MLB Player News

Longoria went 2-for-4 with a double and solo homer in Friday's 2-1 extra-inning victory over the Angels.

Longoria got his second half of the season off to a fine start with a 418-foot shot to left-center in the first off Ricky Nolasco and added his 23rd double later in the contest. The veteran third baseman extended his hitting streak to seven games and is now slashing .324/.316/.500 over the first nine games of July.

Manager Buck Showalter said he wants to keep Machado hitting second in the batting order, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

The third baseman spent most of the first half (238 at-bats) hitting third, but batted just .214 with a .704 OPS from there. Since moving to second, Machado is hitting .281 with an .861 OPS over 96 at-bats. Although RBI opportunities might drop off a bit, hitting second should provide him with more run-scoring chances, and he certainly seems more productive hitting second, which is the most important thing.

Manager Terry Francona is thinking of moving Jose Ramirez to second base while Jason Kipnis (hamstring) remains out indefinitely, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

Ramirez has logged 17 games at second base this season, giving him eligibility at the keystone in most leagues. However, 20 is typically the magic number of contests needed to retain position eligibility for the next year. With that in mind, the All Star's value in keeper formats should receive an extra boost once Ramirez locks in that versatility for 2018.

Escobar is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Astros, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Escobar sat out two of the Twins' final three games prior to the break, and he will remain on the bench for the second-half opener. While the 28-year-old enjoyed a very productive month of June (.354/.398/.549), he is still sitting with just a .677 OPS against right-handed pitching for the season.

The Red Sox promoted Devers to Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday, Evan Drellich of CSN New England reports.

The tantalizing prospect now has a gig because the BoSox released Jhonny Peralta and designated Pablo Sandoval for assignment. Devers hit .300/.369/.575 with 18 home runs over 320 plate appearances at Double-A Portland and now has a clearer path to join the contending Red Sox before the end of the season. If the 20-year-old gets the call and an undisputed opportunity, he'll be an urgent fantasy pickup.

Devers could be promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket after the Red Sox released Jhonny Peralta on Thursday, Kevin Dillon of MassLive.com reports.

The Red Sox were kicking the tires on Peralta, who had been given 61 plate appearances in the minors. The organization thought he might be an option at third base for the parent club, but his presence blocked Devers' promotion. Now, with Peralta gone and Pablo Sandoval's rehab assignment ending this weekend, there should be ample opportunity for Devers in Pawtucket while Michael Chavis holds down the hot corner at Double-A Portland.

Duffy (heel) is expected to resume baseball activities when the Rays return from their current road trip on July 21, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

It would be a significant development for the oft-injured infielder, whose recovery has been a series of fits and starts. Duffy underwent a procedure on June 23 that removed a calcium deposit from his injured heel and was expected to potentially eliminate the persistent discomfort he'd been experiencing; given the latest development, it appears that the surgery may have been pivotal to getting Duffy's rehab back on the right track.

Machado hit a career-low .230 while owning a career-high 19.7 strikeout rate in 330 at-bats prior to the All-Star break.

The slugging third baseman missed out on the Midsummer Classic for the first time in three seasons after struggling for much of the first half. In fairness, Machado has hit the ball well, but had no luck finding the holes in the defense -- his .239 BABIP is well off his .302 career clip. Overall, the 24-year-old displayed good plate discipline and power (.215 ISO) through the first half, and all signs point to Machado having better luck after the break.

Ramirez hit his 17th home run of the season in a 5-3 loss to Detroit on Sunday.

The 24-year-old has been on a quite a power surge lately, as he's now gone yard five times in his last eight games. Ramirez has already eclipsed his personal best of 11 home runs and appears set to challenge the 30-homer plateau with the second half right around the corner. His 10 stolen bases are right in line with 2016's career-high 22, as well.

Urshela was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.

Jason Kipnis was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a hamstring strain, so the Indians wanted to add another infielder prior to Sunday night's game against the Tigers. Urshela is hitting .266/.321/.374 at Triple-A but is known more for his glove than his bat.