MLB Player News

Marte, who has missed the last three games with an illness, did not make the trip to Toronto for the Mariners' weekend series, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

"He's lost some weight, too, and that's a concerning thing," manager Scott Servais said. "His tonsils are really swollen. He is on antibiotics, and I hope that kicks in. But he is not feeling good." Luis Sardinas is expected to recalled prior to Friday's series opener.

Altuve went 2-for-3 with two walks in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Athletics.

Over his last four games, Altuve is 12-for-17 and has scored five runs. Baseball's leading hitter is slashing .357/.427/.563 with fifteen round-trippers, 54 RBI and 73 runs. Altuve also has 25 steals on the year, which puts him on pace to swipe 40-plus bags for the second time in his six-year career.

Jones, 18, is hitting .326/.392/.485 with two homers and 10 steals (on 13 attempts) in 132 at-bats in the Pioneer League.

The Angels have been rightfully crucified for how bad their farm system has been in recent seasons, but Jones, along with 2016 first-round pick Matt Thaiss, are starting to turn that narrative. At 6-foot, 215 pounds, Jones is the exact type of rookie ball hitter dynasty league owners need to be rostering. It will be four or five years before he reaches the majors, but there is legitimate five-category upside here.

Marte (illness) is not in the lineup Wednesday against the White Sox, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

Marte will miss a third straight game Wednesday as he continues to battle an illness. At this point, the team is unsure if he'll be able to fly to Toronto following Wednesday's game, so his status remains clouded for Friday's series opener following an off day Thursday. Shawn O'Malley will start at short Wednesday and bat ninth.

Franklin's recent demotion to Triple-A Durham is not a reflection on his performance with the big league club, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 25-year-old actually performed well during his six-week stay with the Rays, slashing .313/.377/.458 over 48 at-bats, with a homer and 13 RBI. Franklin's demotion to the minors upon Steve Pearce's return from a DL stint on Monday was largely based on the probability of reduced playing time as a result of several sidelined players getting healthy in the last two weeks. In contrast, Franklin is expected to receive plenty of opportunity at Triple-A Durham, including in the outfield. "Right now we're getting a little crunched in the outfield, and finding him time in the infield would be difficult, also," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Giavotella is not in the lineup Tuesday against Texas.

Giavotella will sit for the second time in five games as Gregorio Petit makes the start at second and bats ninth. Giavotella is 1-for-11 (.091) with three strikeouts in three starts since the All-Star break.

Altuve went 2-for-4 with his 25th stolen base of the season and a run scored during Monday's 7-4 loss at Oakland.

After hitting .420/.496/.620 in June, Altuve has cooled down considerably in July (.296/.328/.426), but he's still producing from a fantasy standpoint. The four-time All-Star has a prime match up Tuesday against A's southpaw Dillon Overton.

Franklin was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Monday.

Franklin hit a pinch-hit RBI double and stole a base in Monday's game, but that didn't stop him from getting optioned in order to make room on the 25-man roster for Steve Pearce, who will be activated Tuesday. The second baseman has slashed .313/.377/.458 in the majors, so he's sure to be at the top of the Rays' list of potential call-ups.

Marte is under the weather and out of Monday's lineup, Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports.

Marte will see the team doctor and could potentially be available off the bench Monday if everything checks out. Expect him to return to the lineup as soon as he's feeling better.

Altuve went 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's win over Seattle.

The diminutive dynamo came out of the gates after the All-Star break relatively slow by his standards, with two hits in seven at-bats, but he exploded Sunday and ultimately decided the game with a two-run bomb to left in the third inning. The four hits raised his batting average to .346, and he continues to serve as one of the most valuable fantasy assets available.