MLB Player News

Rizzo (back) is starting Saturday's game against the Red Sox.

Rizzo missed the last four games due to lower-back stiffness but is starting at first base and batting third during Saturday's matchup at Fenway Park. The 32-year-old hit just .148 with three home runs, five runs, three RBI, seven walks and nine strikeouts over his nine games prior to his absence.

Diaz isn't starting Saturday against the Reds, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Diaz has recorded hits in each of the last 12 games, slashing .457/.545/.630 with eight doubles, eight runs and three RBI during that time. However, he'll get a breather while Isaac Paredes shifts to the hot corner with Josh Lowe entering the lineup in right field.

Mountcastle went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 5-4 win over the Angels.

Mountcastle hit an RBI single and stole second in the eighth inning. He's 2-for-6 with a walk and three RBI in two games since returning from a sinus issue. The 25-year-old owns a .278/.316/.495 slash line with 14 home runs, four steals, 43 RBI, 35 runs scored and 19 doubles through 301 plate appearances. He should continue to see regular time at first base while routinely hitting in the heart of the order.

Naylor (back) is starting Saturday against the Royals.

Naylor was scratched from Friday's lineup against Kansas City, but he went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter. He's starting at first base and batting cleanup Saturday.

Vaughn (illness) is starting Saturday against the Tigers.

Vaughn was out of the lineup during the last two games due to an illness, but he appeared off the bench Friday and went 0-for-1 with a strikeout. He'll serve as the designated hitter and bat second during Saturday's matchup.

Kirilloff isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Rangers.

Kirilloff has started against just two left-handed pitchers this year, and he'll take a seat with southpaw Martin Perez on the mound Saturday. Nick Gordon is taking over in left field and batting ninth.

Gurriel went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI on Friday against the Athletics.

Gurriel returned from a two-game absence caused by an undisclosed injury and recorded an RBI single in the seventh inning to drive in his 25th run of the campaign. Gurriel has been on a hot stretch at the plate, maintaining a .319 average with two home runs, seven RBI and seven runs scored across his last 14 games. Even so, Gurriel is still slashing just .233/.286/.396 across 297 plate appearances on the season.

Dalbec went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Friday's 12-5 loss to the Yankees.

His fourth-inning blast off Nestor Cortes was Dalbec's first homer in nearly a month, snapping an 18-game drought in which he's gone 10-for-44 (.227) with only one double and two RBI. The 27-year-old has started just four of the last 10 games for Boston, and his .210/.289/.340 slash line on the season with six homers and a paltry 19 RBI through 74 contests don't make a compelling case for a bigger role.

Naylor (back) was scratched from the lineup for Friday's game against the Royals, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Naylor was initially slated to start at first base Friday, but he's apparently still dealing with back spasms. Whether he'll be available off the bench remains to be seen, but Owen Miller will take his place at first base and bat sixth.

Gurriel (undisclosed) is starting Friday against the Athletics.

Gurriel wasn't in the lineup for the last two games due to an unspecified injury, but he appeared off the bench Thursday and went 0-for-1 with a strikeout. He's starting at first base and batting sixth Friday.