MLB Player News

Polanco is still feeling issues with his left knee and may not return this season, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Polanco hasn't played in nearly a month due to left knee inflammation. Given that the Twins have endured a late-season collapse and are out of the playoff picture, there's now little reason to rush Polanco back if he's anything short of 100 percent.

Diaz isn't starting Friday against the Mets.

Diaz started the last four games and went 3-for-12 with two runs, a walk and two strikeouts. He'll get a day off while Stephen Vogt serves as the designated hitter and bats seventh.

Clement was claimed off waivers by the Athletics on Friday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The Guardians designated Clement for assignment earlier this week, but Oakland -- an organization with much less depth -- added him to the 40-man roster. Clement hit .200 with zero home runs and zero steals in 145 at-bats this season, but his defensive versatility is a selling point from a real-life perspective.

Arroyo has not played since Sept. 18 due to a non-COVID illness, but he is joining the team this weekend in New York, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

He had been playing pretty regularly up until then, so this explains why he has been absent from the lineup for a few days. Arroyo was not yet at the park a couple hours before the game and he was not in Friday's lineup. He should return later this weekend.

Gonzalez isn't starting Friday against the Tigers.

Gonzalez is getting a day off after he went 1-for-6 with a strikeout over the last two games. Josh Harrison will take over at the keystone and bat eighth Friday.

Biggio isn't in the lineup Friday against the Rays.

Biggio should see an uptick in playing time while Santiago Espinal (oblique) is on the injured list. However, Biggio has started against just six left-handed pitchers this year and will head to the bench with southpaw Jeffrey Springs on the mound for Tampa Bay on Friday. Whit Merrifield is starting at the keystone and batting eighth.

Arroyo is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Yankees, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Arroyo will remain on the bench for a fourth consecutive game. Enrique Hernandez will draw the start at second base while Rob Refsnyder enters the lineup in center field and bats seventh against the Yankees.

Altuve (elbow) is starting Friday against the Orioles.

Altuve sat out Thursday due to an elbow injury, but he'll start at the keystone and lead off following his one-game absence. The 32-year-old is riding a four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 8-for-13 with a solo homer, six runs, a stolen base, two walks and a strikeout.

Frazier went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a two-run double in a win over the Athletics on Thursday.

Frazier's clutch double in the sixth inning plated Jarred Kelenic and Dylan Moore to snap a 5-5 tie, and his ninth-inning single drove home Moore with the final run of the game. The veteran's productive showing out of the No. 9 spot in the order was an especially welcome sight, considering he'd been mired in a 2-for-22 slump over the previous eight games despite striking out at just an 8.7 percent clip in that span.

Merrifield went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Thursday's loss against the Rays.

After Teoscar Hernandez led off the second inning with a homer, Merrifield came up two batters later and crushed a solo shot of his own to tie the game at 3-3. The second baseman then crushed a two-run homer in the ninth, though the game had already gotten away from the Blue Jays by that point. Merrifield hasn't gotten a whole lot of playing time recently, though he is 5-for-14 (.357) in his last 16 plate appearances with two homers, five RBI, and four runs scored while also drawing two walks in that span.