MLB Player News

Friedl is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers.

Friedl remained in the lineup the first two times the Reds faced a southpaw this season, but the left-handed hitter will take a seat Friday as the Rangers send MacKenzie Gore to the bump. Dane Myers will cover center field and bat second for Cincinnati.

Gray will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Friday's game against the Rays.

It's the second consecutive start at shortstop for Gray, who is 3-for-9 with a 1:4 BB:K in the early going this season. Brooks Lee should still handle the lion's share of starts at shortstop for Minnesota over the long haul.

Manaea allowed one run on four hits and two walks over 3.2 innings of relief in Thursday's loss to the Giants. He struck out two.

After taking over for David Peterson with one out in the fifth inning, Manaea saved the rest of the Mets' bullpen by lasting the rest of the game and throwing 74 pitches (44 strikes). Manaea's fastest pitch of the night was just 91.3 mph and he routinely sat below 90 mph with his two-seamer and four-seamer, but he's made it work with the reduced velocity so far, posting a 1.80 ERA and 4:4 K:BB over two long-relief appearances covering five innings. The 34-year-old lefty appears to be a long way from regaining a spot in the rotation, however, even if an injury were to open up a slot.

Lee is not in the lineup for Friday's game versus the Rays.

Lee started four of the first five games of the season but has now been on the bench for two in a row. The Twins will roll with Tristan Gray as their starting shortstop in Friday's home opener.

Vientos went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the Giants.

Getting the start at first base and batting sixth against Robbie Ray, Vientos got hold of a slider from the southpaw and drove it 406 feet into the left-field seats. It was the 26-year-old slugger's first homer and first RBI of the season, and while he's been used sparingly so far, Vientos has gone 3-for-9 with a double in his limited action.

The Rays recalled Bigge from Triple-A Durham on Friday.

He's grabbing the roster spot vacated by the injured Garrett Cleavinger (calf). Bigge narrowly missed out on an Opening Day roster spot despite a strong spring training, but he didn't have to wait long for his first promotion. The righty could work his way into high-leverage situations as part of an unsettled Rays bullpen.

The Rays placed Cleavinger on the 15-day injured list Friday with right calf tightness.

Cleavinger has had a rough start to the season, posting a 7.71 ERA and 3:4 K:BB over 2.1 innings covering three appearances. If he is merely dealing with tightness and not a strain, he has a good chance to be activated when first eligible April 15.

The Pirates designated Valdez for assignment Friday.

The club needed to free up a spot on its 40-man roster for the addition of Konnor Griffin. Valdez has managed just a .230/.288/.392 batting line over parts of three major-league seasons.

Mateo slugged a two-run home run in his only at-bat during Thursday's 17-2 rout of the Diamondbacks.

The utility infielder pinch hit for DH Dominic Smith in the ninth inning and took position player James McCann deep. Mateo has been used sparingly early in the year, appearing in just three of Atlanta's first seven games and getting only four plate appearances, and it'll likely take an injury or two to put him in a fantasy-friendly role.

The Pirates selected Griffin's contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.

Griffin is set to make his major-league debut Friday during the Pirates' home opener. The expectation is that he will also receive a nine-year, $140 million contract extension, per Buster Olney of ESPN, though that has not been finalized. Griffin will take over as the Pirates' everyday shortstop after collecting a .336/.420/.530 batting line with 21 home runs and 68 stolen bases in his first 127 minor-league games.