MLB Player News
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Mitch Garver DH | SEA
Mariners' Mitch Garver: Added to roster
The Mariners selected Garver's contract from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday.
Garver re-signed with Seattle as a non-roster invitee after camp opened and beat out Jhonny Pereda and Andrew Knizner for the backup catcher job. The 35-year-old will see some starts at catcher on days Cal Raleigh serves as the designated hitter, but Garver's playing time should be fairly limited.
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Heston Kjerstad DH | BAL
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Shelved with hamstring strain
The Orioles placed Kjerstad on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a right hamstring strain.
Kjerstad was diagnosed with the hamstring strain following an MRI after he sustained the injury in a Grapefruit League game last Thursday. He'll be eligible to return from the IL on April 1, but since he has yet to resume baseball activity since tweaking his hamstring, Kjerstad will likely require more than a minimum-length stay on the shelf.
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Andrew McCutchen DH | TEX
Rangers' Andrew McCutchen: Secures roster spot
The Rangers are selecting McCutchen for their major-league roster, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
McCutchen was a late addition to spring training, signing with Texas as a non-roster invitee earlier this month. He slashed .444/.583/.778/1.361 in 24 plate appearances in Arizona. McCutchen is expected to serve primarily as a designated hitter against left-handers.
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Eloy Jimenez DH | TOR
Blue Jays' Eloy Jimenez: Unable to crack Opening Day roster
The Blue Jays reassigned Jimenez to minor-league camp Monday.
Though his longshot bid to win a spot on Toronto's Opening Day roster fell short, Jimenez was able to make a positive impression this spring with an .857 OPS over 45 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League. The 29-year-old offers limited utility on defense, so any opportunity he might have to re-emerge in the big leagues will hinge on him tearing up International League pitching at Triple-A Buffalo over an extended period. Jimenez last appeared in the majors in 2024, when he slashed .238/.289/.336 with six home runs over 349 plate appearances between stops with the White Sox and Orioles.
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Jorge Soler DH | LAA
Angels' Jorge Soler: Belts two long balls in spring game
Soler went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four total RBI in an exhibition loss to the Dodgers on Sunday.
Soler accounted for the bulk of the Angels' run production with a solo blast in the second inning and a three-run shot in the sixth. The 34-year-old has looked rejuvenated this spring, slashing .361/.452/.750 with three homers, five doubles, nine runs and six RBI through 15 games. Soler is expected to work primarily as the Angels' DH this season but could also see occasional time in the outfield.
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Josh Bell DH | MIN
Twins' Josh Bell: Likely cleanup hitter
Bell went 0-for-2 with a walk in Sunday's Grapefruit win over Atlanta. He hit cleanup in the order in a lineup that was likely a preview of the regular lineup for the start of the regular season, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
Bell is having a solid spring, as he's hitting .286 (12-for-42) with a home run and .839 OPS and a surprising steal of third base. He looks to have an everyday role between 1B and DH.
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Mitch Garver DH | SEA
Mariners' Mitch Garver: Set to win No. 2 job
Garver is expected to begin the season as Seattle's No. 2 catcher, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
The 35-year-old re-signed with the Mariners as a non-roster invitee in February and will once again served as the backup catcher to Cal Raleigh. Garver still needs to be added to the big-league roster, but the club isn't expected to finalize the roster until Wednesday. During the 2025 regular season, Garver clubbed nine homers and produced a .640 OPS over 87 games.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Spring slide continues
Pederson went 0-for-2 in Friday's spring game against San Francisco.
Pederson's struggles from 2025 have carried over into 2026. He's batting just .171 (6-for-35) with zero RBI over 15 Cactus League games. Pederson is expected to be part of a rotation at designated hitter, which could also include players that have been more productive this spring. Both Andrew McCutchen (.533 average) and Mark Canha (.316, three HR) have been better than Pederson.
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Heston Kjerstad DH | BAL
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Battling hamstring tightness
Kjerstad is dealing with tightness in his right hamstring, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Kjerstad will undergo imaging as a precaution to determine whether he's dealing with any structural damage, at which point the team will know more about how long he'll be out. The 27-year-old outfielder has posted just a .605 OPS through 42 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League and seems likely to open the regular season in Triple-A.
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Brent Rooker DH | ATH
Athletics' Brent Rooker: Strong spring continues
Rooker went 2-for-3 with a double in Friday's Cactus League win over the Cubs.
Rooker didn't drive in a run but still squared the ball up consistently Friday, as his fourth-inning single registered at 105 mph off the bat while his fifth-inning double left the bat at 109.2 mph. Coming off three consecutive seasons with 30-plus homers and an OPS north of .800 in each campaign, the 31-year-old has looked locked in this spring, slashing .349/.404/.721 with four doubles, four homers and 10 RBI across 16 Cactus League appearances, and he'll enter the 2026 regular season with high expectations at the plate.