MLB Player News

Gurriel went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Friday's 5-2 win over the Mariners.

Gurriel singled and stole second in the second inning, but that was the extent of his offense Friday. The 38-year-old has four stolen bases in as many attempts this year, putting him one shy of his career high in thefts. He's batting .276 (16-for-58) in July, lifting his season slash line to .235/.285/.384 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and 31 runs scored in 85 games.

Calhoun will sit Friday versus the Athletics.

Calhoun will get a breather Friday to open the second half of the season. Charlie Culberson will take over in left field and bat eighth against Oakland.

Pratto was called up from Triple-A Omaha and will start Friday against the Rays, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.

After being sent down to Triple-A on Sunday, Pratto will return to the big leagues ahead of the Royals' first series of the second half. The 23-year-old will replace Edward Olivares (quadriceps) on the active roster after Olivares was placed on the 10-day injured list. Pratto is starting at first base and batting seventh against Tampa Bay.

Casas (ankle) was reinstated from the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Worcester on Friday, Joe McDonald of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports.

Casas hasn't played at the Triple-A level since May 17 due to a right ankle sprain, but he'll start at first base Friday before likely serving as the designated hitter Saturday. Over 36 games this year for Worcester, he's slashed .248/.359/.457 with six homers, 22 runs and 22 RBI.

Diaz (forearm) is starting at third base and batting leadoff Friday against the Royals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Diaz missed the Rays' final game before the All-Star break after he was hit in the forearm by a pitch Saturday, but he's locked and loaded to start the second half Friday. The 30-year-old owns a .294 average with three home runs, 26 RBI, 40 runs and a stolen base over 83 games this year.

Rizzo isn't starting the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Astros.

Rizzo started at first base during Thursday's matinee and went 1-for-4. He'll get a breather while Aaron Judge serves as the designated hitter with Tim Locastro starting in right field.

Gurriel is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel started the matinee and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout during Houston's victory. J.J. Matijevic, who walked off New York in Game 1 with an RBI single, will start at first base in the nightcap.

Triple-A Worcester is expected to reinstate Casas (ankle) from its 7-day injured list this weekend, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Casas' sprained right ankle has kept him from playing for Worcester since May 17 and also caused him to miss last weekend's All-Star Futures Game, but the 22-year-old first baseman looks as though he'll be ready to go when the Triple-A club resumes its second-half schedule. Before the All-Star break, Casas appeared in four rehab games for Boston's rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate, going 6-for-14 with a home run, three doubles and three walks.

Clemens was called up from Triple-A Toledo on Thursday.

Clemens will be back with the Tigers following the All-Star break after he was sent down to Triple-A on July 11. The 26-year-old has produced a disappointing .161 average with three home runs, eight RBI, eight runs and a stolen base over his first 56 major-league at-bats, which covers a span of 25 games.

Steer has gone 13 straight games without a homer at Triple-A St. Paul, though he's still hit .260 with a .362 OBP and 8:9 BB:K in that span.

He's hit four doubles and a triple in that time, too, so it's not like Steer's extra-base power has dried up altogether even while he's been stuck on 19 home runs since June 24. Even with this power outage, he still has a solid .253/.344/.531 line in Triple-A, and that's with an uncharacteristically low .259 BABIP. Steer's bat ought to write his ticket to the big leagues before too much longer, though the Twins' overcrowded infield remains an impediment.