MLB Player News

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.

Wade isn't starting Friday's game against the Dodgers.

Wade has started against just three left-handed pitchers this season and will take a seat with southpaw Tyler Anderson on the mound for the Dodgers. Brandon Belt is serving as the designated hitter while Darin Ruf enters the lineup at first base.

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.

Hall is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Cubs.

Hall will take a seat as the Phillies face left-hander Justin Steele. Alec Bohm will slide over to designated hitter while Yairo Munoz will start at third base and bat eighth in the series opener.

Freeman went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, two walks and two total runs in a 9-6 victory over the Giants on Thursday.

Freeman entered the All-Star break with a scorching bat, and he wasted little time carrying that over to the second half, swatting a solo homer off Carlos Rodon in his first plate appearance. The superstar first baseman went on to reach base twice more in the contest, both times via walk. Freeman has pushed his batting average up to .322 -- fourth highest in the majors -- due to a blistering seven-game stretch in which he is slashing .654/.688/1.308 with four homers, eight RBI and nine runs.

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.