MLB Player News

Shaw went 1-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in Thursday's 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks.

Shaw was making his third straight start for the Cubs, and the rookie put together his best performance to date during the team's domestic opener. There may be some growing pains for the 23-year-old, but Chicago seems committed to him at third base, and Shaw did manage a robust .867 OPS across Double-A and Triple-A last year. The 13th overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft has the talent to make an impact in the majors right away.

Gallen (0-1) took the loss Thursday against the Cubs after giving up four runs on four hits and four walks over four innings. He struck out four.

Gallen finished spring training with a 2.89 ERA and 10:5 K:BB in 9.1 Cactus League innings, and his command was shaky again Thursday as he threw just 43 of 83 pitches for strikes. The right-hander will need to get on track quickly, as he's set for a matchup with the Yankees in his second start of the season next week.

Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored in Thursday's 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks. He also stole a base.

It's been a bit of a slow start to the year for Crow-Armstrong, who went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts in Chicago's two-game opening series in Tokyo earlier this month. He didn't swipe any bags during that series either, but he got back to running once he reached base during the domestic opener. Maintaining a decent batting average remains a concern for Crow-Armstrong, but the 23-year-old has shown that he can record steals at a high rate when he gets the opportunity.

Hoerner (forearm) went 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks.

Hoerner missed Chicago's two-game opening series in Tokyo earlier this month as he recovered from October flexor tendon surgery, but he was ready to go for the domestic opener. Assuming he can stay healthy the rest of the season, the infielder should provide a solid batting average -- he's hit between .273 and .283 in each of his three full seasons as a starter -- and plenty of stolen bases, as he swiped 74 bags in 2023 and 2024 combined.

Amaya went 2-for-5 with two doubles and five RBI during Thursday's 10-6 win against the Diamondbacks.

The 26-year-old started behind the plate and batted ninth in the Cubs' domestic opener, and he powered the offense with a three-run double in the fifth inning and a two-run double in the ninth. Amaya has been a bright spot in his first two games of the season, going 3-for-8 with three doubles and six RBI, which could help him move up from the bottom of the lineup.

Happ went 2-for-5 with a walk, a double, a home run, two runs scored and three total RBI in Thursday's 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks.

Happ batted leadoff and led the way for the Cubs in the team's first game in the U.S., after they started the season with a two-game set in Tokyo. The veteran outfielder collected a hit in each of those games, and Thursday he recorded his first multi-hit performance as well as launching his first home run of the year. Happ should remain at or near the top of Chicago's lineup, and over the last four seasons he's averaged about 22 homers, 11 steals, 77 RBI and 77 runs.

Steele (1-1) earned the win Thursday in Arizona after allowing three runs on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out two.

The left-hander pounded the zone and threw 55 of 77 pitches for strikes, but he generated just four whiffs as Arizona tagged him for three extra-base hits. Steele was able to limit the damage well enough, but he's now surrendered three homers through his first two starts of the season after serving up two long balls in Tokyo against the Dodgers. A more favorable matchup with the Athletics is on the docket next week.

Encarnacion is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday on his fractured left hand, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The 27-year-old appears likely to miss at least the first month of the season. Before injuring his hand in the final week of spring training, Encarnacion was on track to open the season as the Giants' primary designated hitter, but those duties are now expected to fall to Wilmer Flores, who slugged a three-run home run in San Francisco's Opening Day win over Cincinnati.

Eldridge (wrist) has resumed playing in games at the Giants' spring facility in Arizona, but the organization hasn't decided whether he'll begin the season at Triple-A Sacramento or Double-A Richmond, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Eldridge missed some time in spring training with a sore left wrist, and while the fact that he's resumed playing in simulated games in camp suggests he's healthy again, the Giants still want to be cautious with the 20-year-old. As a result, the team may prefer to have the first baseman stockpile at-bats in a controlled setting for the time being. Eldridge saw action at four different minor-league levels in 2024, but the vast majority of his playing time came at Single-A San Jose and High-A Eugene, with whom he combined to hit 22 home runs over 444 plate appearances. He logged just 75 plate appearances in 17 games between Richmond and Sacramento.

Machado went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases in Thursday's 7-4 win over Atlanta.

Machado served as a catalyst in San Diego's Opening Day victory with some unexpected base-stealing ability. While the stolen bases are nice, they're not likely to be a major facet of Machado's game in his age-32 season. He swiped 11 bags in 2024 while posting a .275/.325/.472 slash line with 29 home runs and 105 RBI.