MLB Player News

Polanco is not in the lineup Saturday against the Tigers, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

This marks the second game in a row that Polanco will watch from the bench. Polanco still seems to be a big part of the Twins' future, although he continues to get plenty of rest while he struggles at the plate. For Saturday's contest, Eduardo Escobar will log a start at shortstop in his stead.

Andrus went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's extra-inning win over the Rays.

His first-inning solo shot got the Rangers on the board, while his 10th-inning single brought home Delino DeShields for the winning run. Andrus had been in a 2-for-29 rut since the All-Star break, but he snapped out of it in fine fashion Friday and his 12 homers on the season has already blown past his previous career high of eight.

Franklin is not in the lineup Friday against the Red Sox, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The utility man's struggles at the plate followed him to Anaheim, as he's just 2-for-20 with his new ball club. That, paired with the fact that he's historically performed worse against left-handed pitchers (like Boston starter Chris Sale), spelled a clear bench day for Franklin, who will cede Friday's start to Cliff Pennington.

Polanco is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Tigers.

Polanco has been struggling at the plate, going 1-for-27 during his last nine games including an 0-for-3 outing against the Yankees on Wednesday. He will take a seat in favor of Ehire Adrianza, who has been playing well since coming off the disabled list (abdomen) in early July

Jones was promoted to High-A Inland Empire on Thursday.

Jones has reversed course after a tough start to the season at Low-A Burlington, slashing .272/.338/.425 over 86 games with nine home runs and 30 RBI. The top prospect has also been tearing up the basepaths when he gets on, recording 18 stolen bases. Although the 19-year-old is still a couple years away from the big leagues, his ascent through the minors serves as a positive sign for the future.

Andrus went 0-for-5 with a run scored in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Orioles.

Thursday's seven-run outburst aside, the Rangers' bats were quiet throughout the Orioles' four-game sweep this week, with Andrus serving as the poster child for his team's struggles. He failed to record a hit in 16 at-bats during the series and has now opened the second half with a 2-for-29 showing at plate, resulting in an 18-point drop in his batting average. Don't be surprised if manager Jeff Banister gives the shortstop a day off during the weekend series with the Rays to reprogram.

The Athletics approached Semien about a contract extension during the offseason, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Despite Oakland's ongoing fire sale, Semien's name has not been included strongly in trade rumors. The A's apparently want to build around him as part of their long-term middle infield with Franklin Barreto. Semien is batting just .151 with one homer and five stolen bases in 90 plate appearances, though he missed most of the year after fracturing his wrist in mid-April, so this slow re-entry into fantasy relevance isn't surprising. With more reps and a recovery back into game shape, he could re-emerge as a solid fantasy asset down the stretch.

Merrifield went 2-for-6 with a solo home run and two runs scored during Thursday's win over Detroit.

The second baseman offers a nice cross-category profile with eight homers, 35 RBI, 15 stolen bases, 37 runs and a .290/.330/.468 slash line. Individually, there aren't any high-end marks, but tilting the scales across multiple stat columns has Merrifield moving the fantasy needle in the the majority of settings.

Franklin will get the day off for Wednesday's series finale against the Nationals, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Franklin receives a breather after starting six of the past seven games, going 1-for-13 at the plate during that span. In his place, Cliff Pennington will man the keystone while batting eighth in the order.

Andrus went 0-for-4 at the dish in Monday's 3-1 loss to the Orioles.

After delivering a two-hit performance in his return from the paternity list prior to the All-Star break, Andrus hasn't been able to get much going at the plate over his last five contests, along with most other hitters in the Rangers lineup. He's recorded just two hits in his last 21 at-bats, resulting in a 13-point drop in his season batting average. Andrus has only struck out three times during that span, however, suggesting that he's at least seeing the ball well and could rebound once he enjoys some better luck on balls in play.