MLB Player News

Semien went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Red Sox.

The Rangers were held in check through seven innings, before Semien's two-run blast in the eighth brought life to the team. Nathaniel Lowe homered two batters later, and Texas loaded the bases in the ninth but couldn't finish the comeback. The homer extended Semien's hitting streak to seven games (11-for-29, .379), and he has posted a .345/.383/.618 line with eight extra-base hits, nine RBI and 14 runs in 13 contests over the last two weeks.

Altuve went 2-for-5 with a double and a stolen base Saturday against the Angels.

Altuve was one of the offensive bright spots for the Astros' offense Saturday, as he tallied his 32nd double and 14th stolen base of the season. He now has eight multi-hit performances in his last 13 games, and he's hit .358 with two home runs, six RBI, two stolen bases and 12 runs scored in that span. Altuve has been excellent throughout the season and maintained a .287/.374/.513 line across 497 plate appearances.

Garcia went 4-for-5 with a solo home run and two doubles in Saturday's 7-1 win over the Mets.

Garcia has three multi-hit efforts in his last four games, though this was the first time he's had multiple extra-base hits since Aug. 2. The infielder opened the scoring with his first-inning solo shot. The 22-year-old's recent surge has boosted his batting average to .300 with a .759 OPS, six homers, 29 RBI, 21 runs scored, two stolen bases and 16 doubles through 67 contests this year.

Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 13-0 win over the Twins.

Gonzalez went deep in the fourth inning to stretch Chicago's lead to 7-0. It was his first big-league homer in his 21st game, and he also doubled his RBI output for the year to six. The 25-year-old infielder has added a .317/.341/.439 slash line through 11 contests this season, but he could be at risk of losing playing time once Yoan Moncada (hamstring) returns, which is likely to happen early next week.

Andrus went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and an additional run scored in Saturday's 13-0 win over the Twins.

Andrus helped the White Sox pile on in the eighth inning after Minnesota sent position player Nick Gordon to the mound. In his last seven games, Andrus has gone 11-for-29 (.379) with two homers, seven RBI, five runs and a double. He's settled back into the leadoff spot in September, and he's now slashing .243/.302/.379 with 10 long balls, 41 RBI, 48 runs and eight steals through 120 games overall.

Espinal left Saturday's game against the Pirates with a left hand contusion.

X-rays were negative after Espinal was hit by a 97.9-mph fastball from Robert Stephenson in the eighth inning. If there's swelling, the Blue Jays could elect to go with Whit Merrifield or Cavan Biggio at second base for the series finale in Pittsburgh.

Lux (back) received a cortisone shot Saturday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Back issues have cost Lux the last two games, and he's expected to sit for at least another four or five days. The Dodgers are holding off on placing him on the injured list for now, but such a move could still happen in the coming days if Lux doesn't make the desired progress.

Polanco was placed on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation Saturday.

Polanco hasn't played in a week while dealing with what had been referred to as patellar tendinitis. The move was backdated the maximum of three days, so he'll be eligible to return next Saturday, though it's not yet clear if that's in play. Jermaine Palacios' contract was selected in a corresponding move.

Drury (head) will sit Saturday against the Dodgers, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Drury left Friday's game after getting hit in the head with a pitch, and he'll sit for at least one game. Whether or not he'll need an extended absence is not yet clear. Josh Bell will start at first base, with Jurickson Profar serving as the designated hitter.

Vargas will bat eighth and play left field Saturday against San Diego, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Vargas, who hit .304/.404/.511 with 17 home runs and 16 steals in 113 Triple-A games this season, is an exciting prospect, but his short-term appeal is lessened by the fact that he plays for a team with a very deep roster and one that employs Justin Turner at third base. The Dodgers have all but clinched the NL West already, however, so they have the freedom to experiment down the stretch, which could include things like trying Vargas in the outfield on a semi-regular basis.