MLB Player News

Happ went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Friday's 3-1 win over the Padres.

The Cubs only had three hits as a team, and Happ provided most of them from the leadoff spot in an effective performance. The veteran outfielder is off to a bit of a slow start, batting .214 with a .630 OPS through 10 games, but he should be able to get going. Happ has had an OPS of .750 or better in each of his previous eight MLB seasons.

Turang went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds.

A number of middle infielders classified as light-hitting have been displaying surprising power early in 2025, a group led by the Dodgers' Tommy Edman (five homers in nine games), but Turang has put himself among that group with some loud contact of his own. The 25-year-old absolutely smoked a Nick Martinez cutter in the fifth inning Friday, depositing it 418 feet away over the right-center-field fence for what proved to be the winning runs. Turang had seven homers in 155 regular-season games last year with an average exit velocity in the 14th percentile, and a hard-hit rate in the ninth percentile. Through his first eight games of 2025 he's already gone yard twice, and while the sample size is very small, he boasts an AEV in the 84th percentile and a hard-hit rate in the 60th percentile.

Miller retired all three batters faced in a scoreless seventh inning to earn a hold in Friday's 6-4 win over the Nationals.

Miller logged his first hold of the season. He entered after the Diamondbacks took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh. This was Miller's first high-leverage outing and might not be the last given how well he's performed. Over five innings this season, the right-hander has yet to allow a run or a hit while striking out five with one walk.

Megill gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Friday to record his first save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Reds.

Getting his first save chance of 2025, Megill looked amped up when he struck out Gavin Lux, the first batter he faced, on three pitches. With Devin Williams now a Yankee, Megill is set to be the main man in the Brewers' bullpen -- a role in which he amassed 21 saves last season while the Airbender was sidelined with back trouble. Through his first 3.1 innings this year, Megill has a 0.00 ERA and 6:0 K:BB.

Alexander (1-0) collected the win Friday, walking three and striking out six over 5.2 scoreless, no-hit innings in a 3-2 victory over the Reds.

Pressed into starting duty for Milwaukee's injury-ravaged pitching staff, Alexander baffled Cincinnati hitters over 83 pitches (50 strikes) as he fell just shy of recording his first quality start since May 17 of last season. The veteran lefty likely earned himself another turn or two through the rotation with this performance, but his reward for Friday's effort is that he lines up for a road outing at Coors Field next week. Through nine innings to begin the season, Alexander sports a 2.00 ERA and 9:5 K:BB.

McLain (hamstring) entered Friday's 3-2 loss to the Brewers in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter and flied out to center field.

The second baseman was a late scratch before the contest, but McLain's hamstring issue doesn't appear to be a serious one. The fact that he was available off the bench is a good sign he'll be able to return to the starting nine Saturday, although the Reds might continue to treat the 25-year-old with kid gloves given that he missed the entire 2024 season due to multiple injuries. McLain is batting .214 (6-for-28) to begin the year with three homers, a steal, five RBI and seven runs.

Hampson replaced an injured Ketel Marte (hamstring) at second base and went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in Friday's 6-4 win over Washington.

Hampson entered as a pinch runner when Marte pulled up on a first-inning double. The injury was determined to be a left hamstring strain, and there's no timetable for his recovery. Hampson is expected to fill in for the final two games of the series and could continue on as the primary second baseman should Marte require more than a few days to heal. If Marte is added to the injured list, it's possible the Diamondbacks could call up a body from Triple-A Reno that can play second base. Hampson is 1-for-6 with three walks, one steal and three runs scored through four games this season.

Martinez (0-2) took the loss Friday, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over 4.2 innings as the Reds fell 3-2 to the Brewers. He struck out two.

While the right-hander's final line didn't look too bad, Martinez couldn't seem to put the ball quite where he wanted. He needed 92 pitches (51 strikes) to record his 14 outs, and when he did get the ball over the plate it tended to be right down the middle -- a tendency he paid for in the fifth inning, when light-hitting Brice Turang crushed a cutter 418 feet to right-center field. Martinez will carry a 5.91 ERA and 7:3 K:BB through 10.2 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in San Francisco.

Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Phillies.

Hernandez was the only Dodger to get a hit versus a dominant Jesus Luzardo on Friday, and he also swiped two bags off the left-hander. Through 37 plate appearances to begin 2025, the veteran outfielder is batting .235 with two home runs, two doubles, eight RBI and five runs scored.

Harris went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in Friday's 10-0 win over the Marlins.

It was the second multi-hit game of the season for Harris, who doubled to lead off the first inning and singled to open the third. Until Ronald Acuna (knee) is cleared to return, Harris should continue to function as the No. 1 hitter in the Atlanta lineup -- at least against right-handed pitching -- due to Jurickson Profar's suspension. Dating back to last year, Harris is batting .281 (59-for-210) with 10 home runs, 24 RBI, 32 runs scored and two stolen bases in 51 games when batting first in the order.