MLB Player News

Newman, who went 0-for-3 against Atlanta on Sunday, is expected to see ample playing opportunities in September.

General manager Neal Huntington said Sunday that Newman will get "a large chunk of the time at shortstop," especially with the trading of Adeiny Hechavarria and impending free agency of Jordy Mercer. Newman made a costly error at second base Sunday and has just three hits in his first 30 at-bats, but he's the frontrunner for the starter's job in 2019. The infielder slashed .302/.350/.407 with four homers and 28 stolen bases for Triple-A Indianapolis this season.

Muncy went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Muncy took Clay Buchholz deep in the fifth inning to record his 31st home run of the season. Despite losing playing time due to the crowded Dodgers depth chart -- his 58 at-bats in August were his lowest in a month since April -- he has managed nine home runs since the All-Star break in 106 at-bats. While he's best fit for a daily lineup league due to the unsteady playing time, his power upside makes him valuable in any league.

Newman will start at second base and bat seventh Sunday against the Braves.

Despite recording only three hits in 27 at-bats since being promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis in mid-August, Newman will pick up his fourth start in a row as the Pirates give Josh Harrison the day off. Harrison is just getting over a hamstring injury, so once he's further removed from that setback, he'll likely settle back into a full-time role. That would result in fewer opportunities at the keystone for the likes of Newman and Adam Frazier.

Escobar went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Saturday against the Dodgers.

Escobar took Clayton Kershaw deep in the second inning to record his 20th home run of the season. He's now reached the 20-homer plateau for the second consecutive season, though he's significantly improved on last season's slash line and is nearly certain to set new career-best marks in home runs, RBI and runs scored.

LeMahieu went 1-for-5 with a solo home run against the Padres on Saturday.

LeMahieu took southpaw Robbie Erlin deep in the fourth inning to record his 13th home run of the season. He's managed to slug over .500 against lefties this season, pacing him to a career high in home runs. While he has hit significantly better at home in terms of batting average, 11 of his 13 home runs have come away from Coors Field this season.

Suarez went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI against the Cardinals on Saturday.

Suarez delivered a two-run double in the fourth inning, leaving him just two short of the first 100-RBI season of his career. He's already set career-best marks in a number of offensive statistics, proving that his 2017 campaign wasn't a fluke. Suarez will look to end the season strong, and he has two home runs to go along with six RBI and six runs scored in his last 10 games.

Longoria went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Mets on Saturday.

The moonshot to left-center field was his 15th of the season, his second in his career off Steven Matz, and his third in his last 10 games. The 32-year-old is hardly the power threat he used to be and resides in a tepid lineup, but he's still a heart-of-the-order asset who should serve as useful corner-infield depth in many mixed leagues. Longoria is slashing .244/.282/.427 with 46 RBI in 412 plate appearances.

Arenado, who was slumping heading into Saturday's game and dealing with occasional pain in his right shoulder, has decreased his pregame work in order to rest more, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Even with his recent struggles, Arenado entered Saturday's game hitting .300, and the All-Star is writing off his downturn as a mere slump, not a sign of physical irregularity. His fantasy shareholders should watch his next few games carefully to determine how they should alter expectations for the rest of 2018.

Arenado said his right shoulder, which sidelined him briefly in early August, still bothers him sometimes but doesn't affect his swing or his defense at third base, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

It's disconcerting that Arenado is still nagged by his shoulder tweak, which removed him from action Aug. 10 and kept him out for a few days, and he entered Saturday's game on an 0-for-18 streak. Still, the star seems to be powering through it. Barring further setbacks lasting longer than the occasional day off during the final month, Arenado is well on his way to finishing another strong season. He's slashing .300/.383/.558 with 31 homers, 91 RBI and 83 runs.

Farmer was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

Farmer, 28, has zero homers and eight RBI in 71 plate appearances with the big club this year and doesn't figure to get many chances to start behind the solid tandem of Yasmani Grandal and Austin Barnes.