MLB Player News

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus is out Sunday with back tightness, Fox Sports Southwest reports. Andrus said his back is feeling better, however, and he should return to the starting lineup soon.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus was forced out of Saturday's contest against the Twins with lower back tightness.

Andrus came up limping after a single in the opening frame. He was replaced by Adam Rosales and has been listed as day to day. He is hitting .263/.324/.315 with 49 RBI in 524 at-bats this season.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus had a solid game Wednesday in a rout of the Mariners in Seattle. Andrus, batting second, went 3 for 4 in the game with a walk.

Andrus doubled and picked up his 48th and 49th RBI of the season. He scored a run and is batting .264 for the Rangers.

The 25-year-old shortstop has hit in six straight games. He's gone 12 for 29 over that stretch with two doubles and four runs driven in. In fact, Andrus has at least one base hit in 10 of his last 11 games.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus reached base three times Monday against the Mariners.

Andrus picked up three singles, finishing the game 3 for 5. He had one run scored and one RBI. Andrus is hitting .261/.322/.312 in 510 at-bats.

Despite not being slotted into the starting lineup Saturday, Mariners infielder Nick Franklin went 0 for 2 with an RBI and played two innings at second base after pinch hitting for Brendan Ryan in the bottom of the seventh inning in his team's 5-1 loss to the Angels.

It was Franklin's first action since suffering a left knee laceration Tuesday. He has hit .239/.308/.424 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI in 264 at-bats.

Mariners infielder Nick Franklin was out of the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels. Franklin suffered a lacerated left knee Tuesday and was expected to need four or five days of recovery time before rejoining the lineup.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus managed to be the hero in a game he didn't even pick up a base hit Wednesday against Houston.

Andrus' sacrifice fly to center in the ninth inning scored the game-winning run in the 5-4 victory. Andrus had another sacrifice RBI in the game in the seventh inning. He finished 0 for 3 and is batting .255.

The slick-fielding shortstop has been driving in runs with regularity of late. He has seven in his last seven games and 45 on the year.

As expected, Mariners infielder Nick Franklin is not in the team's starting lineup Wednesday against the Athletics. 

Franklin is not expected to return until the weekend. He's hitting .240/.310/.427 through 262 at-bats. 

Mariners acting manager Robby Thompson said the hope is second baseman Nick Franklin will be able to return to the lineup Friday or Saturday against the Angels after suffering a lacerated left knee Tuesday against the A's. Franklin said the doctor told him he would be sidelined 4-5 days after needing five stitches to repair the gash.

"Looks like he caught a spike on his left knee," Thompson said, per MLB.com. "He wanted to stay in, just wanted a new pair of pants. But no, it was necessary for him to come out of the game. They needed to take care of that right away."

Mariners infielder Nick Franklin had a big game but picked up an injury Tuesday night in Oakland. Franklin left the game late with a laceration on his left knee that required stitches, The Seattle Times reports. 

Prior to leaving the game, Franklin went 2 for 4 with his 11th home run of the season. He went deep for a two-run shot in the third inning as the only runs scored off starter Sonny Gray. Franklin then added the game-tying RBI single in the eighth inning before scoring to make it 6-4 in an eventual 7-4 win. 

Franklin, who is day to day, is batting .240. The home run was his first in a while as he had just one hit in his previous three games.