selected Koss' contract from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday.

After a phenomenal spring that saw Koss slash .341/.426/.512 with five RBI and 12 runs scored across 47 plate appearances, Koss will be rewarded with a spot on San Francisco's Opening Day roster. The 27-year-old has spent most of his time at shortstop throughout his minor-league career but has experience at nearly every position, which helps his case for playing time. He'll be making his MLB debut whenever he gets into a game.

Betts (illness) said Tuesday that he'll be able to play in the Dodgers' home opener Thursday against Detroit, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Betts missed the Dodgers' first two regular-season games against the Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, due to an illness that caused him to lose nearly 20 pounds. However, he was able to participate in Tuesday's exhibition game against the Angels and went 0-for-3 while starting at shortstop. Betts said that making it through that contest was enough for him to be confident that he will be ready to play Thursday. Fantasy managers who roster Betts should thus plan to have him in their lineups, though it remains to be seen whether the illness will affect Betts' play to any extent in the early going.