MLB Player News

Feinsand adds that the “feeling around the industry” is that Soto will make his final decision on where to take his generational talent prior to the Winter Meetings, which begin on December 9. He also notes that Soto has already met with the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Mets; with those meetings including representatives from club ownership in addition to front office executives and each team’s manager. The Mets and Yankees remain the favorites to ultimately land Soto on a lucrative long-term contract, but it sounds like the Blue Jays and Red Sox could be legitimate alternatives at this juncture. Of course, we’re never going to rule out the Dodgers either.

It sounds like Donovan, who was relieved to find no problem related to the hernia surgery he had after last season, might be back in there Sunday or Monday. Leo Rivas is playing third base in his place tonight.

The hope for fantasy managers is that this type of effort finally gets Carpenter going after an ice-cold start to the year that seems to have cost him the leadoff spot. The 28-year-old slugger took Cardinals starter Dustin May deep for a two-run homer in the opening frame before adding a sacrifice fly a couple frames later. He stands to benefit from a run-producing opportunity standpoint hitting in the middle of Detroit’s lineup with young standouts Colt Keith and Kevin McGonigle getting on-base consistently.

Is the breakout finally happening? It’s way too soon to say anything definitive, but the early returns have been extremely encouraging. Walker’s fifth-inning grand slam off Tigers reliever Drew Anderson left his bat at 113.7 mph and traveled 459 feet into the left-field seats. It was his first career grand slam and trimmed St. Louis’ deficit to a single run at the time. The 23-year-old former top prospect’s three-hit performance raised his early-season batting average to .296 with two homers and eight RBI through eight games.

Flaherty continues to struggle throwing strikes and working through opposing lineups a third time. He was all over the place against his former team in this one, throwing just 47 of 86 pitches for strikes while handing out four walks and hitting three batters. He finished with six strikeouts but was unable to complete five frames against an underwhelming Cardinals lineup. He’ll bring a lackluster 7.56 ERA into a road tilt against the Twins on Thursday afternoon.

Not great. May took a 104-mph line drive off his lower right left from Tigers leadoff man Colt Keith but was able to remain in the contest. That decision led to the floodgates opening with seven hits, including a pair of homers, before he was pulled in the fourth inning at 79 pitches. He served up a two-run homer to Kerry Carpenter as part of a 33-pitch opening frame and gave up a two-run blast to Zach McKinstry in the fourth before departing. He struck out four and handed out two walks. He’ll bring a preposterously high 15.95 ERA into a home outing against the Red Sox on Friday. He’s the definition of a stay-away for fantasy purposes.

Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports that Donovan underwent imaging Saturday, and the team is still processing the results. The 29-year-old will miss the the contest against the Angels, and if he does need a trip on the injured list, it could open up a spot for top prospect Colt Emerson. Fantasy managers should be prepared.

Reynolds knocked a base hit in the first inning, then reached on an error and scored in the fourth. After drawing a walk in the fifth, he doubled in the bottom of the ninth and scored the game-winning, walk-off run on a double by Nick Yorke. The 31-year-old outfielder is 8-for-34 (.235) with a pair of homers in the early going.

A day after pitching the eighth, Santana was summoned in the ninth on Saturday in a tie game. He pitched a clean inning, striking out the final batter before the Pirates walked it off in the bottom of the frame to give Santana the win. Gregory Soto was likely unavailable after pitching in three of the last four games. The early usage has raised questions surrounding Santana’s role. He and Soto seem likely to work in a matchup-based committee.

Helsley took the mound in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied, tasked with taking the game to extras. He recorded the first out, then gave up a pair of doubles to bring a run home and walk it off. On the game-ender, Helsley appeared to have Nick Yorke struck out on his seventh pitch of the at-bat, but the Orioles were out of challenges. Yorke won it on the next pitch. It was the first run Helsley has allowed through three appearances after working two previous save chances.

Mlodzinski worked three scoreless innings before running into some trouble in the fourth as the Orioles put two runs on the board with four hits and a walk. He issued his third walk in the fifth and would end his day with two outs in the inning at 84 pitches -- 49 for strikes. His velocity was up to 95.6 mph, an uptick from 94.4 mph his first time out. And he collected five strikeouts. The challenge for the 27-year-old right-hander is going deep enough into games, as he’s exited in the fifth in each of his starts so far. Mlodzinski will face another tough test when he takes on the Cubs in Chicago on Friday.