MLB Player News

Kemp, whose .464 OPS ranks last in MLB among hitters with at least 150 plate appearances, is confident he can snap out of his season-long funk, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. "Maybe I'm just a start-slow guy," Kemp said. "I've never been like that in the Minor Leagues. But maybe in the big leagues I just start slow...You always come to the field hopeful each day that good things can happen. It's going to turn. I've got to believe it will."

Kemp is also hitting a meager .077 (3-for-39) with no extra-base hits and just one RBI over his last 16 games, although he's struck out at just a 15.6 percent clip in that span while also being saddled with an absurdly low .094 BABIP. However, that latter figure can't completely be chalked up to bad luck; Kemp has played a role in his undoing by producing just a 9.7 percent line-drive rate and 11.8 percent hard-contact rate in that span, as well as a tiny 1.7 percent barrel rate for the season that places him in the lower fourth percentile of qualified hitters. Kemp also had a forgettable first half a season ago before hitting .278 with five home runs and 32 RBI in 62 post-All-Star-break games, and for the time being, he's hanging on to a regular role at second base against right-handed pitching.

Frazier is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.

The lefty-hitting Frazier will head to the bench for the series finale while the Rangers bring southpaw Cody Bradford to the bump. Ramon Urias will check in for Frazier at the keystone.

Gimenez is out of the lineup Sunday versus the Cardinals.

Gimenez will take a seat for the first time since the first game of a doubleheader against the Mets last Sunday. Tyler Freeman will get the start at second base and hit sixth while Gimenez rests in the series finale.

Gonzalez will start at second base and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Tigers.

Gonzalez will man the keystone for the sixth time in seven games and may have emerged as the primary replacement at the position while Elvis Andrus (oblique) is on the shelf. Hanser Alberto had missed a good chunk of those games while missing a shoulder injury of his own, but since he returned to action Friday, he didn't play second base Saturday and won't on Sunday either. After sitting out Saturday's game entirely, Alberto will be filling in for a resting Yoan Moncada at third base in the series finale.

Ibanez is not in the starting lineup against the White Sox on Sunday.

Ibanez picked up his first hit since May 14 against Chicago on Saturday while driving in a run, but he'll still head to the bench for the series finale against the White Sox. Nick Maton will be the designated hitter for Sunday's contest while Zack Short handles second base with Zach McKinstry lined up at third.

Arroyo (hamstring) started at second base and went 1-for-4 for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.

This was the second rehab game for Arroyo and first time playing the field. He was removed for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and hasn't played a full nine innings yet. Arroyo, who has made seven plate appearances while on rehab, will stick with the WooSox for another day before being evaluated in Boston on Monday.

Biggio went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's loss to Minnesota.

Biggio stepped in for Kevin Kiermaier, who exited Saturday's contest with lower-back discomfort after just two innings, and came up big with a solo homer in the fourth off Pablo Lopez. Through 30 games, Biggio is slashing .167/.231/.347 with four home runs, 12 runs scored and six RBI.

Short went 1-for-2 with two walks and a two-run home run in Saturday's win over the White Sox. He also stole a base.

Short has looked good in 19 games with the Tigers, as he's now batting .310 with a 1.084 OPS. Short has a career .160 batting average with a .588 OPS, so the production this year has been unexpected to say the least. However, the hot stretch could earn him some extended playing time in the short term.

Stefanic is slashing .331/.438/.416 through 42 games this season with Triple-A Salt Lake, and he's reached base in every contest in which he's played.

Stefanic's on-base streak is actually at 51 extending back to last season, when he hit .314 with a .422 on-base percentage for the Triple-A club. The 27-year-old has proven to be a difficult out with a .401 OBP across 364 career minor-league contests, though he struggled in his first taste of the majors last year, slashing .197/.279/.230 over 69 plate appearances. Stefanic's ability to reach base could earn him another chance in the big leagues at some point, but his absence of power and speed limit his appeal as a future fantasy asset.

Lowe is not in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Dodgers, Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe will take a seat as the Rays face off with left-hander Clayton Kershaw on Saturday. Taylor Walls will replace him at second base and bat eighth against Los Angeles.