MLB Player News

Miranda’s season is officially over. He was scratched from Thursday’s lineup with lower back tightness and held out of Friday’s game. Miranda hit .284 with nine home runs and 49 RBI on the year.

Sasaki authored a dominant performance in his spring debut, averaging 98 mph on his four-seam fastball, while scattering two hits and one walk over three frames. The 23-year-old pitching prodigy’s signature splitter was on display in this one, generating an impressive seven swinging strikes. There are some lingering workload concerns as Sasaki acclimates to life in the majors in Los Angeles’ loaded rotation, but the raw talent and astronomical strikeout upside is undeniable. He’s a top-30 range option among starting pitchers for fantasy purposes.

Betts took Reds prospect Chase Petty deep in the third inning for his first big fly in Cactus League action. The 32-year-old is one of the most reliable five-category impact contributors in the fantasy landscape and will be a first-round selection in most drafts this spring.

The multi-hit performance raises De La Cruz’s batting average to a stratospheric .563 (9-for-16) mark through seven Cactus League contests. The 23-year-old fantasy superstar, who made some subtle mechanical tweaks to his swing during the offseason, put the Reds on the board with a run-scoring single against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the opening frame. He proceeded to steal second base — his second theft of the spring — before coming around to score on a triple by teammate Austin Hays. The most encouraging development this spring is that he’s struck out only four times and could make another leap offensively if he starts making more contact.

It looks like a precautionary exit since it’s still early in spring training, but it’s worth noting since Smith has dealt with an avalanche of lower-body injuries in recent years. The 29-year-old backstop told reporters over the weekend that he’s still managing a bone bruise in his left ankle that he suffered last June. There should be an update on his status at some point in the near future.

Yamamoto gave up four hits, including three of the extra-base variety, in the early stages of the contest, but wound up retiring the final eight batters he faced. The 26-year-old threw 47 pitches (30 strikes) and averaged 96.1 mph on his four-seam fastball, which is extremely encouraging. He’ll take the ball on March 18 when the Dodgers kick off the regular season against the Cubs overseas in Japan.

One of the better pitching prospects in Cincinnati’s system, Petty held his own against Los Angeles’ star-studded lineup over three frames. He gave up four hits with Mookie Betts’ third-inning solo shot representing the lone tally against him. The hard-throwing 21-year-old righty, who averaged 97.6 mph on his four-seamer in this outing, will open the year at Triple-A Louisville and could reach the big leagues at some point later this summer.

De León made the announcement on his Instagram account. The 32-year-old righty hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since undergoing Tommy John surgery back in 2023 after making a career-high 12 appearances for the Twins. He represents a low-risk addition for the Red Sox as extra organizational depth.

Canterino has been plagued by injuries the last two years and hasn’t pitched in the minors since 2022. The 27-year-old righty is an interesting pitching prospect, but it’s unclear whether he’ll make it to the majors given how much development time he’s missed. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.

Almonte returns for another stint with the Cubs after making 17 relief appearances last year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in early July. The 30-year-old has made 213 big-league appearances dating back to 2018 and represents quality organizational depth.

Bleday hit third, which will probably be his spot against righties during the regular season. He should remain in the lineup but maybe hit lower versus lefties. The possibility is there for some mixed-league value in Sacramento, but though the ballpark change will be helpful, we’re not sure he’ll improve much on last year’s .243/.324/.437 line.