MLB Player News

Hernandez went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in Thursday's 11-5 victory over the Twins.

After starting the season in a 5-for-44 slump, Hernandez has hit safely in his last seven contests, going 11-for-26 with three RBI and eight runs scored in that span. While his 25 percent K rate is still cause for some concern -- it would be his worst mark since 2016 if it doesn't improve -- Hernandez has been fairly productive while hitting in the middle of Boston's order. He's now slashing .229/.313/.400 with three homers, nine RBI and 15 runs scored through 80 plate appearances this season.

Arroyo (hamstring) went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter with a double and a run scored in Thursday's 11-5 win over the Twins.

Arroyo missed the previous two games with a hamstring issue but was healthy enough to pinch hit for Rafael Devers in the eighth inning. He legged out a double and scored on a Masataka Yoshida single, suggesting Arroyo's over the injury. He also played third base for the final inning.

McNeil went 3-for-3 with one homer, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk in Thursday's victory over the Giants.

McNeil clobbered his first homer of the season in one of the best games he's had this year. His solo shot in the sixth inning extended New York's lead to 6-4, which he then followed up with an RBI single in the seventh. While it's still early, the California native currently has a .412 OBP, which would be a career-high mark if he can keep it up.

India went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Thursday's 4-3 loss against the Pirates.

India did his part to spur a Reds' comeback Thursday -- he drove in Jose Barrero with a base hit in the eighth inning before stealing third and eventually scoring on a Spencer Steer sacrifice fly. India is off to a strong start in his third season after a disappointing sophomore campaign. He's now slashing .318/.427/.470 with a home run, eight RBI, 17 runs scored and four stolen bases through 66 plate appearances.

Villar is not in Thursday's lineup against the Mets, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Villar has started seven of the team's last eight games but will hit the bench for a breather Thursday after collecting only three hits across his last 27 plate appearances while striking out at a 37 percent rate. Wilmer Flores enters the lineup in Villar's spot, batting sixth while playing first base.

Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Just a day after being promoted to the big leagues by the Dodgers, Hernandez will return to Triple-A while Andre Jackson gets the callup to take the infielder's roster spot. Hernandez is slashing .308/.500/.385 through 18 Triple-A plate appearances and could return to Los Angeles if their infield depth is ever tested again during the season.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Thursday that Polanco (knee) is "pretty close to coming back," Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Park suspects that Polanco will be activated in the early portion of the Twins' upcoming homestand, which begins Friday against the Nationals and runs through April 30. Polanco has already played in eight minor-league rehab games between Single-A Fort Myers and Triple-A St. Paul, though he's slashed just .231/.323/.269 across 31 plate appearances. The 29-year-old second baseman is recovering from a left knee injury, though he said Wednesday that he's "100 percent" healthy.

Marte is not in the lineup Thursday against the Padres.

Marte will grab a bit of rest after rattling off three straight multi-hit games in St. Louis. Geraldo Perdomo is playing second base and batting ninth Thursday versus San Diego. Nick Ahmed is at shortstop and hitting eighth.

Diaz, recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas earlier in the day, started at third base and went 1-for-2 with an RBI double in a loss to the Cubs on Wednesday.

Diaz got his first big-league stint of 2023 off to a positive start, doubling home Tyler Wade in the fifth inning for the Athletics' first run of the game. The 22-year-old also held his own against big-league arms during his initial exposure to last season (.265 average in 15 games), and with Oakland all in on evaluating young players, Diaz could carve out a steady swath of playing time if he's able to make consistent contributions at the plate.

Arroyo (hamstring) remains out of the Red Sox's lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Arroyo hasn't played since Monday due to a hamstring issue but is expected to be available off the bench Thursday, so he should be ready to return to the lineup over the weekend. Enrique Hernandez is at second base versus the Twins while Yu Chang receives a start at shortstop.