MLB Player News

Conforto will start in left field and bat seventh Tuesday against the Cubs in the first game of the Tokyo Series.

Conforto was initially slated to begin Tuesday's regular-season opener on the bench with a lefty (Shota Imanaga) on the mound for Chicago. However, Conforto will end up replacing Freddie Freeman, who has been scratched for undisclosed reasons, as Enrique Hernandez moves in from left field to cover first base.

Freeman has been scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's season opener against the Cubs in Tokyo, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

The reason for Freeman's removal was not immediately available. He was brought along slowly in camp after undergoing right ankle surgery in December. Enrique Hernandez will move in to first base, opening up left field for Michael Conforto against left-hander Shota Imanaga.

Betts (illness) flew back to Los Angeles on Monday after he had previously made the trip with the Dodgers to Japan ahead of the club's two-game season-opening series versus the Cubs this week, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Manager Dave Roberts had suggested that a return to the States was in the cards for Betts after he was ruled out from playing in both games of the Tokyo Series while he recovers from flu-like symptoms. The hope is that Betts can rest up and get back to a regular routine in preparation for the Dodgers' domestic opener March 27 versus the Tigers.

Shaw is in the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers for the first game of the 2025 Tokyo Series, manning third base and batting fifth.

Widely considered the Cubs' top prospect, Shaw missed time in spring training with an oblique injury but was still able to secure his spot in the lineup for the regular-season opener. He will slot in between Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson against right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in his MLB debut, after slashing .284/.379/.488 with 21 homers and 31 steals in 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

Conforto is not in the lineup for Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Cubs in Tokyo.

This was fully expected with lefty Shota Imanaga toeing the rubber for Chicago. The Cubs are starting another southpaw in Justin Steele on Wednesday and Conforto will likely be limited to pinch-hitter duties again during that contest. Nevertheless, he hit 20 homers in 130 games with the Giants last year and could provide enough power in his strong-side platoon role to be a useful fourth or fifth outfielder in fantasy this season.

Edman will start at second base and bat second Tuesday against the Cubs in the first game of the 2025 Tokyo Series.

In the absence of Mookie Betts (illness), the switch-hitting Edman will move up to the two hole to face southpaw Shota Imanaga in the regular-season opener, breaking up lefties Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman in the Los Angeles lineup. Edman had an impressive spring with three homers and a .909 OPS in 12 Cactus League games, and he appears slated for a regular role for the Dodgers between second base and center field.

Hernandez will start in left field and bat sixth in Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Cubs in Tokyo.

The beloved clubhouse presence and valued utility man returned to the Dodgers on a one-year deal in February, and he is in the lineup for the opener with lefty Shota Imanaga on the mound for Chicago. Hernandez has a career .789 OPS against left-handed pitching compared to a career .664 OPS against right-handed pitching. With that in mind, the 33-year-old should be expected to remain limited mostly to short-side duty throughout 2025.

Pages will start in center field and bat ninth in Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Cubs in Tokyo.

The Dodgers optioned Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A last week, paving the way for Pages to start against lefty Shota Imanaga in the regular-season opener, with Tommy Edman at second base. Pages hit .357/.396/.520 against left-handed pitching last regular season compared to .213/.277/.371 against right-handed pitching. It remains to be seen just how much he will play against righties to begin the 2025 campaign.

Roupp is still battling for a spot in the Giants' rotation, Maria Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Roupp was seen as the leading candidate for the final rotation spot earlier in camp, but Hayden Birdsong is making a strong push for the job with a 0.75 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and 18:0 K:BB over 12 Cactus League innings this spring. Lefty Kyle Harrison remains in the mix as well. "Look, all three of these guys are going to pitch for us this year," manager Bob Melvin said after Sunday's game. "I don't think there's any doubt about that. But it's kind of cool to have three guys that are as talented as they are pitching for that last spot. It means we have some depth, and it means we have a good rotation. To this point, nothing's been decided. Let's put it that way."

Birdsong struck out eight over five scoreless innings against the A's on Sunday and now has a 0.75 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and 18:0 K:BB over 12 Cactus League innings this spring.

The 23-year-old right-hander is making quite the case for the No. 5 spot in the San Francisco rotation, though manager Bob Melvin stressed after Sunday's exhibition that "to this point, nothing's been decided," per Maria Guardado of MLB.com. Landen Roupp was seen as the frontrunner for the fifth-starter role earlier in spring training, and lefty Kyle Harrison remains in the mix as well in what Guardado described as the "fiercest competition in Giants camp." However, Birdsong might have the most upside for the Giants, and he is arguably the most interesting of the bunch from a fantasy perspective.