MLB Player News
-
Nicky Lopez 2B | CHW
White Sox's Nicky Lopez: On bench in Baldwin's debut
Lopez is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Royals.
The lefty-hitting Lopez will take a seat against Royals right-hander Michael Wacha in the White Sox's first game after the All-Star break. With the White Sox calling up prospect Brooks Baldwin from Triple-A Charlotte and installing him as the starter at second base Friday in his MLB debut, Lopez's time as a regular in the infield could be over. The veteran went hitless over his final three starts before the break, bringing his season-long slash line down to a dismal .240/.297/.287 over 285 plate appearances.
-
Brandon Lowe 2B | TB
Rays' Brandon Lowe: Tallies ninth homer
Lowe went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Sunday against the Guardians.
Lowe had the first half of his season disrupted by oblique and toe injuries, but he appears to be finding his timing at the plate. Since June 1, he's hit .287 with eight home runs, 19 RBI and 19 runs scored. Lowe will continue to sit regularly against lefties, but he should be locked into the top third of the lineup for most games against right-handed pitching.
-
Zack Gelof 2B | OAK
Athletics' Zack Gelof: Launches grand slam
Gelof went 1-for-5 with a grand slam Sunday against the Phillies.
Gelof's ninth-inning grand slam was the eighth and final long ball of the day for Oakland and put a rubber stamp on an 18-run outburst for the A's. It was the second consecutive game with a homer for Gelof, who has now hit seven over the past 23 games and is up to 12 on the season.
-
Adam Frazier 2B | KC
Royals' Adam Frazier: Homers in loss Sunday
Frazier went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox.
Frazier's homer was his first since June 8. He's gone 4-for-19 (.211) with three RBI over five games since he returned from a right thumb strain. The Royals have used him at second base, at third base, in right field and at designated hitter over the last week, which makes it appear Frazier has supplanted Nick Loftin as the team's top utility man. Frazier is slashing .211/.292/.307 with three homers, two stolen bases, 13 RBI and 20 runs scored across 185 plate appearances this season.
-
Andres Gimenez 2B | CLE
Guardians' Andres Gimenez: Swipes bag Sunday
Gimenez went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Sunday's 2-0 loss to the Rays.
Gimenez went 18 games without a steal, though his chances were a bit limited since he got on base at a .275 clip in that span. The second baseman is still seeing most of the playing time at the keystone, though he's regularly batted sixth for nearly three weeks after often hitting second. Gimenez has 15 steals in 18 attempts, five home runs, 45 RBI, 43 runs scored and a .252/.304/.339 slash line through 89 contests this season.
-
Jorbit Vivas 2B | NYY
Yankees' Jorbit Vivas: Sent back to minors
The Yankees optioned Vivas to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Orioles.
Vivas was called up from Triple-A on Friday but went unused throughout the weekend and is still awaiting his MLB debut. He'll get regular playing time once he rejoins Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with whom he was slashing .258/.404/.424 over 166 plate appearances on the season prior to receiving a promotion.
-
Luis Guillorme 2B | ARI
Angels' Luis Guillorme: Scratched with sore back
Guillorme was scratched from the Angels lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners due to back tightness, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Guillorme had been in line to make just his third start in the last seven games, but the back injury thwarted those plans. With Guillorme hitting the bench due to the back issue, Brandon Drury will shift over from the keystone to man third base in Guillorme's stead, while Keston Hiura enters the starting nine at second base.
-
Luis Guillorme 2B | ARI
Angels' Luis Guillorme: Returns to utility role
Guillorme will start at third base and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Though he's in the lineup for the Angels' final game before the All-Star break, Guillorme's brief run as a regular in the Anaheim lineup following Luis Rengifo's (wrist) placement on the injured list July 5 seems to have come to an end. Anthony Rendon -- who is resting Sunday -- came off the IL on Monday, and he had started in each of the last six games. Guillorme, meanwhile, started just twice during that six-game stretch.
-
Adam Frazier 2B | KC
Royals' Adam Frazier: Getting run out of leadoff spot
Frazier will start at third base and bat leadoff in Sunday's game in Boston.
Though he'll stick in the lineup for the fifth time in six games as the Royals' leadoff man, Frazier doesn't yet look to be a fixture in the Kansas City starting nine. He's turned in a .235 on-base percentage in his previous four turns atop the lineup, and he's also made starts at four different positions (third base, second base, right field and designated hitter) during that stretch. Instead, Frazier's inclusion in the lineup appears to be a means of Royals manager Matt Quatraro giving rest days to regulars such as Maikel Garcia, who will take a seat Sunday in the series finale.
-
Vaughn Grissom SS | BOS
Red Sox's Vaughn Grissom: Heading to Worcester for rehab
Grissom (hamstring) will report to Triple-A Worcester during the All-Star break to begin a rehab assignment, Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
Grissom made progress over the previous week, regaining strength in his strained right hamstring to the point that the Red Sox mapped out a rehab plan. The infielder will have a few days of workouts before beginning a rehab assignment. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, Red Sox manager Alex Cora wouldn't definitively say that Grissom would serve as the club's everyday second baseman upon his return from the injured list, as David Hamilton has been producing well as the primary option at the position in recent weeks. Grissom has two minor-league options remaining and could stick around at Worcester once activated if regular at-bats aren't available to him in the big leagues.