MLB Player News

Moncada isn't starting Friday against the Guardians, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Moncada is 2-for-11 with an RBI and five strikeouts since returning from the injured list, and he'll catch a breather Friday. Jake Burger will take Moncada's place in the hot corner, allowing Zach Remillard to start at second base and bat eighth.

Henderson (back) is starting at shortstop and batting leadoff Friday versus the Yankees, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

The rookie infielder didn't play Wednesday versus the Phillies after having to exit Tuesday's contest with lower-back discomfort, but after an off day for the O's on Thursday he appears ready to roll. Henderson will carry an .802 OPS into action Friday.

The Yankees optioned Peraza to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

Peraza will return to the minors to make room for Aaron Judge (toe), who was reinstated from the IL on Friday. Peraza hasn't performed well in the majors this season, but he remains a top option to return to New York if the Yankees' infield depth is tested later this season.

Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional run and a walk in the second contest of Thursday's doubleheader against Detroit.

Escobar sat out the first game of the twin bill before starting at first base and batting eighth in Game 2. The veteran contributed to a four-homer effort for Los Angeles, swatting a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning. It was his first long ball since joining the Angels on June 23 -- in fact, prior to Thursday, he hadn't gone deep in 35 total games dating back to May 16 against Tampa Bay when he was still a member of the Mets. Escobar has just five homers in 60 games overall this season after going deep at least 20 times in each of his previous two campaigns.

Burger went 2-for-3 with two homers and three RBI in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Guardians.

Burger was responsible for all of Chicago's offense in Thursday's loss with a pair of homers off Tanner Bibee, including a two-run, 423-foot blast in the fifth inning. The 27-year-old infielder now has three homers in his last two games -- he's up to 24 long balls on the year, fifth-most in the American League. Overall, Burger is slashing .217/.273/.528 with 51 RBI and 42 runs scored through 311 plate appearances this season.

Kreidler (abdomen) moved his rehab assignment to Single-A Lakeland on Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run in his first game with the affiliate.

Kreidler remains on Triple-A Toledo's 7-day injured list but appears on track to be activated this week or next. He hit .300 with three home runs, two stolen bases and 12 RBI in eight games for Toledo before being deactivated in late April after picking up a knee injury and then undergoing core-muscle surgery.

Devers went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-3 win over Atlanta.

Boston's bats had been quelled by Spencer Strider before Devers reached down for a pitch that Statcast indicated was 1.06 feet off the ground and sent it to the right field bleachers. It was the third-lowest pitch hit for a homer in MLB this year, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. The homer ignited the Red Sox, which plated five runs over the final three innings for a comeback win. Devers has hit safely in five straight, going 8-for-19 with two home runs during that span.

Burger went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 10-7 loss to the Cubs.

Burger was at second base for the second game in a row, which could be a long-term shift to keep his bat in the lineup. He may need to make some improvements at the plate to keep Elvis Andrus or Zach Remillard on the bench -- Burger has gone just 2-for-26 over his last seven contests while adding a 2:9 BB:K in that span. For the season, the infielder has a poor .212 average but a solid .772 OPS with 22 homers, 48 RBI, 40 runs scored and a stolen base through 84 games.

Bregman went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 13-5 loss to the Rangers.

Bregman's first-inning homer got the Astros off to a good start, but it quickly unraveled by the middle innings. He's posted five homers while hitting .421 (16-for-38) over his last 10 contests. The third baseman is up to a .256/.347/.430 slash line with 17 long balls, 66 RBI, 62 runs scored and three stolen bases through 102 games overall.

Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 8-3 victory over the Royals.

Ramirez did it all in the Guardians' win, opening the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning before adding a solo shot in the third. He also added a walk and a base hit while swiping his 13th bag of the year. Ramirez has been swinging the bat well of late, going 14-for-38 (.368) in his last nine games. The 30-year-old third baseman is putting together another strong season -- he's now slashing .292/.362/.501 with 16 homers, 60 RBI and 64 runs scored across 439 plate appearances.