MLB Player News

Andrus went 2-for-3 with one walk, one home run, one RBI, and three runs scored Saturday against the Astros.

Andrus took over the leadoff role in the first game of Delino DeShields' absence and took advantage, reaching base three times and scoring each time. Andrus batted second and third predominantly last season, but attempted only seven steals in 214 at-bats batting third last season as opposed to 22 attempts in 350 at-bats when batting second. Now that he is likely to bat higher in the order, his stolen-base production should be safe.

Fontana was called up to the majors Saturday to replace the injured Ian Kinsler (groin), Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Fontana figures to remain in the big leagues for at least the 10 days that Kinsler is required to remain on the disabled list, and it's unclear if Kinsler will need additional time beyond that. Fontana could start occasionally in Kinsler's place, though the Angels are likely to slide Zack Cozart over from third, with Luis Valbuena and Jefry Marte receiving starts at third base. If Fontana ends up with unexpected playing time this season, he could be worth a flyer in deep OBP leagues, as he posted a 16.6 percent walk rate at Triple-A Salt Lake last season, though he doesn't do much else to help fantasy owners.

Drury went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and two RBI in Friday's 4-2 win over the Blue Jays.

He's off to a good start to his Yankee career, rapping out three hits in two games. The 25-year-old seems to be settling in nicely as the starting third baseman, but he could get bumped to a bench role as soon as the front office deems Miguel Andujar ready for a promotion -- putting pressure on Drury to keep producing if he wants to keep his job.

Solarte will serve as the Blue Jays' starting third baseman while Josh Donaldson deals with a "dead arm" phase, MLB Network Radio reports.

Donaldson will be the team's designated hitter until his arm is ready to make throws from third base. Solarte was going to get plenty of playing time this year regardless, but it looks like he will be an everyday player in the short term.

Semien went 3-for-5 with an RBI, two runs scored, one walk and one strikeout Thursday against the Angels.

Semien was quietly pushed up in the A's batting order in 2017, batting nearly exclusively in either the first or second spot in the lineup. In that role, he managed to post a 9.8 BB%, which helped him score 53 runs in just 386 plate appearances. On Thursday, he was again slotted into the second spot in the A's lineup, and if he can maintain that spot, he should produce counting stats more consistently. Given his established capability of producing power and speed numbers, Semien appears to be trending up as a fantasy asset.

Andrus batted third and went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Astros.

Andrus has hit at the extreme ends of batting orders during his career, but was exposed to the three-hole last season when he posted increased power numbers. It looks like he'll be a fixture in the middle of the Rangers' lineup and could build off his career-high 88 RBI in 2017.

Motter was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.

The Mariners kept Motter around in case Ichiro Suzuki wasn't ready to go for the start of the season, but with Suzuki being cleared to return, Motter will open the season in the minors. The 28-year-old utility man hit an impressive .350/.427/.640 across 117 plate appearances with Tacoma last season, but he failed to translate that success to the majors, hitting just .198/.257/.326 across 280 plate appearances with the Mariners. Given his versatility, he'll likely be back with the big club at some point in 2018.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Tuesday that Ngoepe secured a spot on the team's Opening Day roster, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

The Blue Jays haven't announced as much, but Ngoepe's inclusion on the team likely means that Danny Espinosa will be reassigned to minor-league camp, if not released. Ngoepe, who debuted last season with the Pirates and appeared in 28 games, is regarded as a glove-first utility man, so he wouldn't attract much interest in the fantasy realm if he ends up falling into semi-regular at-bats at any point.

Barreto was optioned back to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday, Julian McWilliams of The Athletic reports.

Though Barreto was making a strong push to be included on the Athletics' 25-man roster, the club decided to send its top-tier prospect back to Nashville since there isn't a clear-cut position for him in the majors at the moment. The infielder was able to leave quite the impression on manager Bob Melvin, and remains a prime candidate for a call-up in the not-too-distant future. Over 25 games with Oakland in 2017, Barreto hit .197/.250/.352 with two home runs and six RBI during his first cup of coffee in the major leagues.

Semien may split leadoff duties with Matt Joyce this season, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Semien was expected to handle the role of leadoff hitter for the 2018 season, but manager Bob Melvin indicated he likes Matt Joyce at the top of the order against right-handed starters and Semien for left-handers. The A's starting shortstop struggled against southpaws in 2017 with a .224/.303/.367 slash line in 109 plate appearances, although he missed nearly half the season with a wrist injury and his career numbers (.275/.323/.468) may more accurately reflect his expected splits.