MLB Player News

Smith went 0-for-2 with a walk and was lifted for a pinch hitter against a left-hander in the ninth inning of Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Reds.

The left-handed batting Smith has hit the skids to open the season and is hitless over his last 11 at-bats. His career OPS of .626 against southpaws leaves him vulnerable to a potential platoon at second base. The strong side of a platoon is better then nothing, but Smith's .115 average is making a negative impact on fantasy lineups.

Swanson went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 6-5 loss to the Guardians in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader.

It's been a rough start to the year for Swanson, who snapped an 0-for-10 slump across his previous three appearances with the long ball Sunday, which was his first of the season. Overall, he's batting just .138 with a .498 OPS through eight games. The veteran shortstop has gotten off to slow starts in the past, and the Cubs should give him a pretty long leash despite his struggles so far due to his proven track record.

Shaw went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in a 6-5 loss to the Guardians in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader.

Shaw continues to see ample playing time in right field with Seiya Suzuki (knee) still on the injured list. The 24-year-old hasn't done a ton offensively with a .217 batting average and .588 OPS across seven games, and his home run Sunday was his first of the year. Shaw should continue to be on the field most days, but Suzuki is working through a rehab assignment and should be back soon, which would likely push the former into more of a super-utility role.

McLain went 0-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 2-1 win over Texas.

McLain put himself in scoring position when he stole second base after leading off the eighth inning with a walk. He scored the game-winning run on an Elly De La Cruz single. The steal was the first in nine games for McLain, who had double-digit swipes in 2023 and 2025.

De La Cruz went 2-for-5 with a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Rangers.

De La Cruz had a hand in both Reds runs Sunday. He singled to lead off the fourth inning, advanced to second on a flyout to right field, and then came home on a single. In the eighth inning, he snapped a 1-1 tie with a run-scoring single. De La Cruz has hit safely in eight of nine games while recording three home runs, five RBI, six runs scored and a stolen base.

Manager John Schneider said Sunday he hopes Barger (ankles) is out for "just a day or two, or maybe not even a day," Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

He departed Sunday's game with bilateral ankle discomfort, with Schneider confirming Barger hurt both ankles on a play at first base early in Sunday's game. Schneider's comments suggest there's a chance Barger will return early this week. He should be considered day-to-day in the meantime.

Winn (hip) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Winn is sitting for a second straight game Sunday after departing Friday's contest due to left hip tightness. The shortstop is going through his full pre-game routine and could be back in the starting nine Monday in Washington, per Jones.

Barger was removed from Sunday's game against the White Sox due to bilateral ankle discomfort, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

Barger went 0-for-3 before being replaced by Jesus Sanchez in right field for the bottom of the sixth inning. The severity of the injury is unclear, so Barger should be considered day-to-day until more information is available.

Schmitt (back) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Schmitt will sit Sunday for a third consecutive game due to a sore back. Rafael Devers is covering first base in the series finale versus the Mets, allowing Jerar Encarnacion to pick up a start as the designated hitter.

Pena is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Pena played back-to-back games Friday and Saturday for the first time this season -- going 3-for-7 with two walks and three doubles -- so it's not a surprise he's taking a seat for Sunday's series finale in Sacramento. The 28-year-old will continue building up to an everyday workload after missing most of spring training due to a fractured right ring finger. Nick Allen is manning shortstop and batting ninth Sunday.