MLB Player News

Joseph is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Giants. Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Jurickson Profar will start at second base and bat eighth against left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Joseph is hitless in his last 13 plate appearances and now owns a .192/.185/.308 slash line in seven games since he was promoted to the majors Aug. 14. The 30-year-old infielder has yet to start a game against a lefty.

McNeil (hamstring) will play at second and third base as well as the outfield, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

McNeil was activated prior to Saturday's contest but is not in the starting lineup. However, he will almost certainly play every day moving forward, though the position could change frequently. Manager Mickey Callaway also said he wasn't sure where he'd bat McNeil, though he has led off for the majority of the season.

Lopez is out of the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Indians.

Whit Merrifield will slide over to second base as Cheslor Cuthbert will start at third base and hit fifth against right-hander Mike Clevinger. Lopez had made nine straight starts, going 9-for-28 with a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored over that span. The left-handed-hitting middle infielder is slashing .213/.247/.290 in 234 plate appearances against righties.

McNeil (hamstring) will be active for Saturday's game against the Braves, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

While McNeil is not in the lineup Saturday, he will be available off the bench. Aaron Altherr was designated for assignment to clear room on the roster. One of nine qualified hitters with an OBP of .400 or better, McNeil should be atop the order close to every day down the stretch.

McNeil (hamstring) is with the team at Citi Field, but the Mets still haven't decided whether to activate him Saturday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

McNeil is not in the lineup, so if he is activated Saturday, he will be on the bench for his first game back on the active roster. The 27-year-old recently made a brief stop at short-season Brooklyn, going 1-for-4 while playing seven innings in the field during his lone rehab appearance. He should be back leading off for the Mets in short order.

Kemp is starting at second base and batting eighth Saturday against the Nationals.

Kemp is in the lineup for the second consecutive day and has drawn a start in four of the team's past six contests. However, he's done little with the extra opportunity, going just 1-for-10 at the dish.

Chavis (shoulder) started at first base and went 0-for-3 for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday.

Chavis kicked off his rehab assignment Friday and will remain with the PawSox through the weekend, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. There's a chance he could join the Red Sox in Colorado on Tuesday for their upcoming series with the Rockies. Chavis has been sidelined with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder since Aug. 12.

Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with his first career grand slam and a second run scored in Friday's 9-6 win over the Twins.

His sixth-inning blast effectively chased Jose Berrios from the game and gave the Tigers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Rodriguez is red hot right now, starting six straight games and slashing .364/.417/.773 with three homers and six RBI, and with Niko Goodrum (groin) landing on the injured list Friday, there should be plenty of playing time available for the 27-year-old moving forward.

Torres went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 10-2 win over the Dodgers.

Torres took Dodgers reliever Yimi Garcia deep in the sixth inning for his only hit of the night. He also struck out twice, reaching 100 whiffs this season. Torres remains hot, having gone 13-for-40 with six homers, seven RBI and 10 runs scored across his last 10 games. For the year, the second baseman is hitting .287/.350/.551 with 32 homers, 76 RBI and 84 runs scored in 118 games.

Chavis (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday.

Chavis gained clearance to resume swinging earlier in the week, and the team feels confident that he's ready to return to game action. He's been sidelined since Aug. 12 due to a sprained AC joint, and he's unlikely to require more than a few games in the minors before being reinstated.