Manny Machado -- Injury Report

Manny Machado will not start Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs due to a calf cramp sustained during Monday's contest. Manager Craig Stammen provided a positive update, stating "Manny's doing pretty good today. Feel good about where he's at. He's not worried about it at all." Machado is classified as day-to-day and remains available as a bench option. Stammen noted the team was already planning to give Machado an off day during the series, so this decision aligned with that plan. On Monday night, Stammen explained the precautionary exit, noting Machado appeared to move slowly down the line and exited the batter's box awkwardly.

With Machado unavailable in the starting lineup, Jake Cronenworth will make his first career start at third base. This marks Cronenworth's first appearance at the position since 2020, when he played one inning there during his rookie season. Stammen praised Cronenworth's defensive abilities, saying "He's just a great defensive player to begin with" and expressing confidence in the organization's trust of Cronenworth across multiple positions. Cronenworth acknowledged he was given advance notice of the possibility and expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, stating "I'm excited. I love moving around and playing everywhere. So it'll be fun." Cronenworth played third base in college and indicated he has maintained readiness to play multiple positions including shortstop, first base, and third base.