MLB Player News

Fairbanks struck out two and didn't allow a baserunner in a scoreless eighth inning to pick up a hold in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Red Sox.

Fairbanks entered the game in the eighth inning to face the heart of the Red Sox order and needed only seven pitches to get through the frame. While effective, his usage was concerning given that he had pitched nearly exclusively as a traditional closer early in the season. It's unclear whether manager Kevin Cash might continue to mix and match the back end of his bullpen, but Fairbanks could lose save opportunities moving forward.

Springer went 1-for-4 with a walk, a double, a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles.

Back in the leadoff spot, Springer reached base multiple times for the first time in 12 games, something he last accomplished April 26. It's been a tough season so far for the veteran outfielder, and through 166 plate appearances Springer is slashing a sluggish .201/.277/.295 with three homers, seven steals, six RBI and 14 runs.

Varsho went 0-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles.

Batting second once again, Varsho stole his fifth base of the season in the fifth inning but was left stranded at third base in an eventual 3-2 loss. The 27-year-old is struggling to produce consistent contact -- he's batting only .150 (6-for-40) in May -- but over half of Varsho's 27 hits on the season have gone for extra bases, as he has eight doubles and seven homers.

Cabrera is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.

Cabrera has been the Yankees' preferred option at third base all season, but he's started to cede more work of late to Jon Berti, who will occupy the hot corner for the fourth time in six games Thursday. Given that he holds a 129-point advantage in OPS over Berti for the season, Cabrera should still be the favored option more often than not, but both will see their opportunities take a hit once DJ LeMahieu (foot) eventually returns from the injured list to make his 2024 debut.

Bichette went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles.

His two-run double in the third inning looked like it would be just enough offense to get the Jays the win, until Jordan Romano blew the save in the ninth. Bichette is finally catching fire at the plate, hitting safely in six straight games and batting .435 (10-for-23) over that stretch with a double, a homer, a steal, three runs and four RBI.

Stanton is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.

Stanton will get a breather for the day game after a night game, ceding his spot in the lineup to Trent Grisham, who will man center field while Aaron Judge slots into Stanton's usual role at designated hitter. After making 33 starts in the corner outfield in 2023, Stanton has been deployed exclusively at DH through the first quarter of the 2024 season. Given Stanton's lengthy injury history, the Yankees will likely look to keep him in a non-defensive role so long as the likes of Judge, Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo all maintain health.

Martin is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees.

After recently picking up four starts in a five-game stretch, Martin finds himself on the bench for the second straight day. While he's up with the big club, the right-handed-hitting Martin should play regularly versus left-handed pitching, but the trio of Alex Kirilloff, Willi Castro and Max Kepler looks to be the Twins' preferred outfield alignment against right-handers. The outfield will become even more crowded when Byron Buxton (knee) returns from the 10-day injured list, perhaps as soon as this weekend.

Miranda is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees.

Miranda had started at third base in seven of the previous eight contests, but he'll cede the hot corner to Willi Castro in the series finale. Though Miranda has posted an .832 OPS over his last 15 games, his opportunities could soon take a hit with Byron Buxton (knee) having kicked off a rehab assignment and potentially returning from the 10-day injured list as soon as this weekend. Castro has been serving as Buxton's primary replacement in the outfield, but Castro will likely see more time at third base at Miranda's expense once Buxton is activated.

Jeffers is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees.

Jeffers will get some maintenance in Thursday's day game after he caught all nine innings of the Twins' 4-0 loss Wednesday night. Christian Vazquez will check in for Jeffers behind the dish.

Buxton (knee) went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first rehab game with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.

Buxton played seven innings in center field before being lifted from the game. He could need another rehab game or two before being reinstated from the 10-day injured list, but Buxton's return to the 26-man active roster is coming soon. He's been out for most of May with right knee inflammation.