MLB Player News
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Jack Flaherty SP | DET
Tigers' Jack Flaherty: Falls short of win Saturday
Flaherty didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 11-6 win over the Cardinals, getting charged with five runs on three hits and four walks over four-plus innings. He struck out six.
Facing the team he made his big-league debut with in 2017, Flaherty was cruising with a 7-1 lead heading into the fifth inning, but he put the first four batters of the frame on base before getting the hook after 86 pitches (47 strikes). Jordan Walker then greeted reliever Drew Anderson with a grand slam, tacking three more runs onto Flaherty's ledger. The veteran right-hander has fallen short of lasting five innings in both his starts to begin the year, posting a 7.56 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 8:8 K:BB through 8.1 innings. He'll try to find some consistency in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Minnesota.
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Slade Cecconi SP | CLE
Guardians' Slade Cecconi: Saturday's start postponed
Cecconi won't make his scheduled start against the Cubs on Saturday, as the game was postponed due to inclement weather, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Chicago and Cleveland will make up Saturday's contest in a doubleheader Sunday, and Cecconi is penciled in to start the early game, per Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. The 26-year-old righty got off to a poor start to the season by allowing six earned runs in 4.1 innings during his season debut against the Mariners last Sunday.
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Byron Buxton DH | MIN
Twins' Byron Buxton: Not in Saturday's lineup
Buxton (forearm) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rays, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
X-rays on Buxton's forearm came back negative after he was hit by a pitch Friday, but the Twins will keep him out of the lineup Saturday as a precaution. An extended absence doesn't seem likely, however, as manager Derek Shelton said he believes the 32-year-old outfielder could be back in the starting nine within a day or two and could even be available off the bench for Saturday's contest.
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Carson Williams SS | TB
Rays' Carson Williams: Getting breather Saturday
Williams isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Williams has gone 0-for-11 at the plate and struck out six times over his last three starts, and the Rays will now give him a day off to reset. Ben Williamson will fill the void at shortstop and bat seventh.
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Tyler Fitzgerald CF | TOR
Blue Jays' Tyler Fitzgerald: Traded to Jays
The Blue Jays acquired Fitzgerald from the Giants on Saturday in exchange for cash and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo.
Fitzgerald was DFA'd by the Giants in late March, but moving to Toronto will allow him to remain on a 40-man roster. Regression hit the 28-year-old hard last season, as he posted a .605 OPS across 243 plate appearances after finishing 2024 with an .831 OPS. He's already off to an 0-for-12 start in Triple-A this year, but his defensive versatility will help keep him in consideration for a return to the majors.
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Jose Caballero 2B | NYY
Yankees' Jose Caballero: Swipes two bags Friday
Caballero went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run and two stolen bases in an 8-2 win against the Marlins on Friday.
Even without notching a hit, Caballero made his fantasy managers happy with his pair of thefts. Those who roster the speedster shouldn't be looking for much more from Caballero, who has never hit above .236 or hit more than nine homers in a major-league regular season but who has stolen 122 bases across 376 contests. He's been pretty true to form so far in 2026, posting a lowly .398 OPS and just one RBI but contributing three thefts through seven games. Caballero should maintain a near-everyday role at shortstop for the Yankees until Anthony Volpe (shoulder) is ready to come off the IL, which could happen around early May.
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Ben Rice 1B | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Goes deep again Friday
Rice went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double and three total RBI in an 8-2 win over Miami on Friday.
Rice logged most of his production late in the contest, cranking a solo homer to right field in the seventh inning and adding a two-run double in the eighth. The powerful first baseman is off to a great start this season, slashing .409/.500/.864 with two homers while leading the Yankees in both runs (seven) and RBI (eight). He's started six of New York's seven games so far, with one of those starts coming as the DH, and even with Paul Goldschmidt in the mix at first base, it seems likely that manager Aaron Boone will get Rice's bat in the lineup nearly every day.
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Samuel Basallo C | BAL
Orioles' Samuel Basallo: Idle Saturday
Basallo isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Pittsburgh.
Basallo will get a day off to regroup after going just 4-for-23 (.174) through his first six games. His absence will put Taylor Ward in the DH spot while Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras and Colton Cowser form Baltimore's outfield trio.
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Cam Smith 3B | HOU
Astros' Cam Smith: Day off Saturday
Smith isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Smith will head to the bench for the first time this season after collecting hits in five of his last six games. Joey Loperfido will replace him in right field and bat sixth.