MLB Player News

Castro will start at first base and bat sixth Thursday against the Rangers.

Castro will receive his fourth start in a row after going 6-for-9 with a double, a walk, three runs and two RBI across the Tigers' previous three contests. Though he'll be filling in for a resting Miguel Cabrera on Thursday, Castro could be an option to step in as Detroit's primary second baseman after Isaac Paredes (hip) joined Niko Goodrum (calf) on the 10-day injured list ahead of the series finale with Texas.

Merrifield went 2-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Brewers.

The 32-year-old has slowed down at the plate. slashing .203/.254/.237 through 15 games in July without a homer, but Merrifield remains the steadiest source of steals in baseball. Wednesday's theft was his MLB-leading 25th of the year, and no one else in the AL has more than 16 (Tim Anderson).

Polanco went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, a double, two additional runs scored, a walk and a stolen base in Wednesday's 7-2 win over the White Sox.

Polanco had quite the offensive night, capping off a three-run jack in the sixth inning off Codi Heuer to lengthen the lead. He added a double in the ninth inning and stole third base. The 27-year-old has homered in back-to-back contests. He has six RBI, four runs and a pair of steals over his last three games. Overall Polanco is slashing .260/.325/.449 with 14 long balls, 49 RBI, 53 runs and nine steals in 372 plate appearances.

Short went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 4-2 victory over Texas.

Short broke a 1-1 tie with his two-run shot to left field in the second inning. The homer broke a six-game slump during which the shortstop went 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts and no extra-base hits. Short has had a difficult time adjusting to major-league pitching in his rookie campaign, as he is slashing a meager .188/.322/.391.

Altuve went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to Cleveland.

After homering twice Tuesday, Altuve stayed hot delivering another pair of extra-base hits Wednesday, including a solo shot off Eli Morgan in the fourth inning. He's still batting just .220 over his last 10 games, although he has six home runs since July 1. The 31-year-old is slashing .278/.358/.512, leading the team with 23 long balls and 70 runs scored in 394 plate appearances. Altuve remains a significant power threat, though his speed has diminished with just four steals in 2021 thus far.

Chavis went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 7-4 victory over Toronto on Wednesday.

Chavis contributed to a barrage of Red Sox home runs in the contest with a 409-foot solo shot in the fifth frame. The long ball was just his second of the season, as he has spent much of the campaign in the minors. Chavis has had a difficult time while up with the big club in 2021, slashing .200/.221/.354 across 68 plate appearances.

Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double and a walk in Wednesday's win over Toronto.

Hernandez kicked off the scoring in the contest with a two-run shot to left field in the third inning. The long ball was his third in his past two games and 14th overall this season. Hernandez appears to be over the dry spell that saw him go 1-for-17 across five games between July 10 and July 18.

Torres went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Phillies.

Torres took Cristopher Sanchez yard in the fourth inning to record his sixth homer of the season. While that total is a disappointing mark, Torres now has three home runs in his last four games. Despite the recent hot stretch, Torres is still slugging just .339 and has registered a 90 wRC+ across 337 plate appearances on the campaign.

Arraez still has soreness and swelling in his right knee, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said the team will decide Thursday whether Arraez requires a trip to the injured list. The 24-year-old's absence, however long it may be, is especially damaging to the Twins' lineup and outfield depth now that Alex Kirilloff (wrist) is expected to miss eight weeks.

Arraez (knee) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox.

Arraez will be forced to the bench after a sore right knee prompted his early exit from Tuesday's 9-5 loss. Trevor Larnach will shift over from right field to cover left field in place of Arraez.