MLB Player News

Abreu was placed on the 10-day injured list with lower-back inflammation Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Abreu received two cortisone shots to address the issue Friday, but he'll also need at least 10 days to rest and heal. Back issues may be part of the reason Abreu has slashed just .234/.291/.343 in his first season in Houston, so it's possible better things await down the stretch if his time off fully heals the issue. David Hensley was called up to take his place on the roster, while Jon Singleton is set to start at first base Saturday for the third straight game.

Noda (jaw) will take live batting practice Saturday, the Associated Press reports.

Noda was originally slated to take live batting practice Tuesday against Mason Miller (elbow) before it was determined he'd wait a few more days. The recovering rookie is apparently now ready to step back into the batter's box and take some hacks, and if all goes well, he could be set for activation in the coming days without the need for a rehab assignment.

Casas went 1-for-3 with a walk and a three-run home run in Friday's 5-2 win over the Tigers.

Casas caught all of Tarik Skubal's slider that stayed over the middle of the plate for a no-doubter in the fourth inning. It increased Boston's one-run lead to 4-0. The homer was Casas' 10th since the All-Star break. The Red Sox were patient with the first baseman, whose average was under .200 through the middle of June. He's hitting .253/.353/.488 for the season.

Singleton went 3-for-4 with two homers, five RBI and three runs scored in Friday's 11-3 win over the Angels.

The two blasts marked Singleton's first big-league home runs in more than eight years. The 31-year-old was called up Aug. 8 and was making his second consecutive start for the Astros in place of an injured Jose Abreu (back). Prior to a previous stint this year with the Brewers, Singleton hadn't played in the majors since October 2015. His return is a great story, but he'll likely have difficulty carving out a regular role over the final two months of the season.

Lowe went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-1 win over the Giants.

Lowe broke a scoreless deadlock with his sixth-inning blast off Ross Stripling. Lowe has gone just 6-for-26 (.231) over his last six games, but he's swatted two homers and four doubles with five RBI in that span. The first baseman is slashing .280/.373/.454 with 13 long balls, 63 RBI, 72 runs scored and 32 doubles through 115 contests as one of the steadiest hitters in the Rangers' strong lineup.

Cron went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to the Astros.

Cron's second-inning home run was his 12th of the year in 67 games, but his first since returning to the organization he made his major-league debut with in 2014. Cron has played in every game for the Angels since being traded from the Rockies on July 31. He holds a .222 batting average over 36 at-bats in 11 games since the trade.

France went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Friday's 9-2 win over the Orioles.

France has two homers, eight RBI and three doubles over his last 13 games, a span in which he's gone 16-for-45 (.356). The first baseman struggled for most of July, but he's getting back on track as the Mariners surge in pursuit of a wild-card spot. For the season, he's at a .256/.330/.384 slash line with nine homers, 46 RBI, 62 runs scored, one stolen base and 27 doubles through 112 games.

Rizzo (head) said Friday that he is aiming to ramp up his baseball activities within the next week, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Rizzo was placed on the injured list Aug. 3 due to post-concussion syndrome, stemming from a collision with Fernando Tatis back in late May. He has already played some catch and said he's been performing better in his concussion protocol tests. There's no exact timetable for Rizzo's return to the Yankees' active roster, but the veteran first baseman seems to be moving in an encouraging direction.

Abreu (back) remains out of the lineup Friday versus the Angels.

Abreu was held out of Thursday's series finale in Baltimore due to lower-back discomfort and needs at least one more day of rest and treatment. Astros manager Dusty Baker said an MRI showed nothing "too serious," per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Jon Singleton will start at first base Friday and Yainer Diaz will serve as the Astros' designated hitter.

Mountcastle went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Astros.

It was his second homer of the series against Houston, and Mountcastle is batting .463 (19-for-41) during his active 12-game hitting streak. That surge has lifted his slash line to .268/.312/.479 with 15 homers, 53 RBI, 49 runs scored and three stolen bases over 84 games this season. As long as he keeps raking, manager Brandon Hyde will continue to keep Mountcastle in a prominent place in the Orioles' order -- he's been hitting second versus southpaws and fifth against righties in August.