MLB Player News

Polanco is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Tigers, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

Polanco has started every game since Sept. 5 and played Thursday while several other Twins regulars rested, so manager Paul Molitor decided it was his turn for a day off Friday. Ehire Adrianza will get the start at shortstop in Polanco's place.

Altuve went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in Thursday's 12-2 win at Fenway Park.

Altuve bolstered his AL MVP case with this three-hit effort, though Aaron Judge of the Yankees kept pace by mashing his 51st home run of the season over in New York. The diminutive second baseman is slashing .350/.415/.555 and ranks second in MLB to Colorado's Charlie Blackmon with 203 hits.

Andrus went 2-for-4 at the dish in Wednesday's 12-2 loss to the Astros.

With the Rangers eliminated from playoff contention, manager Jeff Banister has decided to shut down Andrus' regular mate on the left side of the infield, Adrian Beltre, for the remainder of the season, but it doesn't look like a similar fate will await the shortstop. Andrus, who has put together back-to-back two-hit games, has suited up in all but three of the Rangers' contests this season, and since his health seems to be on solid ground, he'll likely be given the leeway to continue playing through the weekend. The prospect of regular at-bats over the final four games will give Andrus a shot at besting the career-high .302 average he posted in 2016; he's currently sitting at .299 for the season.

Altuve went 1-for-4 with two runs scored in Wednesday's 12-2 win over Texas.

Altuve, who returned from a one-game absence due to a forearm injury, knocked his 200th hit of the season, making it four years in a row he's accomplished that feat. The Astros head into a season-ending four-game set in Boston with a chance to overtake Cleveland for the best record in the AL. That suggests Altuve will be in the lineup as long as they have a shot.

Semien went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Mariners.

Semien is seemingly making up for lost time as the season comes to a close, as he's now smacked a trio of round trippers in the last six contests, including in two straight. The slugging shortstop was robbed of nearly two months earlier this season due to a wrist injury, and he only notched five homers in the two months between his return and Sept. 6. His recent power surge has led to eight extra-base hits (four doubles, four homers) and a .351 wOBA over the 75 plate appearances he's seen across the subsequent 16 games.

Beckham went 2-for-4 with a run in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Athletics.

The veteran drew his first start since having his contract purchased from Triple-A Tacoma on Sept. 2 and logged his first pair of hits in 2017 at the big-league level in the process. Beckham spent his season in the minors, hitting .262 with nine home runs and 45 RBI over 355 plate appearances. He may be in line for some starts during the Mariners' remaining games.

Motter was hitless in four at-bats in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Athletics. He's now hitting just .143 over 22 September plate appearances.

The 28-year-old saw a three-game hitting streak snapped, a stretch in which he'd compiled his only hits -- all singles -- for September. The lack of success has also led to a .182 OBP and .143 slugging percentage for the month. Motter's struggles extend back to the beginning of his current big-league stint, as he's slashed just .179/.200/.205 over 40 plate appearances since returning from Triple-A Tacoma on Aug. 20. He's been a bit on the unlucky side, however, as he also carries a .219 BABIP over that span.

Altuve (forearm) is back in the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers.

A hit-by-pitch forced Altuve from Monday's game, but all tests on the forearm were negative and Altuve is set to return after missing just one start. The 27-year-old has been an elite fantasy contributor again this season, matching his career-high home run total from a year ago while surpassing 30 steals for a sixth straight season.

Merrifield went 1-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Detroit.

Merrifield came around to score after leading off the fourth inning with a double and drove in the go-ahead run with a sac fly in the fifth. The leadoff man was also caught stealing after reaching on a fielder's choice in the seventh, falling to 33-for-39 in steal attempts for the season. He's now slashing .286/.324/.459.

Altuve (forearm) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.

Altuve underwent an MRI after being forced from Monday's game, and he was diagnosed with only a bruise. While Altuve's injury is minor, the Astros are playing only for playoff positioning at this point, so he will get a day off to rest and recover. Marwin Gonzalez will get the start at second base Tuesday night.