MLB Player News

Gurriel went 1-for-2 with a walk in his MLB debut Sunday against Baltimore.

He was ultimately lifted for a pinch hitter, but this was a solid debut for the 32-year-old Cuban, who started at DH and singled to center for his first hit in the big leagues. Gurriel didn't hit particularly well in the high minors (albeit in a small sample), but still advanced to the Astros pretty quickly after being signed about five weeks ago. Of course, his last season in Cuba was absolutely insane, as he hit .500 with 15 homers and a 38:3 BB:K in 49 games, which is about as clear a sign as you'll see that a guy's ready for higher-level competition.

Abreu went 1-for-4 with a solo homer - his 16th of the season - and two runs against the Athletics on Sunday.

After seeing his batting average dip as low as .237 on June 1, Abreu has steadily increased it over the last three months and he's now hitting .283. After a fantastic rookie campaign in 2014 in which he posted a .964 OPS, he's seen that number fall significantly in each of the last two seasons.

Gurriel will serve as the designated hitter and hit sixth Sunday in his major-league debut.

Gurriel did not tear the cover off the ball during his stint in the minors, but the Astros are ready to let him show what he can do at the top level. He will likely jump between the DH and third base spots and usually occupy a spot somewhere between fifth and seventh in the batting order.

Gurriel will be recalled from Triple-A and start at DH for Sunday's game against Baltimore, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Gurriel went 4-for-18 with a home run at Triple-A as he had 56 at-bats at four levels of Houston's minor league system as he quickly got ready for the majors after the Cuban defector signed in July. It's not clear if he'll play DH or third base regularly but it's thought he'll be part of the everyday lineup.

Abreu went 2-for-3 with a walk, solo homer and two runs scored Saturday against the A's.

Abreu has been on a tear this month, going 25-for-68 (.368) with four home runs, 10 RBI and 10 runs in 17 games. He's hit safely in all but one game in August, while getting on base more this month than any other time during the 2016 campaign. Considering his numbers over the first two years of his career, Abreu hasn't given owners exactly what they'd hoped for this season, but the first baseman is locked in heading down the home stretch of the fantasy season.

Cron (hand) was activated from the disabled list and is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

As expected, Cron will return Saturday after missing more than a month with a fractured hand. The infielder struggled during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake, but he'll nonetheless slot into the lineup at first base Saturday. Cron will bat sixth in the order against Luis Cessa.

Cron (hand) is expected to come off the DL on Saturday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Cron had been getting hot at the plate over his last nine games before he broke his hand, as he posted a .378/.429/.838 line with five home runs over that time. However, Cron, who's been out since July 9, had a very poor showing on his rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake, going just 3-for-20 with five strikeouts over six games.

Nash has been suspended 50 games without pay for testing positive for amphetamine, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

A third-round pick in 2009, Nash spent some time in the independent leagues in recent years after flaming out with the Astros. He was putting together a fine season with the White Sox's High-A Winston-Salem affiliate, slashing .255/.415/.559 with 11 homers and a 40:58 BB:K, but Nash has never advanced past the Double-A level and it's possible he never will.

Parmelee was placed on the 7-day DL on Thursday after experiencing back spasms, the Scranton Times-Tribune reports.

Parmelee had recently been activated off the DL after missing two months with a hamstring issue, but he was forced to leave Wednesday's contest with discomfort in his back and it will now sideline him for at least a week. The first baseman had been hitting just .200 since being sent to the Triple-A club, and with the Yankees seeming committed to giving younger players chances, Parmelee may not have returned to the big leagues this year even if healthy.

O'Hearn had two homers and six RBI Wednesday for Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

The 23-year-old has shown decent power this season by hitting seven home runs at High-A Wilmington and 11 at Double-A. One of the major concerns for O'Hearn moving forward is if his high strikeout rate (27.6 percent at both High-A and Double-A this season) will improve.