MLB Player News

Taylor went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

The former Brewer launched a solo shot off J.P. France in the first inning, giving Taylor his first homer of the spring. The 30-year-old is ticketed for a bench spot this season with the Mets and has had a solid camp, batting .296 (8-for-27) with a 2:5 BB:K. Should Taylor get significant playing time in 2024, which isn't out of the question given that neither Starling Marte nor Harrison Bader have played more than 120 games in any of the past three seasons, he could deliver some useful power and speed for fantasy GMs, but his career .239/.294/.451 slash line in the majors highlights his limitations.

Happ (hamstring) will serve as the Cubs' designated hitter and leadoff batter in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Rangers.

Happ will return to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 29 after missing the past two and a half weeks while recovering from a right hamstring strain. The Cubs will ease Happ back into the mix in a non-defensive role, but assuming he's able to resume patrolling left field at some point later this week, he should be ready to handle an everyday role when the team opens its season March 28 in Texas.

Taillon said Sunday his back has responded well to rest and treatment, and he plans to throw off a mound Tuesday or Wednesday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

The right-hander's back didn't initially respond well after he was scratched from his start March 9 due to back tightness, but his status has apparently improved significantly over the past few days. Taillon has yet to see game action this spring as he focused on his mechanics early in camp, so even if completely healthy he may not be fully ramped up for the start of the regular season.

Chisholm went 2-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

The 26-year-old center fielder is batting .321 (9-for-28) this spring with a 2:9 BB:K, and while he is looking for his first homer, he does have two doubles and two steals in two attempts. The Marlins are still waiting to see what a healthy Chisholm might do over a full campaign -- he's played 157 games over the last two seasons combined, posting a .251/.312/.487 slash line with 33 homers and 34 stolen bases.

Arraez went 2-for-3 with a double in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

It's the fifth time in his last six spring games that Arraez has banged out multiple hits. The reigning NL batting champ has a .382 average in camp (13-for-34) with five doubles and a 0:3 BB:K, and Arraez is locked into the leadoff spot for the Marlins after posting a .354/.393/.469 slash line with a career-high 10 homers and 69 RBI in 2023.

Fortes went 0-for-3 with an RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

The 27-year-old catcher hasn't made much impact at the plate this spring, batting .118 (2-for-17) with zero extra-base hits, although he does have a 4:2 BB:K. Fortes is expected to split reps behind the plate with Christian Bethancourt this season, but neither is likely to be an appealing fantasy option.

Ziegler (quadricep) struck out two over a perfect seventh inning to earn the save Friday in the Mets' 4-2 win over the Nationals in a Spring Breakout game.

In a game featuring exclusively prospects from the Nationals' and Mets' farm systems, Ziegler was one of the more impressive performers. The 21-year-old closed the 2023 season on Single-A St. Lucie's 60-day injured list after suffering a torn right quadricep tendon while completing his rehab from the surgery he underwent last spring to remove bone spurs from his elbow. He previously missed time with biceps tendinitis in 2022, limiting Ziegler to just 17 total starts over his first two seasons in the professional ranks. He appears fully healthy heading into the 2024 campaign, however, as he displayed a sharp fastball that hit 97 miles per hour Friday and also had his looping curveball working effectively, per Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record.

Rogers gave up three runs on four hits and two walks over 3.2 innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He struck out four.

It wasn't the crispest performance from the 26-year-old lefty, but he built up to 70 pitches (44 strikes) and appears just about ready for the regular season. Rogers has posted a strong 10:2 K:BB through 8.2 spring innings and hasn't allowed a homer, and after making only four starts in 2023 due to multiple injuries, he heads into the current campaign as one of the Marlins' healthiest rotation options.

Wesneski may be squeezed off the Cubs' Opening Day roster due to Jordan Wicks and Javier Assad both being likely to secure roles, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Wicks is the current favorite to land the No. 5 spot in the rotation, while Assad will likely shift to a long-relief role. That could push Wesneski off the roster entirely, as it may be more beneficial for his development if he's starting regularly at Triple-A Iowa. The righty could have some fantasy upside if he pushes into Chicago's rotation at some point, though for now, his appeal is limited.

Wicks appears to be the favorite to land the No. 5 spot in the Cubs' rotation to start the year, with Javier Assad shifting to the bullpen, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Wicks, Assad and Hayden Wesneski have been competing for the last starting spot in camp, with the former doing enough to stand out. The lefty has a strong 2.60 ERA across 17.1 Cactus League innings, and he showed flashes of promise during his MLB debut last season. Wicks may endure some ups and downs as a young starter, though he has interesting fantasy upside as long as he remains in the rotation.