MLB Player News

Kemp went 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and an RBI in Friday's 4-1 win over the Indians.

Kemp delivered in a key moment -- with two men on in the bottom of the seventh inning of a 1-1 game -- lacing a ground-rule double that plated the go-ahead run. It was the Astros' lone hit with men in scoring position and the type of competitive at-bat the Astros had been lacking out of their nine-hole hitters this season -- that spot produced 75 strikeouts and a .188 batting average entering the game. The lack of production at the bottom of the lineup warranted Kemp's call-up, Houston's first performance-based transaction of the season, and he produced immediately. Aside from George Springer, no Astros outfielder has done enough to be a lineup staple -- not Josh Reddick (.228), not Marwin Gonzalez (.221), not Derek Fisher (.176). There's an opening for Kemp to get regular at-bats.

Solarte went 2-for-4 in Friday's loss to the A's.

The Jays only managed six hits on the night, with Solarte being the only Toronto player to have a multi-hit performance. The versatile infielder has struggled to find a rhythm at the plate lately, hitting only .250 (18-for-72) in May, but he does have two homers and 11 RBI through 17 games on the month.

Merrifield went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and three stolen bases to help the Royals to a 5-2 victory over the Yankees on Friday.

On the two-year anniversary of his callup to the big leagues, Merrifield showed why he's developed into one of the more dynamic offensive second basemen in the game as he wreaked havoc all day long against the Yankees. The three steals brought his total on the season up to 12 to move him to fourth in the majors, and he was also able to bring his average up to an even .300 with the three-hit effort. So far, it's looking like last season's breakout campaign that saw him emerge as a five-category asset was not a fluke.

Torres is in the lineup at second base and batting ninth for Friday's game in Kansas City, Mike Mazzeo of the New York Daily News reports.

Manager Aaron Boone stated that there was a typo on the video board at the stadium, and that Torres was, and is, in the lineup at his normal position for the series opener, contradicting previous reports. Ronald Torreyes will be available off the bench instead of manning second base.

Torres is out of the lineup against Kansas City on Friday, 610 Sports Radio - Kansas City reports.

Torres will retreat to the bench in favor of Ronald Torreyes for the series opener after picking up hits in 16 of his first 20 major-league games. Over that span, he's hit .319/.360/.493 with three home runs, 12 RBI and 18 strikeouts. Look for him to rejoin the starting lineup Saturday.

Drury is taking extra time to report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in order to make a pair of visits to a specialist regarding his neck, The Athletic reports.

The visits are not related to any setback but are instead merely a part of his recovery. The specialist is a chiropractor and acupuncturist who has been working with Drury after it was discovered that his severe migraines were related to an irritated tendon in his neck. The infielder is considered healthy, but the nature of the injury suggests that it will require continued maintenance, and with the recent emergence of both Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, Drury is likely to see his role significantly reduced when he eventually returns to the majors.

Arroyo went 2-for-5 with a run in a win over the Angels on Thursday.

The 22-year-old put together a strong Rays debut, lacing a pair of singles while drawing a start at third base for Matt Duffy (hamstring). The amount of playing time Arroyo is slated to see during his current major-league tenure remains up in the air, as Duffy is set to return to the lineup for Friday's game. However, Arroyo is capable playing more than one position, so he may able to carve out a decent amount of opportunity.

Andrus (elbow) was on the field playing catch prior to Thursday's game against the White Sox, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The resumption of baseball activities for Andrus -- now five weeks removed from fracturing his right elbow -- is a significant step in the recovery process. Continued light infield work is likely the next step for the 29-year-old as the team monitors the increased activity. The veteran shortstop is eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list for the June 12 game against the Dodgers and that date currently seems within the realm of possibilities for his return.

Semien went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday.

Semien got to Chris Sale in the fourth, launching a 372-foot shot over the Green Monster in the fifth with Chad Pinder aboard to cut the Athletics' deficit to 3-2. It was the shortstop's first homer since April 23, but he's been hitting consistently since just prior to that game. Factoring in Wednesday's production, Semien has 10 two-hit efforts over his last 23 contests on his way to a .306 average with five doubles, three round trippers and nine RBI across 104 plate appearances.

Andrus (elbow) is scheduled to be examined by a doctor in Arlington, Texas this week and hopes to be cleared to field groundballs and play catch, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Wednesday marked five weeks since Andrus suffered a fractured elbow after getting hit by a pitch from Angels reliever Keynan Middleton. Being cleared for baseball activities is the next step in the recovery process. Andrus is on the 60-day disabled list and not eligible to be activated until June 11, which is an off day, so the earliest we could see him is June 12 on the road against the Dodgers.