MLB Player News

Donovan (elbow) is starting in left field Saturday against the Marlins, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Donovan was hit by two pitches during Wednesday's game against the Padres, prompting a day off Thursday to recover. Now seemingly healthy, the 27-year-old super-utility man will return to the top of the Cardinals' lineup and look to stay hot after slashing .308/.438/.500 to begin the year.

Contreras (hand) is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras sat out Thursday's series opener versus Miami after getting hit in the hand by a pitch Wednesday. He managed to avoid a fracture and will now return as St. Louis' DH while Ivan Herrera starts behind the dish.

Grove pitched three innings in relief against the Cubs on Friday, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one batter.

Grove has pitched more than an inning in three of his four appearances this season, with Friday's three-inning outing being his longest to date. He's mostly struggled in the early going, allowing at least three earned runs in all but one of his appearances thus far. Overall, Grove has an 11.74 ERA and 2.09 WHIP over 7.2 frames, and opponents are batting an astronomical .382 against him.

Freeman went 1-for-2 with three walks and three runs in a loss to the Cubs on Friday.

Freeman continues to get on base at an elite clip, as his .533 OBP through 10 games ranks fifth in the majors. The superstar first baseman also ranks second in the league with eight walks and is tied for fourth with 14 hits. Freeman is off to an excellent start in his quest to bat at least .300 for the fifth straight campaign.

Smith went 4-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI in Friday's loss to the Cubs.

Smith continues to hit the ball well early in the campaign, as he's slashing .459/.488/.568 through 41 plate appearances. Though he's yet to go deep, the All-Star catcher has collected four doubles and eight RBI. Smith and teammate Mookie Betts are tied for the MLB lead with 17 hits.

Merryweather tossed 1.1 scoreless innings to earn a hold in Friday's 9-7 win over the Dodgers. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out three.

Merryweather helped bridge the gap to closer Adbert Alzolay after starter Kyle Hendricks only lasted four innings, and he picked up his first 2024 hold in the process. The righty had a solid 2023, logging a 3.38 ERA along with 17 holds and two saves across 72 innings while striking out 98. Merryweather could improve on those numbers in 2024 as a key reliever for the Cubs.

Gage signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Gage was DFA'd by the Dodgers on Tuesday and released Wednesday, but the team will bring him back to provide bullpen depth at Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 31-year-old southpaw posted a 4.58 ERA and 1.64 WHIP across 37.1 frames with Houston's Triple-A affiliate last season.

The Cubs signed Sanchez to a minor-league deal Friday, per the MLB transaction report.

Sanchez joined the Pirates on a one-year contract in December, but he was DFA'd by the team March 28 after going 2-for-16 in spring training. The veteran catcher will now provide organizational depth behind the plate as a member of the Cubs.

Happ went 1-for-4 with a walk, a triple, two RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 9-7 win over the Dodgers.

Batting leadoff for the fifth time in seven games, Happ served as an effective tablesetter, and he recorded his first triple of the season as well. The outfielder is in a good position to produce atop a potent Chicago lineup, which could allow him to surpass the career-high 86 runs he recorded last season. Happ now has six runs scored so far this year.

Suzuki went 1-for-2 with a walk, a double and three RBI in Friday's 9-7 win over the Dodgers.

Suzuki is one of several Chicago players swinging a hot bat amid the team's 5-2 start. The outfielder is slashing .345/.394/.621 -- all three marks would be new career highs by a good margin if he can keep this up. Suzuki will likely cool down some, though he's certainly talented enough to post strong fantasy numbers all season.