MLB Player News

Cron will start at first base and bat fifth Sunday against the Red Sox.

Cron will draw his fourth consecutive start Sunday, and though he's performed respectably with four hits in 12 at-bats over the previous three contests, the run of regular playing time should soon come to an end. The Angels had a spot open in the lineup for Cron the last three games with the Red Sox having deployed a left-handed starting pitcher in each of those contests, resulting in platoon mate Luis Valbuena hitting the bench. Valbuena is back in the lineup Sunday, but he'll play third while Cron covers first base due to Albert Pujols receiving a routine day off for rest.

Santana will start at first base and lead off for the Indians in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.

Santana manned the leadoff spot for the Indians' first 35 games, but after slashing just .227/.331/.383 during that time, manager Terry Francona moved him down in the order. With rookie Bradley Zimmer getting the day off Sunday, Santana will slot back in atop the lineup for the first time since May 13, but it remains likely that he'll bat sixth or seventh more often than not for games in which Zimmer is in the lineup.

Gurriel went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer Saturday against the Orioles.

Gurriel's 13th blast of the year started a five-run rally in the sixth inning that led the Astros to victory. He's homered in consecutive games and he continues to provide fantasy owners with an excellent .298 batting average along with a .502 slugging percentage.

Abreu took grounders at third base prior to Saturday's game against the Royals, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

According to Merkin, Abreu looked very fluid at third base, but this would still be a pretty big change if the White Sox end up actually trying him at the hot corner in game action. He has only ever played first base or DH in the big leagues, and would likely have well below-average range at third base. It's also not like the White Sox are blocking some stud first baseman when they play Abreu at first base, so it's hard to see the logic behind giving Abreu starts across the diamond. Nonetheless, if he does somehow add third base eligibility in certain formats, his value would see a slight bump heading into next season.

Gurriel went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer Friday against the Orioles.

Gurriel blasted his 12th homer of the year to open up a three-run lead for the Astros in the first inning of a winning effort. The 33-year-old has become a much better hitter in his second year in the majors, as he's posting an excellent .300 batting average along with a solid .497 slugging percentage, making him an excellent value for fantasy owners.

The Athletics recalled Olson from Triple-A Nashville on Friday.

He was sent to Nashville on July 3 but returns to the big show as the A's look to give more time to their younger players. Olson should piece together time in right field, first base and designated hitter. The 23-year-old has clubbed 19 home runs and posted a .267/.370/.563 over 292 plate appearances for Nashville this year, his second go-round at that level, and already has four big flies in 49 at-bats this year with Oakland.

Cron went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Nationals.

The 27-year-old got a start against the left-handed Gio Gonzalez and connected on his fourth homer of the season. Cron has been shuttled back and forth between the majors and the minors, as well as having his role drastically changed on a regular basis by manager Mike Scioscia, all of which has severely diminished his fantasy value after contributing 32 long balls over the past two seasons. He is currently in a platoon at first base, but Cron could carve out a larger role if he can outperform Luis Valbuena and his .183 batting average.

Mountcastle was called up to Double-A Bowie on Thursday, Steve Melewski of MASN Sports reports.

Mountcastle will make his first start with Bowie at third base against Altoona on Thursday. The 20-year-old was hitting .314/.343/.542 with 15 home runs and 47 RBI during 88 games with High-A Frederick upon his promotion. Mountcastle will get a chance to see how he stacks up at the next level, with a spotlight on his K:BB that was sitting at 61:14 during his time with Frederick. The top prospect will need to improve on those numbers in order to continue his progression for the Orioles.

Carter signed a minor-league contract with the Athletics on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.com reports.

Carter will report to Triple-A Nashville to begin his career in the organization. He was atrocious with the Yankees this season, as he managed just a .201/.284/.370 line on 62 appearances. He hit 41 home runs for the Brewers in 2016, but he simply hasn't shown enough contact ability to warrant a major-league roster spot this year. If he can get hot for Nashville, though, the A's might be willing to give him a shot.

Calhoun is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Calhoun will get the day off after starting the past four games, and with the Angels facing left-hander Gio Gonzalez for the series finale. In his place, Shane Robinson draws the start in right, batting seventh.