MLB Player News

Lowe (back) won't be activated Friday but could return Saturday or Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe has been out for two months with a stress reaction in his lower back, but he's nearly ready to go after grabbing five hits in five rehab games. Previous reports cited Friday as a potential date for his return, but he'll need at least one or two more days before he's ready to go.

Torres went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run Thursday in an extra-inning loss to Cincinnati.

Though the Yankees were unable to pull out the win, Torres came up with one of the biggest hits in the contest, swatting a two-run homer to right field in the eighth inning that tied the score at 4-4. The long ball extended his hitting streak to eight games, during which he's slashing .417/.475/.639. After hitting just 12 homers over 595 at-bats during his previous two campaigns, Torres already has 14 in 278 at-bats this season.

Altuve (leg) will sit Friday against Oakland.

Altuve left Thursday's game against the Angels with a bruise after getting hit by a pitch in his left leg. He'll miss at least one game, with Mauricio Dubon leading off and playing second base in his absence.

Espinal will sit Friday against the Royals.

Espinal hits the bench after starting 10 straight games, a stretch in which he posted a .605 OPS. Cavan Biggio will get the start at second base.

Hernandez (hip) received a platelet-rich plasma injection Friday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Hernandez visited a hip specialist Thursday and is hoping the injection will speed up his recovery process. His injury is still being described as a flexor strain, and he's slated to ramp up his activity level following the All-Star break, which would likely put him on track to return from the injured list in late July or early August.

Frazier entered Thursday's win over the Rangers as a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning and remained in the game at shortstop, going 1-for-2 with a run.

Frazier's pinch-hit appearance culminated in a single to right center, and he ultimately came around to score when Julio Rodriguez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The All-Star break may be coming at an inopportune time for Frazier, who boasts a .357/.345/.464 slash line over his last eight games and has hit safely in four straight.

Hernandez (hip) visited a hip specialist in New York on Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

The visit was to determine if there's a more serious issue in Hernandez's hip. The Red Sox shut down the outfielder's rehab assignment after one game due to lingering discomfort.

Lux went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Thursday's 4-0 victory versus the Cardinals.

Lux provided the final runs of the contest with his two-run shot to right field in the seventh inning. The homer was just the fourth of the season for Lux, who slugged 26 homers between Double-A and Triple-A in 2019. Despite the lack of power, he's enjoying a solid season at the plate, slashing .299/.373/.425 with 44 runs, 22 RBI and five stolen bases over 287 plate appearances. He's also done well to improve his strikeout rate to 17.8 percent while maintaining a 10.9 percent walk rate.

Rosario went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Tigers.

Rosario has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, going 14-for-32 (.438) in that span. Four of those hits (three doubles, one home run) have gone for extra bases. The shortstop had a bit of a slump in early July, but he's bounced back well over the last week-plus. He's slashing .290/.327/.402 with four homers, nine stolen bases, 27 RBI, 49 runs scored, 15 doubles and five triples through 82 games this year.

Gimenez went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBI and a walk in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Tigers.

Gimenez accounted for half of the Guardians' run production. He hit an RBI double in the third inning and a solo shot in the eighth. The second baseman was in a bit of a slump entering Thursday, going 1-for-12 in his previous five games, which has seen him lose some playing time to Owen Miller. Gimenez is up to 10 homers, seven stolen bases, 42 RBI, 31 runs scored and a .294/.354/.480 slash line in 77 contests. At a minimum, he'll continue to play regularly versus right-handed pitchers.