MLB Player News

Chavis went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in Thursday's 8-7 victory against the Cubs.

Chavis quietly went 0-for-3 over his first three plate appearances, but he came up big late in the game. The 26-year-old crushed a solo homer off David Robertson in the eighth inning to tie the score 7-7, and he followed with a walk-off single in the 10th. This was a nice turnaround performance for Chavis, who came into the contest hitting only .175 (11-for-63) in June.

Rodgers went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, one RBI and one run scored Thursday against the Marlins.

Rodgers doubled in a run in the third inning and also came around to score. He has only four multi-hit games across 21 starts in June, though he's shown a significant uptick in power by collecting 13 extra-base hits in 89 at-bats. Rodgers still has only six home runs on the season but has chipped in 35 runs scored and 32 RBI to go along with a .255 average across 254 plate appearances.

Vargas started in left field for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, broadcaster Alex Freedman reports. He went 1-for-3 with a walk in the loss to Round Rock.

Vargas was back at third base for Thursday's contest, but his stint in left field Wednesday was notable in that it was his first start at the position in his professional career. It may not be a coincidence that the 22-year-old's first foray in the outfield came four days after Mookie Betts was place on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right rib, though Los Angeles has since traded for Trayce Thompson to add outfield depth. Regardless, adding a new position to his skill set can only help Vargas in his quest for his first call-up, and he looked good in left field Wednesday, notching three putouts -- including a nice running catch on a deep drive with two runners on base and two outs in the seventh inning -- and making no miscues. It wouldn't be surprising to see Vargas called up to the majors at some point this season, as he's stood out in 67 games with Oklahoma City, slashing .282/.379/.485 with 11 home runs, 50 RBI, 57 runs and eight stolen bases on nine attempts.

Hoerner went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's extra-inning loss to the Pirates.

Hoerner's counting stats don't jump off the page, with just three home runs and 20 RBI this season, though he does consistently rack up hits. The 25-year-old is now batting .280 this year, which comes on the heels of batting .302 in 44 games with the Cubs in 2021. Hoerner has established himself as the team's top shortstop, and he has some fantasy value despite being limited in terms of power production.

Estrada went 0-for-4 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Atlanta.

Estrada is now batting .215 in June after Wednesday's hitless performance, but he's also picked up four of his 10 stolen bases for the season. The infielder has a .262/.315/.389 slash line with five home runs, 28 RBI and 37 runs scored in 65 contests overall.

Gonzales is dealing with right plantar fasciitis and will be required to spend 2-4 weeks in a walking boot, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Gonzales was transferred to the 60-day injured list Tuesday and will be shut down for several weeks after visiting with a foot and ankle specialist. While the right-hander was initially believed to be dealing with heel soreness, he'll likely be kept out of game action until at least late July or early August following his new diagnosis.

Donovan isn't starting Wednesday's game against Milwaukee, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Donovan will get a day off after he went 3-for-18 with three runs, two walks and seven strikeouts over the last four games. Nolan Gorman is starting at second base while Albert Pujols enters the lineup at first.

Chavis is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.

Yu Chang will draw the start at first base after Chavis had been included in the Pittsburgh lineup for each of the past six contests. During that stretch, Chavis managed only two hits in 19 at-bats, but thanks to drawing five walks, he produced a .292 on-base average.

Marte isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Padres, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Marte returned to the lineup Tuesday against San Diego and went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. He'll get a breather while Jake Hager starts at the keystone and bats eighth.

McNeil (hamstring) isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros.

McNeil left Monday's game against the Marlins due to right hamstring tightness and will be held out of the lineup for a second consecutive game. However, manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday that he expects McNeil to return to the lineup Friday or Saturday against the Marlins, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Pete Alonso will serve as the designated hitter while Dominic Smith starts at first base.