MLB Player News

Altuve went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs during Saturday's win over Baltimore.

The second baseman hit both doubles off lefty Wade Miley, which improved Altuve to an impressive .897 OPS and .379 wOBA against southpaws dating back to last year. His track record against left-handed pitchers shouldn't go overlooked in daily contests. Altuve is now up to 14 extra-base hits, 15 RBI and 18 runs with an .859 OPS through 25 games this month.

Espinosa is out of Saturday's lineup against the Marlins.

He is hitting .077 with one home run and a 32 percent strikeout rate over his last 65 at-bats. Nolan Fontana will start at second base and hit eighth.

Polanco is out of Saturday's lineup against the Rays, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

He is hitting .239/.280/.391 over his last 12 games, but has still earned the starting nod in each of the previous four contests. Ehire Adrianza will start at shortstop and hit ninth in his stead.

Andrus went 1-for-4 with a walk and a pair of stolen bases in Friday's 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays.

With six homers and nine steals just over 30 percent of the way through the season, Andrus is well on his way to finishing with double-digit totals in both categories for the first time in his career. His .315 on-base percentage may leave something to be desired in the upper half of the lineup, but with Rougned Odor and Mike Napoli struggling even more to reach base, Andrus isn't a candidate to move down in the order in the near future.

Motter is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Nationals, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.

Motter's versatility had allowed him to make 12 consecutive starts at three different positions while the Mariners looked to plug multiple holes in the lineup, but his services won't be needed as frequently with Robinson Cano is back from the disabled list and Danny Valencia having recovered from a wrist issue. It will likely take another injury to one of the Mariners' key regulars in order for Motter to see a steady diet of at-bats.

Espinosa is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rays, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Espinosa only has three hits over the past week, so he'll sit out for the second time in three games. Nolan Fontana will man the keystone in his stead.

Motter will play first base and bat sixth in Tuesday's game against the Nationals, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Motter was originally slated to watch the game from the dugout, but with Danny Valencia (wrist) being scratched from the contest, Motter was thrust into action. The 27-year-old utility man could see some extra playing time while Valencia is sidelined, but he could see the bench more frequently now that Robinson Cano is back from injury.

Motter is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Nationals, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Motter has been a mainstay in the Mariners lineup for the past few weeks thanks to some injury woes plaguing Seattle, but with Robinson Cano returning from the DL and no DH available in Washington, Motter will head to the bench for a night off. The 27-year-old utility man has been struggling at the plate over the past few weeks, as he's batting just .200 over his past 30 games, so even when the Mariners return to American League action, it seems like he'll sit out more often than not until another injury strikes the Mariners' regulars.

Barreto, who's slashing .314/.362/.500 over 41 games with Triple-A Nashville, is expected to be the first call-up this summer if it becomes evident the Athletics are out of playoff contention, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. "I'm impressed with how well (Barreto) is starting to turn on pitches. He's very aggressive on the bases and he's consistent defensively," one National League scout said. "I still see him as an offensive second baseman - Oakland will be much better with him at second in the second half."

The promising infielder has 203 plate appearances at the Triple-A level between last season and 2017, so he's certainly had a solid amount of seasoning. Barreto has been playing shortstop for the Sounds, but with Marcus Semien (wrist) slated to come off the disabled list in mid June, there will not be a vacancy at the position with the big-league club. Barreto's arrival would presumably be preceded by the trade of veteran Jed Lowrie, who presently occupies second base and is enjoying his best season since 2013.

Altuve went 1-for-4 with a first-inning RBI double that proved to be the difference in Monday's 1-0 victory over Detroit.

Altuve's ninth double of the season surprisingly held up on a night when the Astros deployed a committee of pitchers to fill in for Dallas Keuchel (neck). The second baseman is riding an eight-game hitting streak that includes seven extra-base hits (three doubles, two triples, and two homers), seven RBI and five runs. It's safe to say Altuve is running hot right now.