MLB Player News

Acuna has a 13-game hitting streak going at Double-A Frisco and is hitting .411 with one home run, four steals and seven strikeouts over that stretch.

An undersized yet dynamic athlete, Acuna has seen most of his time at shortstop this season while also getting starts at second base and center field. He is slashing .315/.371/.447 with six home runs, 34 steals (on 37 attempts) and a 19.2 percent strikeout rate for the RoughRiders. Given how set the Rangers seem up the middle, Acuna could be trade bait at the deadline, which might be why he hasn't been promoted to Triple-A yet.

The Blue Jays optioned Clement to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday.

Clement has had a couple stints with the Blue Jays this season but has logged just nine plate appearances. He'll return to a utility role at Buffalo.

Kemp went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a walk in a loss to the Red Sox on Sunday.

The veteran found his way back atop the order and hit safely for the seventh time in the last nine games. Kemp's steal, his fourth over that span, also brought him to within two of tying the career-best 11 he swiped a year ago. While he enters the All-Star break with his batting average just under the Mendoza Line at .197, the 31-year-old will begin the second half trending in the right direction after producing a .306/.375/.458 slash line with a double, two triples, two home runs and seven RBI across the 82 plate appearances covering his last 21 games.

Massey went 3-for-4 with a two-RBI triple in Sunday's win over the Guardians.

Massey recorded his first three-hit game of the season and the second of his career. He helped give the Royals some breathing room with a two-run triple in the sixth to put them up 4-1 and head into the All-Star break on a high note. Prior to Sunday's outing, Massey had gone just 1-for-12 in four games since coming off the injured list and is now slashing .220/.277/.320 with 11 extra-base hits, 22 RBI, 15 runs and a 14:62 BB:K in 220 plate appearances.

Julien went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an RBI double in Sunday's 15-2 loss to the Orioles.

Julien accounted for half of the Twins' hits and all of their run production. The second baseman has three homers and two doubles over his last five games. He's at a respectable .271/.349/.504 slash line with seven homers, 13 RBI, 19 runs scored, 10 doubles and a stolen base through 153 plate appearances. Jorge Polanco (hamstring) is likely out another week, so Julien should maintain a strong-side platoon role at second base early in the second half.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Altuve (oblique) is healing faster than anticipated, but the second baseman isn't expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list when first eligible July 14, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Brown's comments came after Altuve was able to take grounders at second base prior to Sunday's game against the Mariners, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Though the GM didn't put a firm target date on Altuve's return from the IL, Brown suggested that the eight-time All-Star is about a week behind slugger Yordan Alvarez (oblique) in their respective recovery programs. Alvarez is expected to begin a rehab assignment shortly after the All-Star break, so if all goes well in Altuve's recovery over the next week, the 33-year-old could be cleared to join a minor-league affiliate the week after. Mauricio Dubon should continue to handle the keystone on an everyday basis until Altuve is deemed ready to return from the IL.

President of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Sunday he hopes Polanco (hamstring) will be able to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul "around next weekend," Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The 30-year-old returned to baseball activities in late June and is hoping to ramp up his running program this week, which could be the final hurdle before being cleared for game action. Polanco landed on the shelf June 10 with a hamstring strain and will likely require a handful of games in the minors before rejoining the Twins.

Dubon will start at second base and bat leadoff in Sunday's game against the Mariners.

Dubon will close out the Astros' first-half schedule with his 10th consecutive start. He made the first four of those starts at shortstop while Jeremy Pena dealt with neck tightness, but Dubon has since shifted over to second base as a replacement for the injured Jose Altuve (oblique). Additionally, Dubon has assumed Altuve's role as the Astros' table setter, as Dubon will lead off in a sixth straight game after going 5-for-21 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored in the prior five contests.

Frazier is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.comreports.

Frazier is 6-for-19 with a double, a home run and five RBI over his past six games, but he'll head to the bench Sunday for the second time during the three-game set in Minnesota. Jordan Westburg will shift to second base while Ramon Urias starts at the hot corner.

Lowe is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Even though Atlanta is bringing right-hander Bryce Elder to the bump for the series finale, the lefty-hitting Lowe will take a seat and get an early start on the All-Star break. Taylor Walls will check in at the keystone for Lowe, who has gone 3-for-11 with two doubles, three walks, one stolen base and two RBI while starting in four of six games since being reinstated from the injured list Tuesday.