MLB Player News

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.

Machado was 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and one RBI as the Orioles defeated Cleveland on Friday night.

Just about a week ago, Machado was finishing off a mini-slump which had seen him go 2-for-24, but his bat won't stay silent for long. He's heating back up and is now hitting .323 on the season and has collected 29 RBIs.

Plouffe left Friday's game with a mild sprain of the MCL in his right knee, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

He was quietly lifted from the game in the fourth inning -- it was not obvious when he suffered the injury -- leading to speculation Plouffe may have been dealt from Minnesota. It turns out it was a knee injury that knocked Plouffe out, specifically a sprained MCL, but the "mild" classification lends some hope to Plouffe's chances of avoiding an extended absence.