MLB Player News

Second baseman Jose Altuve went 2 for 3 in the Astros' win on Friday, extending his multi-game hitting streak to nine.

Altuve is 21 for 42 (.500 avg.) over those nine games.

Rays infielder Nick Franklin said Friday he is feeling better and could begin a rehab assignment as soon as Monday, per the Tampa Bay Times. Franklin has been out all season after suffering an oblique injury toward the end of spring training.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was the hero of Thursday evening's 3-2 win over the Mariners in extra innings. 

In the bottom of the 10th inning and with runners on first and second, Altuve hit a walk-off single to left field, scoring Marwin Gonzalez. This was the first walk-off of Altuve's career. 

Altuve had the most productive night of any member of the Astros as he went 3 for 5 in the game. 

Altuve is now hitting .367/.400/.500. 

With Albert Pujols sidelined Thursday, the Angels moved Kole Calhoun to the cleanup spot, according to MLB.com. Mike Trout was moved from second to third, while Erick Aybar was inserted to the leadoff spot, with Johnny Giavotella moving from ninth to second.

Calhoun, who was the team's leadoff hitter 17 of the first 21 games, is hitting .406 (13 for 32) with six runs scored, two homers, five RBI four walks and six strikeouts over his last his last eight games, raising his batting average from .222 to .309 over that span.

The yo-yo season of Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien continued Wednesday night. And the yo-yo is definitely on the rise.

Semien managed his sixth multi-hit performance in the last eight games despite a loss to the Angels. But this one was a bit different - it marked the first time this year he slugged three hits.

He doubled in the first, doubled and scored in the fourth and singled in the sixth to give him 12 hits in his last 29 at-bats.

Semien began the season on a tear, then fell into a 3-for-24 slump before recovering.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve continues his strong performance at the plate this season, going 2 for 4 at the plate in Houston's 7-2 win over the Padres Wednesday.

It marked Altuve's seventh consecutive game with multiple hits, something manager A.J. Hinch is getting accustomed to, reports MLB.com.

"There's more than just a hitter," Hinch said. "He senses opportunity. When you need a sac fly, he gets a sac fly. When you need a spark, a leadoff runner, he gets on base. And he does it in different ways. You can't pitch him the same way twice. I think I get a better appreciation at how dangerous he can be line to line.

"He gets his fair share of hits in different ways. When we roll the lineup around, I think our whole dugout senses something is going to happen positively. He continues to pile on the hits. The big moments don't scare him. The big moments, meaning a guy on third base and nobody out. A good pitcher that gets him out, he comes back for more. He's a real threat."

Altuve is hitting .355 with six doubles and 13 RBI in 93 at-bats this season.

Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien totaled two singles in four at-bats Tuesday against the Angels for his eighth multihit game this season. He also had one run and one stolen base.

Semien is batting .360 (9 for 25) over his last six games following a 3-for-24 slump from April 14-21. He also has one double, one home run, three RBI, three runs and two stolen bases in his last six games.

Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday due to right wrist tendinitis and a right forearm strain, the team announced.

To take his spot on the roster, the Yankees recalled infielder Gregorio Petit from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Jose Altuve went 4 for 6 in the Astros' thumping of the Padres on Tuesday.

Altuve is now 14 for his last 30 (.467 avg.).

Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe is back in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Yankees with Tim Beckham sliding to designated hitter and Brandon Guyer moving to the bench, the team announced per the Tampa Bay Times.

Forsythe got the day off Monday with Beckham moving to second. He is hitting .262 with two home runs in 61 at-bats this season. Guyer had started the last four games in a row before getting Tuesday off.