MLB Player News

Bernal homered for the second straight game and reached base in all four plate appearances Friday at Double-A Springfield.

Bernal is putting together a breakout season at Springfield. After collecting just a .683 OPS with one home run in April, the switch-hitting catcher is slashing .351/.407/.676 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI over 29 games since the start of May. The 21-year-old also boasts an 11.8 percent walk rate and 15.5 percent strikeout rate in his first full season at the Double-A level. Between Ivan Herrera in the majors, Jimmy Crooks at Triple-A Memphis, Bernal at Springfield and Rainiel Rodriguez at Single-A Palm Beach, the Cardinals boast an enviable collection of young catching talent.

Harris went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and a second run scored in Friday's win over the Rockies.

The center fielder homered for the second straight game and the third time in the last six contests by taking Jake Bird deep in the sixth inning. Harris' glove has kept him in the lineup despite a brutal start to the year at the plate, but he may finally be finding a groove on offense as well -- over the last eight games he's batting .313 (10-for-32) with four runs and eight RBI.

Friedl went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 11-5 loss to the Tigers.

Friedl briefly tied the game at 1-1 with a third-inning home run. The long ball was his eighth of the season and fourth in the last seven games. Friedl may be in Comeback Player of the Year territory after an injury-marred 2024 when he posted a .690 OPS. He has career highs in average (.294), on-base percentage (.384) and OPS (.832) through 66 games.

Olson went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI in Friday's win over the Rockies.

The first baseman was at the heart of a 12-run eruption by the Atlanta offense. Olson has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, slashing .291/.403/.527 over that stretch with two homers, 11 runs and 13 RBI as he puts a sluggish start to the season firmly behind him.

The Nationals recalled Loutos from Triple-A Rochester on Saturday.

With Andrew Chafin (hamstring) headed for the IL, Loutos will be called upon to replenish the Nationals' bullpen depth. The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Dodgers on Tuesday and has given up five runs over 5.1 innings across his MLB career.

Acuna went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, two runs scored and a stolen base in Friday's win over the Rockies.

The 27-year-old superstar has been on fire at the plate since coming off the IL in late May, slashing .375/.458/.667 with six homers in 19 games, but Friday's pilfer came on his first steal attempt of the season. Acuna was expected to run less after recovering from his latest ACL surgery, but the lack of activity on the basepaths is still a disappointment for fantasy investors given that he swiped a league-leading 73 bags in 2023. With one successful steal under his belt and his knee holding up just fine post-surgery, Acuna might begin to pick up the pace and return to being one of the preeminent five-category assets in the game.

The Nationals placed Chafin on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain Saturday, retroactive to Wednesday.

Chafin has turned in a 3.18 ERA and 2.03 WHIP across 11.1 innings since joining the Nationals in May, but he hasn't appeared in a game since Sunday due to his hamstring. He'll now be sidelined until at least late June, and Ryan Loutos will come up from Triple-A to fill the opening in Washington's bullpen.

The Cardinals plan to activate Walker (wrist) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, at the latest, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Walker went 3-for-4 with three RBI in his second rehab game with Triple-A Memphis on Friday. The Cardinals have an off day looming Monday before starting a series in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday. While Walker is most likely to return to the lineup Tuesday, it sounds like the club hasn't ruled out activating him before the end of its series in Milwaukee this weekend. Walker has been sidelined since late May with left wrist inflammation.

Frazier went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base Friday against the Cubs.

Frazier looked to be the odd man out when Nick Gonzales returned to the lineup, but Frazier has since overtaken Alexander Canario and Tommy Pham for playing time in left field. He's started four of Pittsburgh's last five games at the position and gone 6-for-20 with three RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in that span.

The Cardinals are likely to decide Sunday whether Donovan (toe) needs to go on the 10-day injured list, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Donovan has missed three straight games with a sprained left big toe and it sounds like he's a long shot to return to action Saturday. The Cardinals are willing to play a man short through the weekend if it means Donovan can avoid the IL and play Tuesday following Monday's off day, but an IL stint remains a possibility. Nolan Gorman will continue to fill in at second base while Donovan is shelved.