MLB Player News

Drury is not in the Angels' lineup for Thursday's game in St. Louis, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

It's likely a routine day off for Drury, who has gone 2-for-16 with a solo homer and eight strikeouts in the past four games. Jake Lamb will start at first base and Luis Rengifo will cover second.

Ibanez went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in an 8-1 win over the Mets during the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader.

After getting the start in left field and going 0-for-2 in the matinee, Ibanez came back out for the nightcap as the DH while batting ninth and collected his first hits since his promotion at the end of April. The 30-year-old has seen most of his action at third base so far, but his versatility could net him consistent playing time across the diamond if his bat gets going. Ibanez does have a career .289/.361/.463 slash line in over 1,500 plate appearances at Triple-A, but he hasn't been able to replicate that level of performance in the majors.

Drury went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Cardinals.

Drury tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning with his 382-foot shot to left. The infielder continues to showcase his decent power-hitting skills, as he's coming off of a 28-home run season with the Reds and Padres. The 30-year-old is now slashing .235/.273/.480 on the year.

Valdez went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base Wednesday in an 8-3 victory versus Toronto.

Valdez hit a grounder to first base in the fifth frame that was initially ruled an error, but it was eventually changed to a single, giving him two RBI on the play. The 24-year-old has collected at least one hit in seven of his eight games this season and is batting a cool .345 (10-for-29) overall. Valdez appears to have taken the reins as Boston's starting second baseman, as he has started at the position in six of the team's past seven contests.

Diaz is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners

Diaz is sitting for a second consecutive game after missing Tuesday's loss to the Mariners. Tony Kemp gets the start at second base and will hit second against Logan Gilbert and Seattle.

Valdez is starting at second base and batting seventh for the Red Sox in Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Valdez got a day off Tuesday versus a lefty, but this will be his sixth start at second base in the last seven games. The 24-year-old is limited defensively, but he's 8-for-24 with a homer and three doubles as his big-league career gets underway.

Altuve (thumb) said Wednesday that he's been cleared to field groundballs and test his grip on a bat, but he hasn't been cleared to swing as of yet, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Altuve said that the next two weeks of his rehab are "really important" with regard to shaping his timeline for a return from the 10-day injured list. The infielder has missed all of the 2023 season after breaking his right thumb during the World Baseball Classic. It's a positive sign that Altuve is able to start fielding grounders and potentially grip a bat, but he still has several checkpoints to hit in his recovery before he'll be able to contribute for Houston and fantasy teams.

Arroyo went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Blue Jays.

Getting the start at second base and batting seventh, Arroyo took Yusei Kikuchi deep in the second inning for his first homer of the year. The veteran infielder appears to have fallen to the short side of a platoon at the keystone with rookie Enmanuel Valdez getting regular work against right-handed pitching, and while Arroyo's tepid .246/.288/.348 slash line through 74 plate appearances doesn't make a strong case for more playing time, he does have six hits, five RBI and four runs in his last three starts.

Diaz is out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the Mariners, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Diaz has seen consistent playing time since being brought up from Triple-A Las Vegas, but he'll begin Tuesday's contest against Bryce Miller and the Mariners on the bench. Tony Kemp is playing second base and hitting eighth while Jace Peterson hits fifth and plays third.

Altuve (thumb) fielded grounders pregame at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

It appears to be the first bit of baseball activity Altuve has performed since he had surgery in late March to repair a fractured right thumb. Altuve is also slated to be examined by the doctor Tuesday to gauge his progress. Based on how that visit goes, we might get a clearer picture on his timetable.