MLB Player News

Brown is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Tigers.

He's been swinging a hot bat over the past couple weeks, slashing .391/.442/.630 with three homers and 12 RBI in his last 13 games, but Brown remains a strict platoon player for manager Mark Kotsay. In fact, Brown has made just a single start against a lefty this season. Tarik Skubal starts for Detroit in the series opener.

Mountcastle (wrist) hit off a tee Friday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Mountcastle is making a little progress but did not offer a timeline for his return. This marks the first reported time Mountcastle has swung a bat since going on the injured list Aug. 26 due to a sprained wrist. Ryan O'Hearn has been starting at first base while Eloy Jimenez mans designated hitter most days.

Gurriel (hamstring) is starting at first base and batting seventh Friday against the Twins.

He left Monday's game with hamstring tightness and made an appearance off the bench Wednesday. Gurriel is batting .333 with one run and one RBI in three games with the Royals.

Dezenzo was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday.

Dezenzo had a max exit velocity of 109.1 mph and hit one homer in 55 plate appearances with the big club, but he was largely overmatched. The hulking 6-foot-4 corner infielder hit .212 with a 32.7 percent strikeout rate and a 5.5 percent walk rate while playing sparingly after an Aug. 6 promotion.

Soderstrom (wrist) went 1-for-3 as the designated hitter in Triple-A Las Vegas' win over Round Rock on Thursday, hitting a two-run home run.

Soderstrom was making his first rehab appearance and slugged the round tripper in his final plate appearance of the game in the sixth inning. It was the rookie's first taste of game action since July 9, and he'll need to see action on defense before his activation from the IL is considered.

Kavadas is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Rangers.

It's lefty Cody Bradford on the bump for the Rangers, so the lefty-hitting Kavadas will begin the series opener on the bench. Brandon Drury will occupy the designated hitter slot.

Dezenzo went 1-for-4 with two RBI on Wednesday against the Reds.

Dezenzo drew only his second start against a right-handed pitcher in the team's last seven games. Despite coming through with a two-RBI single in the sixth inning, he's struggled through his first 55 plate appearances in the majors, striking out at a 32.7 percent clip while hitting only .212.

The Rays recalled Shenton from Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.

Shenton has a .697 OPS in 44 plate appearances during his time in the big leagues this season and has posted an .858 OPS with 20 homers this year at Durham. The lefty-hitting first baseman/designated hitter could see the occasional start against right-handed pitching.

Diaz went 2-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run in Wednesday's 9-4 win over the Twins.

He took Louie Varland deep in the fourth inning, capping an eight-run eruption for the Rays offense. It's Diaz's 13th homer of the season, and third in his last six games as he catches fire for the home stretch. Over 28 contests since the beginning of August, the 33-year-old is slashing .294/.362/.461 with 12 RBI and 12 runs.

Santana went 1-for-3 with two walks and a two-run home run in Wednesday's 9-4 loss to the Rays.

The veteran first baseman took Tyler Alexander deep in the seventh inning, giving Santana homers in back-to-back games. He's up to 20 long balls on the year, the ninth time in his career he's reached that mark, but as per usual he isn't doing much for fantasy GMs in batting average -- over 30 contests since the beginning of August, Santana's slashing .206/.322/.423.