MLB Player News

It’s incredibly hard for any player to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame during their first year on the ballot. Any candidate who receives votes on 75 percent of all ballots cast will earn election, which usually means just a small handful get in any season. However, it’s certainly an honor for these players to be considered and there are a handful, like Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, and Chase Utley who seem likely to have their names called eventually.

Torkelson had a huge Opening Day for the Tigers — blasting a solo home run and walking four times — so it’s good to see him earn the trust of manager A.J. Hinch and remain in the lineup against right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday night. If what he did during Grapefruit League play wasn’t a mirage, he may wind up being one of the best overall values of the 2025 fantasy season.

The 30-year-old backstop has started each of the team’s first three games, so it’s not hugely surprising to see him get a night off. He should be back in there for Saturday’s series finale. Austin Barnes will start in his place on Friday night and will bat ninth against former battery-mate Jack Flaherty.

The 27-year-old outfielder was a late addition to the Rays’ roster after Richie Palacios landed on the injured list with a fractured finger. Misner entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning and wound up making a major impact when he strolled to the dish in the ninth. There, he clubbed the very first pitch that Victor Vodnik threw for a 351-foot (108.1 mph EV) game-winning blast. It’s not going to immediately earn him more time in the Rays’ lineup, but it’s an unbelievable start to the 2025 season for Misner.

Fairbanks was called upon to pitch the top half of the ninth inning with the score tied at two runs apiece. It wasn’t the smoothest of frames for the 31-year-old hurler, as he issued a pair of walks, though one of them was cut down attempting to steal second base. He then recorded a pair of strikeouts to escape trouble and became the beneficiary when the Rays walked it off in the home half of the frame. He appears to be locked in as the Rays’ primary closer for as long as he remains healthy.

The right-hander piled up eight strikeouts on the afternoon while issuing only one base on balls. The Rockies scratched out an unearned run against him in the third inning then added another in the fourth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kyle Farmer. Pepiot generated 16 swings and misses on 85 pitches on the day — eight of those on his changeup — while posting a CSW of 29 percent. He’ll look to carry over the good vibes from this start when he takes the ball against the Pirates at home on Wednesday.

Tovar opened the scoring in the ballgame with an RBI double off of Ryan Pepiot in the third inning. He was then nabbed attempting to steal third base. The 23-year-old shortstop is coming off of a breakout 2024 campaign and could be poised to reach even higher heights in 2025 if he’s going to be more aggressive on the basepaths.

The 31-year-old southpaw scattered just two hits on the day and didn’t allow a base on balls. He exited with a 2-0 lead and in line for a hard-earned victory, but the Rockies’ bullpen was unable to hang on for him. Freeland got 12 swings and misses on just 67 pitches in the ballgame, registering an elite CSW of 42 percent. He remains a sketchy fantasy option at best for Thursday’s matchup against the Phillies in Philadelphia.

The extension, which was announced by the Diamondbacks, runs from 2026 to 2030 and includes a $21 million team option for 2031 and a $25 million mutual option for the 2032 campaign. Robert Murray of Fansided adds that the deal contains limited no-trade protection for Pfaadt for the 2030-2032 seasons. The 26-year-old hurler gets some long-term financial security added to his deal while the Diamondbacks lock up one of the most intriguing young right-handers in the game for an extended period of time. Seems like a win for both sides.

With Nick Gonzales going down with a fractured left ankle, the Pirates had a sudden need for extra depth in the infield and that’s where Valdez comes in. He may see some action at second base against left-handed pitching, but it’s difficult to envision him carving out a large enough role to gain relevancy for fantasy purposes.

Ouch. Gonzales suffered the injury on Opening Day after he had homered against the Marlins. No word yet on how much time he’s expected to miss. Enmanuel Valdez was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to take his place on the Pirates’ active roster.