MLB Player News

Valencia went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, three RBI and two runs in Tuesday's win against the Twins.

The third baseman's riding career-best marks in average, OBP and slugging, with his slash line sitting at .333/.370/.558. He's now played in a season-high 18 straight contests and seemingly has moved past the hamstring issue that sent him to the DL in late April.

Escobar is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the A's, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

He will sit for the second time in eight games since his return from a groin injury, as Eduardo Nunez takes over at shortstop. Escobar should continue to play regularly for Minnesota, but he's still without a home run through 34 games after launching 12 homers in 127 games a year ago.

Plouffe (knee) entered Monday's loss to Oakland as a pinch runner and later fouled out in his only at-bat.

Plouffe had missed three games with a sprained MCL, but it didn't appear to be an issue when he ran the bases or played third base. He's expected to return to the starting lineup Tuesday.

Plouffe (knee) is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the A's, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports.

Plouffe will sit out for the third day in a row due to the knee injury he suffered Friday. He is available off the bench Monday, however, so it seems he may not be sidelined much longer.

Valencia went 3-for-4 with two runs during Sunday's win against Detroit.

The 31-year-old has hit .256 over the past 10 games, but he went 6-for-8 over the weekend, pushing his average for the season to .325 with an .882 OPS. Valencia has been especially good against lefties, but he's proven capable of hitting righties, too, so his fantasy value remains on the rise due to his productivity coming from the cleanup spot.

Plouffe (knee) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mariners, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

It's Plouffe's second straight absence due to the right knee injury. While he's said to be dealing with only a bruise, Plouffe isn't expected to require a stint on the DL, and may be ready to return to full-time duties at third base at some point during the Twins' series with the Athletics that begins Monday.

Valencia went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, walk and three runs scored in Saturday's 12-3 victory over the Tigers.

The 31-year-old launched a solo shot, his seventh, off Tigers starter Matt Boyd in the fourth, his first such clout since May 17. Valencia continues to punish left-handed pitching in particular, amassing a .371 average and five homers on the season against southpaws. He's hit well against all comers, however, as he's now slashing .311/.341/.521 on the season, while frequently operating out of the cleanup spot.

An MRI taken on Plouffe's right knee revealed only a bruise, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Plouffe's injury kept him out of Saturday's lineup and may prevent him from playing Sunday as well, but manager Paul Molitor does not believe he will require a stint on the disabled list, and indicated that Plouffe could return at some point during the Twins' upcoming series with the A's.

Longoria went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and four RBI against the Yankees on Saturday.

Longoria drove in a season-high mark in RBI in this game, and he looked locked in at the plate. The veteran third baseman has 12 extra-base hits during May, and he's slugging .511 over that span.

Plouffe (knee) is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mariners.

The third baseman exited Friday's contest with what was ultimately diagnosed as a sprained MCL. He'll sit out for Saturday's game, and his status heading into Sunday's matchup is uncertain. Eduardo Nunez will slide over to third base Saturday.