MLB Player News

Solarte (hamstring) is close to starting a rehab assignment, Bill Center of Padres.com reports.

Solarte, who suffered a strained right hamstring in early April, has been progressing steadily in his rehab the past two weeks -- playing catch, running, and taking batting practice. This past weekend, the 28-year-old began participating in extended spring training games, another positive move forward. The final step in his recovery is a rehab assignment, which he could begin by the end of the week. If the third basemen can complete his rehab assignment with no setbacks, he could return to the Padres lineup by early next week and would likely replace Brett Wallace at the hot corner.

Beckham is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's matchup with the Pirates.

Beckham is on a bit of a hot streak as of late, with his most recent 3-for-5 performances bringing his batting average up to .327. However, he'll head to the bench for Wednesday's match for a normal day off, ceding the start at third base to Chase d'Arnaud.

Beckham went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 12-9 loss to the Pirates.

Beckham is one of the few Braves players who has shown any aptitude at the plate this season, and it's now earned him regular starts at third base. He's recorded multiple hits in three of his last five games and should continue to stick in a prominent spot in the lineup while he's running hot.

Drury is out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the Yankees.

Drury has been a major force at the plate and took over as the primary right fielder once David Peralta (wrist) was placed on the disabled list, but he'll get his first day off since Apr. 26. Chris Herrmann will get a rare start in right field in his stead.

Beckham is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.

Beckham has started every game since returning from the disabled list, so the Braves will give him a day off to rest a bit. Chase d'Arnaud will take over at third base while Beckham gets the day off.

Drury will make his sixth straight start in right field Sunday against the Giants.

Drury has been occupying the outfield reps left behind by David Peralta (wrist), and with Peralta's placement on the DL on Sunday, he could see at least another week of steady playing time. Even when Peralta returns, manager Chip Hale will likely keep trying to find ways to get Drury and his .855 OPS into the lineup on a regular basis.

Solarte (hamstring) has played one game in extended spring training, the Union-Tribune's Dennis Lin reports.

This is a good step forward, as he has progressed to playing in games, though he is not yet ready for a rehab assignment. Solarte could still return in late May if everything were to go smoothly, which would be huge for the Padres, as they are stretched awfully thin in the infield due to several injuries.

Espinosa is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Marlins, the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes reports.

He went 1-for-4 in the first game Saturday, which was enough to up his average to .204 on the season. Espinosa's time as the starting shortstop is nearing an end, as prospect Trea Turner is widely anticipated to be recalled at the end of May, after the team has gained an extra year of control. Stephen Drew will start at shortstop and hit eighth in the second game Saturday.

Albies, 19, is batting just .191 in 12 games since being promoted to Triple-A.

Albies has been punched out 10 times over that span, while failing to draw a walk. He does have one home run and one stolen base at this level, though.

Beckham went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run in Thursday's extra-inning loss to the Phillies.

The third baseman seems to be settling in nicely to his new digs in Atlanta. His slash line of .303/.410/.424 is well above his career average line of .243/.306/.372. The key to Beckham's success has been his massive improvement in staying disciplined at the plate. He's walking 15.4 percent of the time (career average of 7.1 percent) and striking out at his lowest rate since 2013. Beckham appears healthy after a short stint on the DL due to a hamstring injury, and can hold some value in a variety of formats if he's able to continue being selective at the plate.