MLB Player News

Andrus is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Blue Jays, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Andrus has started 15 consecutive games, so a day off to rest is much needed. The 27-year-old is off to a fantastic start this season, hitting .293/.323/.413 with eight extra-base hits and 13 RBI through 26 games this season.

Altuve went 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, three RBI and three runs in Wednesday's 16-4 blowout of the Twins.

He led off the bottom of the first with a homer, setting the tone for a huge offensive day on the part of the Astros. Altuve's hitting leadoff homers like Rickey Henderson come again, and if his steal totals don't equal Rickey's, well, they're still some of the best you'll see in today's game. There are precious few players who can be considered more valuable fantasy assets.

Semien continued his struggles on Tuesday against the Mariners, going 0-for-3 to drop his average to .195.

Semien does have six homers already in 2016 which has helped fantasy owners a lot, but he is really struggling to hit for average. Semien has not had a multi-hit game since April 12 which is affecting his ability to steal bases as he only has one swipe on the year as a result. Semien's average is keeping him from moving up from the No. 9 spot in the A's batting order, impairing his fantasy value.

Altuve went hitless Tuesday, but he walked, scored a run and recorded his league-leading 10th stolen base of the season during Houston's win over Minnesota.

In addition to his stolen base prowess, Altuve is hitting a robust .292/.390/.604 with seven home runs, 14 RBI and 22 runs scored for the Astros. He's been a five-category contributor thus far for fantasy owners.

Giavotella is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Brewers.

It will be the second day off in three games for Giavotella, as his 0-for-4 performance Monday dropped his slash line down to .169/.183/.237. Cliff Pennington will man second base in his stead Tuesday, and it appears as though the days off could start becoming more regular if Giavotella isn't able to get going at the plate.

Forsythe has excelled in his leadoff role to date in 2016, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune reports.

The 29-year-old has validated manager Kevin Cash's decision to place him at the top of the lineup, leading the Rays with a .337 average, and hitting .364 during the first inning. Forsythe had adjusted to the nuances of being the first man up against the opposing pitcher by making his warm-up process more efficient. "The routine is actually the big thing," he said. "I've been able to shorten it up. Make sure my body's ready. Get a couple of more swings before I step in for that first at-bat of the game. It's going well right now. I want to continue to grow on it, try to get better in early counts." The five-year veteran sees his presence at the top of the order as somewhat of a break from the norm, given that leadoff men have traditionally been profiled as low-power speed merchants. "There seems like there's more and more contact guys, guys who can put the ball in play. Very good with pitch-recognition," he said. "They give you that quality at-bat. I've noticed it not necessarily being that speedster. (It's) maybe even a power guy."

Polanco is expected to be optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday as Trevor Plouffe (ribs) returns from the DL, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Polanco once again returns to Triple-A following his second call-up of the season. The 22-year-old is 1-for-7 in the majors and will get more chances to hone his skills in the minors. Polanco had a great spring, and it's clear the Twins are optimistic about their young shortstop going forward.

Altuve went 1-for-3 Sunday with a walk and a solo shot, his seventh home run of the season.

It was also his fourth leadoff home run on the young campaign, and Altuve seems determined to break Alfonso Soriano's MLB record of 13 leadoff homers in a season. Last year's power spike is clearly for real, and the diminutive second baseman is now slashing an impressive .306/.404/.633 through 98 at-bats.

Forsythe went 3-for-3 with a solo homer and two RBI in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays.

While the Rays' offense as a whole has been mired in a season-long malaise, Forsythe has been one of the few exceptions to the struggles. He's slashed an outstanding .341/.426/.610, and has multi-hit outings in four of his last six games. He's also walked in four straight contests, making him a constant presence on the basepaths. The 29-year-old's contributions at the top of the order have rendered him an invaluable piece of an attack that's needed all the help he's been able to provide in the early going in 2016.

Giavotella is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Though the Angels will be facing lefty Cole Hamels on Sunday, the right-handed hitting Giavotella will ride the pine after Saturday's 0-for-4 showing dropped his batting average to .182. Backup Cliff Pennington will get the start at the keystone Sunday, and could parlay the opportunity into more playing time if he's able to provide the sort of offensive punch that Giavotella has lacked this season.