MLB Player News

The White Sox optioned Charlie Leesman to Triple-A Charlotte Wednesday.

Leesman was scheduled to make Sunday's start, so the team will have to come up with a new plan for that outing. He was moved off the 25-man roster to make room for Gordon Beckham, who is on his way back from the disabled list and is expected to be activated before Friday's game.

Mariners infielder Nick Franklin will likely be optioned to Triple-A Tacoma before Friday's game against the Rangers.

Franklin tweeted "Las Vegas here I come!" after Wednesday's win over the Astros, indicating that he's been informed that he'll join Tacoma in Las Vegas. He went 1 for 3 Wednesday and is 2 for 16 with two walks in 16 at-bats with the big-league club.

A mini-slump has Yankees third baseman Yangervis Solarte out of the lineup Wednesday night against Boston.

Solarte, who will be replaced at that position by Kelly Johnson, is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. But he still owns a .303 average and .387 on-base percentage.

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham is expected to be activated from the disabled list this weekend, MLB.com reports.

Beckham began the season on the disabled list due to a strained oblique, but it appears likely he'll make his season debut in this weekend's series against the Mariners. He's coming off a season in which he hit .267/.322/.372 with five home runs, 24 RBI and five stolen bases in 371 at-bats.

White Sox second baseman Marcus Semien came up big at the plate Sunday afternoon, cranking out four hits, including a bases-loaded triple in his team's 16-2 victory over the Rangers.

Semien also singled in the third, eighth and ninth innings, respectively. He finished 4 for 6 with two runs and four RBI. He is hitting .222 with just two homers and nine RBI in 81 at-bats.

Mariners infielder Nick Franklin started at shortstop Sunday against the Marlins.

Brad Miller is not in the lineup, so Franklin will get a shot at short. He's slated to hit seventh against Kevin Slowey.

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham started his sixth consecutive rehab game at Double-A Birmingham, MLB.com reports. Beckham is no longer feeling any soreness in his oblique and could be nearing the end of his rehab.

"He's been doing good," manager Robin Ventura said of Beckham. "He's getting closer. You want to make sure you get a good five, six in a row where you don't feel anything, so you know, even when they do it, there are no signs. It just happens. Knowing that he's had it before, you want to just nip it."

Yankees rookie infielder Yangervis Solarte launched his career first home run of the season Thursday night against the Rays in Tampa.

Solarte took Tampa Bay closer Grant Balfour deep for a solo home run in the ninth inning. He added a double and a single, falling a triple shy of a cycle. He finished 3 for 5 with one run scored and two RBI in a 10-2 victory. He is batting .373 (19 for 51) with nine RBI through 15 games.

The worst-kept secret in baseball was finally revealed Wednesday when the Mariners officially announced the promotion of Nick Franklin. He will take the spot opened with the placement of Logan Morrison on the 15-day disabled list due to a hamstring injury.

Morrison has struggled to start the season. That could open the door for Franklin to take over a permanent starting spot. He has been torrid to open the year at Triple-A Tacoma.

White Sox second baseman Marcus Semien has not fallen into a deep slump, but he has certainly struggled after a strong start.

Semien has just two hits in his last 16 at-bats to lower his batting average from .250 to .216. He has also fanned 16 times in 56 at-bats, but has shown a bit of the power that marked his minor league career with two doubles and two home runs.