MLB Player News

Frazier is absent from the lineup Wednesday versus the Blue Jays.

Baltimore will roll with a righty-heavy attack against Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. Jordan Westburg is playing second base and batting sixth.

The Nationals optioned Garcia to Triple-A Rochester following Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Brewers, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Garcia, who was on the bench Wednesday but entered the contest late as a pinch hitter, will head back to the minors after going 12-for-61 (.197 average) while drawing just two walks in 18 games since the All-Star break. The Nationals haven't announced an immediate replacement for Garcia, but among players currently on the 26-man active roster, Ildemaro Vargas or Michael Chavis could be first in line to fill in for him at the keystone.

Gorman (back) will start at second base and bat third Wednesday against the Twins.

Gorman was on the bench for the Cardinals' last two games due to back soreness, but he'll be healthy enough to play the field Wednesday. The 23-year-old has made 26 of his starts this season as a designated hitter, but he'll likely see the overwhelming majority of his playing time at second base moving forward with Brendan Donovan (elbow) set to undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Bae (ankle) will have an extended minor-league rehab assignment before being activated from the 10-day injured list, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Bae, who landed on the IL on July 2 with the left ankle injury, began his rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Indianapolis and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored while playing five innings at second base. Tomczyk noted that the Pirates want Bae to get time at multiple positions prior to rejoining the big club, so the 24-year-old might not be a candidate for activation until next weekend at the earliest. Even though he'll get exposure to multiple spots, second base might be where Bae ends up seeing his most playing time once he's reinstated. Fellow rookies Liover Peguero and Nick Gonzales have been seeing time at the keystone of late, but both have struggled to keep their strikeouts in check.

Rojas is not in the lineup Wednesday versus Boston.

Acquired from the Diamondbacks on Monday as part of the Paul Sewald trade, Rojas went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his Mariners debut Tuesday against the Red Sox. Dylan Moore (wrist) is back in the lineup at second base Wednesday.

Castro is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.

The 29-year-old has filled the strong side of a platoon at second base for most of the season, but he'll likely transition into a utility role after Brendan Rodgers made his return from the 60-day injured list Monday. The lefty-hitting Castro is on the bench for a second straight day, even with the Padres bringing a right-hander (Nick Martinez) to the hill.

Garcia is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The Nationals are facing a lefty (Wade Miley) and playing a day game after a night game, so manager Dave Martinez likely viewed it as an opportune time to give the lefty-hitting Garcia a day off following a stretch of seven consecutive starts. Michael Chavis will replace Garcia at second base and bat ninth.

Dubon is starting at second base and batting leadoff Wednesday against Cleveland.

Dubon has shifted back into a utility role since Jose Altuve returned late last month from a left oblique injury, but the 29-year-old will get the start in Wednesday's matinee game at Minute Maid Park as Altuve takes a scheduled breather. Dubon is slashing .263/.289/.371 with five homers and six steals through 87 games this season with Houston.

Altuve is getting a planned day of rest Wednesday versus the Guardians, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Mauricio Dubon will start at second base and hit leadoff. Altuve went 1-for-4 with a single and a run scored in the Astros' win over Cleveland on Tuesday and boasts a .364/.440/.591 batting line in 25 plate appearances since he returned July 26 from a three-week absence for a left oblique injury.

The Brewers optioned Miller to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.

Miller's demotion comes after he was on the bench for each of the past six games after losing hold of an everyday role following the Brewers' acquisition of Carlos Santana. The 26-year-old had been one of Milwaukee's better hitters over the first two months of the season, but he struggled mightily in July, slashing .178/.212/.247 on the month. He'll look to get back on track while playing regularly in Nashville and could end up settling into a short-side platoon role for the Brewers if he's brought back later in the season.