MLB Player News

Hernandez returned to the lineup Saturday after getting two days off and went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in a 7-3 win over the Yankees.

Hernandez, who was given a couple days off amid an 0-for-24 stretch, did not bat leadoff for the first time this season. Apparently, manager Alex Cora wanted to take the pressure off and slotted him in the seven hole. Danny Santana, who also has been slumping, batted leadoff for the third straight game.

Altuve went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

Altuve continues to thrive in the leadoff spot, slashing .306/.373/.461 when batting atop the order in 2021. He's getting on base like an elite leadoff hitter; however, Altuve is not providing steals like a traditional leadoff batter. Saturday's theft was just his second of the season and first in 35 games.

Torres went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 7-3 loss to Boston.

The shortstop's fourth-inning long ball was the biggest of the Yankees' six hits Saturday. Torres hadn't homered since May 21 versus the White Sox. He's posted a .268/.350/.358 slash line with three homers, 22 RBI, 18 runs scored and three stolen bases across 203 plate appearances.

Short was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday.

Short appeared in just three games during his most recent stint on the major-league roster, and he went 2-for-6 with two runs, three walks and three strikeouts. His demotion will make room for right-hander Jose Urena (forearm), who will be reinstated from the injured list Sunday to start the series finale against the White Sox.

Merrifield went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, two runs scored and a stolen base in Friday's 14-5 win over the Twins.

Merrifield did all his damage in the first inning. He led off with a single and then stole his league-high 17th base of the season. He then later came up to bat again in the same inning and belted a three-run homer to cap off a nine-run inning for the Royals. He's slashing .264/.322/.396 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 37 runs scored and an 18:24 BB:K this season. His batting average is a bit lower than what fantasy managers are accustomed to and the long ball was his first since May 5, but he's blowing away the field with his 17 steals and has only been caught once.

Polanco went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and two runs scored in Friday's 14-5 loss to the Royals.

Polanco's home run didn't mean much since the Twins were already down 13-1, but it was his second straight multi-hit game and he now has hits in six of his last eight contests. Overall, the 27-year-old is slashing .243/.318/.418 with six homers, 24 RBI, 29 runs scored and three stolen bases to go along with a 20:37 BB:K. He has not been hitting the ball as well in comparison to recent years, but at least Polanco is taking his walks. He owns a 9.6 percent walk rate, which is on pace to be the highest he's had in a full season since entering the league in 2014.

Lowe went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Rangers.

He got the Rays on the board in the eighth inning by taking Josh Sborz deep to right-center field, but the Rays couldn't climb out of a 5-0 hole. Lowe snapped a 12-game homerless drought in the process, and the 26-year-old has yet to produce an extended hot streak this season, slashing .201/.316/.387 through 55 contests with 10 home runs, three steals, 25 RBI and 30 runs.

Arraez (shoulder) has started throwing but is still having issues with some throws from higher arm slots, MLB.com reports.

It's not clear when Arraez could return as he was expected to miss several weeks when placed on the injured list May 26. At least he's making some progress.

Hernandez is not in the lineup Friday against the Yankees, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

The 29-year-old is mired in an 0-for-24 slump and finds himself on the bench for the second consecutive contest. Danny Santana will receive another start in center field in Hernandez's place.

Lowe went 2-for-3 with an RBI single, two walks and three runs in a win over the Yankees on Thursday.

Lowe's ultra-productive "small ball" performance represented a rare burst of offensive success for the struggling 26-year-old, whose last multi-hit effort had come May 21. Lowe's season slash line sits at an abysmal .196/.314/.370 through a sizable sample of 223 plate appearances, with the significant bump in strikeout rate (25.9 percent to 30.0 percent) and notable tumble in BABIP (.309 to .246) compared to 2020 seemingly the two biggest culprits in his season-long struggles.