MLB Player News

A three-home run week helped Donaldson beat out fellow Blue Jays Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders to earn the AL Player of the Week award for the fourth time in his career.

Donaldson went 12 for 27 with three homers, four doubles, a triple and nine runs driven in to win the award for the first time in 2016. The 30-year-old led the league in total bases (27) and extra-base hits (8) for the week ending June 19th and tied for first in slugging percentage (1.000). After a somewhat slow start (by his standards), Donaldson looks more like the reigning MVP at the start of summer.

Chapman, 23, is slashing .230/.323/.451 with 15 home runs, 36 RBI and four steals through 68 games for Double-A Midland.

Chapman got off to a fast start in 2016, but has come crashing back down to earth. A huge red flag is his strikeout total, which sits at 98 in 68 contests. It remains to be seen if Chapman will be able to hit for average at the higher levels. Chapman has not hit above .250 in any single year since entering the minors.

Longoria went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer Monday in Cleveland.

Longoria is having a major bounce-back season, slugging a career-high .551 with 18 homers in 66 games. The 30-year-old third baseman proved capable of such sustained production early in his career, so enjoy the ride.

Bregman left Monday's game at Double-A Corpus Christi after being hit in the head with a pitch.

Bregman exited the game after the incident and could be held out of Tuesday's game for precautionary reasons, though no announcement has yet been made. The 22-year-old is having a great season, batting .304 with 14 home runs and 44 RBI.

Alvarez is not in the lineup Monday against the Rangers, Eddie Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports.

Alvarez had served as the DH for the previous three games, but he'll be replaced Monday by Mark Trumbo, who slides over from right field. Joey Rickard will get the nod in right while Adam Jones and Nolan Reimold start in center and left, respectively.

Moncada has been promoted from High-A Salem to Double-A Portland, the Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.

Moncada earned his promotion with a slash line of .307/.427/.496, adding four homers and 36 steals (in 44 attempts) in 61 games at Salem. The 21-year-old has lived up to his status as Boston's top prospect during what has been a developmentally ideal first half of the season. After busting out a .964 OPS through the first 38 games, the league caught up with him for a two-week stretch (.483 OPS) before he adjusted with 12 doubles and a homer in the last 13 games (1.155 OPS). The organization has been pleased with with his work to improve his defensive fundamentals and consistency at second base, the position he will continue to play in Portland.

Escobar is starting at shortstop and batting sixth in the order Sunday against the Yankees, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

With five hits, including two homers over the last two games, Escobar will earn another starting nod Sunday. The return of Danny Santana from the DL will hurt Escobar's chances of remaining a regular in the lineup, but so long as he's hitting well, Escobar could be guaranteed frequent at-bats.

Escobar went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI in Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Yankees.

The 27-year-old put together his second straight multi-hit game, and homered for the second consecutive contest as well. Escobar took closer Arnoldis Chapman deep in the ninth, raising his monthly average to .375 (9-for-24). His standout June has raised his season average 28 points to .272.

Machado dropped his appeal and will begin serving his four-game suspension Sunday, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports.

With J.J. Hardy (foot) now back in the lineup, the Orioles will likely look to Pedro Alvarez and Ryan Flaherty to man third base during Machado's absence. Baltimore is off Thursday, so Machado won't return until Friday against the Rays.

Plouffe is not in the lineup Saturday against the Yankees, LaVelle Neal of the Star Tribune reports.

Plouffe will get a rare day off Saturday as the Twins go with Eduardo Nunez at third base in his stead. Expect Plouffe, who started the previous 11 games, to return to the field Sunday as Minnesota closes out the four-game set.