MLB Player News

Jax blew the save Thursday against the Cardinals, allowing one run on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.

The Rays had mounted a 7-1 lead in the sixth inning before St. Louis came roaring back in the second half of the frame, and Jax was unable to put out the fire. The right-hander entered the year as one of Tampa Bay's favorites for saves, with Edwin Uceta (shoulder) on the injured list, but Thursday's effort won't do him many favors. That said, Garrett Cleavinger gave up two runs in one-third of an inning, so this closer committee appears to be very much unsettled.

Martin went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Thursday's loss against the Orioles. He started in left field and batted leadoff.

It looks like Martin will bat leadoff against left-handed starters as he platoons in left field with James Outman or Trevor Larnach. Martin did make a mental error by throwing to the wrong base which led to a run, so he could be in the manager's doghouse in the short term.

McCutchen started at designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with a double in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Phillies.

McCutchen got the start against Philadelphia lefty Cristopher Sanchez but was removed the moment a right-hander entered the game. The lefty-batting Joc Pederson pinch hit for McCutchen in the seventh inning. Those two are expected to make up a DH platoon to start the season.

Topa allowed one run on two hits with no walks or strikeouts over one inning in Thursday's 2-1 loss against the Orioles.

Topa was used in the seventh inning in a tied game in his first appearance. While he could be used in late-inning save situations at some point, his first usage of the season wouldn't seem to indicate he's at the top of the mix for save opportunities.

Lewis hit eighth in the batting order and went 0-for-2 and grounded into a double play in Thursday's 2-1 loss against Baltimore. He was also hit by a pitch before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning with the tying run on base.

Lewis struggled during spring training by hitting .133 (6 for 45) with two home runs and a .449 OPS. The third baseman was once thought to be a future star who would hit in the heart of the order, but new manager Derek Shelton moved him lower in the lineup and didn't trust him in a key spot in the ninth inning. It shows that Lewis has a way to go to get back to his promising 2023 season, when he clubbed 15 homers and had a .920 OPS in 58 games.

Rasmussen didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Cardinals, allowing one run on four hits and no walks in five innings. He struck out two.

It was a strong season debut overall for the right-hander, who was able to throw 73 pitches. It's worth noting that Rasmussen tossed 83 pitches in his final start of spring training a week ago, so it might have been a bit of a surprise to see him get pulled when he did Thursday. The Rays were careful about his workload in 2025 -- Rasmussen reached the 90-pitch mark just twice in 31 starts last season -- so his pitch count will remain worth monitoring early on this year.

Caratini started at first base and went 1-for-3 in Thursday's 2-1 loss against the Orioles.

It looks like Caratini could be Minnesota's starting first baseman against left-handed pitchers. At the least, it shows new manager Derek Shelton isn't afraid to use both Caratini and Ryan Jeffers in the same lineup. Caratini may get more playing time than expected in the backup catcher role.

Mayer entered Thursday's game as a pinch hitter and went 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored in a 3-0 win over Cincinnati. He finished the game at second base.

Mayer was held out of the starting lineup against a lefty but got his chance after Reds starter Andrew Abbott was removed. Pinch hitting for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Mayer led off the seventh inning with a double and scored the game's first run. He later led off the ninth with a single that triggered a two-run frame. Red Sox manager Alex Cora plans a three-player platoon at second base with Mayer against righties, while Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio handle southpaws. Mayer should get his first start Saturday against Reds' right-hander Brady Singer.

Anthony batted leadoff and went 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Thursday's 3-0 victory over the Reds.

None of Anthony's three hits impacted the final score, but his ABS challenge in the top of the ninth inning turned a potential inning-ending strikeout into a walk. Two batters later, he came around to score as the Red Sox added two insurance runs. Anthony is expected to bat leadoff this season and could be among the league leaders in plate appearances.

Dingler went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Padres.

Dingler got off to a slow start in camp following arthroscopic right elbow surgery in the offseason, but he heated up toward the end of Grapefruit League play and carried that momentum into Opening Day. The 27-year-old is expected to see the bulk of the playing time behind the plate for the Tigers, and after an encouraging 2025 regular season that saw him club 13 homers with a .752 OPS, Dingler could be in store for bigger and better things in 2026.