MLB Player News

Torres was diagnosed Monday with a torn UCL in his left elbow after meeting with a physician and will require season-ending Tommy John surgery.

It's a major blow for the Yankees' top prospect, who was expected to provide the big club with a lift in the second half of the season, when he likely would have been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Instead, Torres' big-league debut will have to wait until 2018, as he'll now turn his attention to healing up before spring training arrives. With Torres out of the picture for the rest of the season, Chase Headley will gain some extra security in his role as the team's everyday third baseman. The 20-year-old was hitting .309/.406/.457 in 96 plate appearances since being promoted from Double-A Trenton to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in late May.

Torres (elbow) was placed on the 7-day disabled list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, Conor Foley of The Scranton Times-Tribune reports.

Torres was able to avoid structural damage to his elbow after X-rays following Saturday's game determined he had suffered a hyperextension, but the Yankees have yet to release a timetable for his return beyond ruling him out for at least the next week. The injury could very well delay any promotion of the Yankees' top prospect until after the All-Star break, affording incumbent third baseman Chase Headley some time to get dialed in at the plate and build up some job security. Torres, 20, is hitting .309/.406/.457 in International League play since being promoted from Double-A Trenton just under a month ago.

Merrifield is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Merrifield will take a seat after starting in the Royals' previous 21 games in what amounts to little more than a rest day. Ramon Torres will replace Merrifield at the keystone and assume his usual spot atop the lineup.

Motter is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Though he'll hit the bench Sunday while Tyler Smith mans shortstop, Motter should continue to serve as the primary option at the position until Jean Segura (hamstring) comes off the disabled list. With Segura set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma on Monday, his return to the Mariners could come before the end of the week. That would likely spell the end to Motter's run of everyday at-bats, though the 27-year-old's defensive versatility will make him one of the top candidates to enter the lineup if one of the team's other regulars should succumb to an injury at some point.

Polanco will start at shortstop and lead off Sunday against the Indians, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

It will likely only be a one-game stay at the top of the order for Polanco since Twins manager Paul Molitor is opting to give normal leadoff man Brian Dozier the day off in the series finale. Until he's able to boost his .299 on-base percentage to a more impressive level, Polanco should settle into a bottom-third spot in the order more often than not.

Altuve went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 7-1 win over the Red Sox.

Altuve snapped out of five-game funk and has multiple hits in three consecutive games, a stretch in which he has seven hits in 10 at-bats with a homer, four doubles and five runs. Altuve's 85 hits this season put him tied for fifth in MLB.

Torres suffered a hyperextended left elbow Saturday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and will undergo further evaluation Monday.

X-rays were negative, but he could still end up hitting the minor-league DL with the injury. The expectation has been that Torres is on the fast track to replacing Chase Headley at the hot corner at some point this season, though a significant injury would likely change his short-term trajectory. The 20-year-old shortstop was hitting .304/.404/.443 with two home runs, two steals (on four attempts) and a 26:13 K:BB in 94 Triple-A plate appearances after abusing Double-A pitchers in a similar fashion earlier this season.

Torres was removed from Saturday's Triple-A contest in the third inning after apparently injuring himself while sliding into home, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

This could be an extremely tough blow for one of the Yankees' top prospects, who was just starting to turn it on since earning a promotion to Triple-A. Torres looked to be in some serious pain after appearing to injure his arm or shoulder while sliding headfirst into home. The severity of his injury isn't known at this point, but more should be known once he is further evaluated in the coming days.

Rodriguez (oblique) was activated from the disabled list Saturday.

Rodriguez is good to go after missing the first part of June with an oblique injury. The 25-year-old is currently currently slashing .258/.304/.353 across 47 games with Columbus this season.

Semien (wrist), who took batting practice before Friday's game for the first time since his injury, could begin a minor-league rehab assignment as early as next week, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports. "He's progressed really nicely to get to this point, and we all know he wants to get out there and play and get on a rehab assignment as soon as he can," manager Bob Melvin said. "If we feel good about where he's at, then in potentially a week or so maybe he looks to get out on a rehab assignment."

The slugging shortstop has been improving at a brisk clip and appears to be on the brink of a return to game action. Semien has already missed 56 games as a result of his April 18 surgery, which has provided promising rookie Chad Pinder extended playing time. Assuming he doesn't encounter any setbacks the rest of the way, Semien currently projects for an early July return to the big-league club.