MLB Player News

Lopez went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a stolen base in Monday's 6-2 win over the Angels.

Lopez recorded his first steal since May 27 in this contest. He's hit safely in four of his last six games, going 6-for-19 (.316) in that span. The light-hitting 27-year-old has a .220/.288/.260 slash line with no home runs, six RBI, five stolen bases, 21 runs scored and eight doubles through 63 contests overall. He started at third base for the third time in six games, and it appears he'll take the strong side of a platoon with Emmanuel Rivera at the hot corner. Lopez also has experience at second base and shortstop, but Whit Merrifield and Bobby Witt have commanded starting roles at those positions.

Merrifield went 1-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 6-2 win over the Angels.

Merrifield had a 21-game span with no steals recently, but he's notched a pair of thefts in his last four games while going 5-for-17 (.294) in that span. The 33-year-old is now 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts this year. The renewed hitting is a welcome sight, though his season slash line remains at .229/.273/.310 with three home runs, 28 RBI, 32 runs scored and 13 doubles through 66 contests.

Manager Alex Cora said Monday that Hernandez (hip) will require a rehab assignment but is likely to return by this weekend, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Hernandez took live batting practice Saturday and is expected to report to Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday to begin his rehab assignment. While Cora said Saturday that he was hopeful Hernandez would be back Wednesday or Thursday, it's possible that the Red Sox wait until this weekend before reinstating him from the injured list.

Manager Kevin Cash said that Lowe (back) has resumed rotational work and could start swinging a bat again Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe looks to be gradually resuming baseball activities after he had his rehab program shut down for a few days when he experienced renewed discomfort in his injured lower back. The 27-year-old has been on the shelf since May 16 and appears to be at least a couple weeks away from returning from the 10-day injured list.

Arroyo (illness) will require a rehab assignment prior to rejoining the Red Sox, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Arroyo has cleared the league's COVID-19 protocols and was in the Red Sox's clubhouse Monday, but he'll be sent to a minor-league affiliate before he's cleared to return from the injured list. However, manager Alex Cora is hopeful that the 27-year-old will be cleared to return as early as this weekend.

Castro (calf) is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Boston.

Castro is day-to-day after exiting Sunday's 7-3 win due to calf tightness, but even if he avoided an injury to close out the weekend, he would likely be on the outside looking in for a spot in Detroit's lineup. The Tigers reinstated Jeimer Candelario (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list and will immediately slot him back in the starting nine at third base, the position Castro had been primarily playing for the past two weeks. Assuming his calf issue doesn't force him to the IL, Castro will likely handle a utility role for Detroit moving forward.

Arroyo (illness) rejoined the Red Sox on Monday after clearing all COVID-19-related protocols, but he remains on the injured list, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

After Arroyo was away from the team for the previous five days, the Red Sox may want to send him out on a brief rehab assignment or have him go through a series of workouts over the next couple of days before activating him from the IL. Once he's reinstated, Arroyo will likely serve as a short-side platoon mate for lefty-hitting outfielder Jackie Bradley.

Dubon went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 4-3 win over the White Sox.

Dubon's fifth-inning blast ultimately gave the Astros just enough offense for the win. The utility man has gone 5-for-18 (.278) in June. He's in line for extra playing time as long as Jeremy Pena (thumb) and Aledmys Diaz (shoulder) are sidelined. Dubon is slashing .232/.258/.378 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored and a stolen base in 38 contests between the Astros and the Giants this season.

Semien went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base in a 7-3 loss Sunday in Detroit.

Semien singled, stole second and scored in the fifth inning. He has looked like his old self of late, hitting .309/.373/.544 with five homers and six stolen bases in his last 17 games. He has enjoyed most of his success away from Globe Life Field, posting a .763 OPS on the road compared to a .480 OPS at home.

Miller went 2-for-5 with a double and a stolen base in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Dodgers.

Miller's first steal of the season came in the seventh inning. The infielder isn't a big threat to run, as he never had more than five stolen bases in a minor-league season and nabbed only two thefts in the majors in 2021. He's started to get back on track lately, going 9-for-31 (.290) with five doubles, four RBI and three runs scored in his last eight contests. Overall, the 25-year-old has a .262/.316/.416 slash line with four home runs, 31 RBI, 33 runs scored and 19 doubles in 228 plate appearances. Miller continues to pick up most of his playing time at first base, second base and designated hitter as manager Terry Francona finds a place for him in the lineup more often than not.