MLB Player News

Twins pitcher Trevor Plouffe went 2 for 5 with a three-run homer in his team's 7-2 win over the Red Sox on Monday.

The Twins put together a six-run second inning to extend their lead to 7-0, and the final blow came on Plouffe's home run to left field, which was followed by a Kurt Suzuki single before Boston starter Joe Kelly was yanked from the game. Plouffe has hit .270/.353/.474 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 152 at-bats.

Twins shortstop Danny Santana is out of the lineup for a second straight game Monday, replaced by Eduardo Escobar for the game against the Red Sox. 

Santana has had a rough week at the plate, going 1-for-16 with five strikeouts and no wallks. The free-swinging Santana has just two walks in 157 plate appearances this season. 

The Twins (+103) are slight underdogs per VegasInsider.com. 

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe responded to a minor skid with a solid week that saw him raise his batting average by 11 points, as he picked up at least one hit in five of his last six contests. 

Plouffe is now hitting .265 on the year with six homers and 22 RBIs, and he's done much of his damage at pitcher-friendly Target Field, where he's registered five of his longballs and 17 of his RBIs. 

Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki was out of the starting lineup on Sunday. Suzuki was replaced by Chris Herrmann, who gets his ninth start behind the plate. 

Shortstop Danny Santana also misses a start. He's replaced by Eduardo Escobar for the fifth time this season. 

Right fielder Torii Hunter also gets a day away from the field, starting at DH.

Athletics third baseman Brett Lawrie is out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. 

Lawrie has missed the time due to overall soreness. He's replaced at third by Max Muncy, who gets his fourth time this year. 

Blue Jays DH Jose Bautista received a cortisone shot in his shoulder, per Toronto's 590 AM. Bautista is out of the lineup Sunday and will likely miss Monday as well. 

Edwin Encarnacion moves to DH from first base to replace Bautista, with Justin Smoak getting the start at first. 

Munenori Kawasaki also gets his second start of the year second base, replacing Steve Tolleson. 

Danny Valencia also gets a rest. Chris Colabello moves over from right field to left to replace him. Ezequiel Carrera replaces Colabello in right. 

Two regulars are not in the starting lineup for the Indians' game on Sunday. 

Center fielder Michael Bourn gets a rest after five straight starts in center. He's replaced by Michael Brantley, who gets his sixth start in center. 

Jose Ramirez sits after 12 straight starts at shortstop. Mike Aviles replaces him, batting ninth. 

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria connected for a three-run homer off Scott Kazmir in the fifth inning of Friday's game against the Athletics, helping propel Tampa Bay to a 5-2 win. 

"He was throwing the ball really well, and it was a little bit different than what we had seen in the video," Longoria said, per MLB.com. "He was up as high as 96 [mph], which you knew he had that, and you know he was capable of doing those things, but it was something that we hadn't really seen.

"There were two strikes, and I was just trying to put the ball in play. I had a similar situation earlier in the game, where he threw two fastballs and they were both down in the zone, and I grounded out to third. The plan was just to try and drive the ball into the outfield and score one run, and I ended up getting three out of it."

Longoria, who went 2 for 3 with one walk and one stolen base, has a .270/.345/.473/.818 slash line through 20 May games. He also has three doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI this month.

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson returned to the starting lineup Saturday against the Mariners after he was sidelined by calf soreness Friday. Donaldson did make a pinch-hit appearance Friday.

Donaldson heads into Saturday's game with a .299/.342/.507/.850 slash line over his last 18 games. 

Left-hander James Paxton is on the mound for Seattle. Donaldson is batting .389 with one double, three home runs and six RBI in nine games against left-handed starters in 2015.

Twins utility man Eduardo Escobar is back in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the White Sox. Escobar did not start the last two games with the team in a National League park, but he's starting as the designated hitter and batting sixth on Friday.

Escobar has been hitting well lately, batting .346 with a home run and 11 RBI over his last 11 games.