MLB Player News

Noel has hit 19 homers in 62 games for High-A Lake County this year, but he's also batting .219 with a 31.7 percent strikeout rate and a 7.3 percent walk rate.

While Noel is on close to a 50-homer pace over a 162-game season, he's been striking out more than we've ever seen from him in the past -- including at this same level last year. Noel gained some hype last season after hitting .340 with a 1.005 OPS across three levels of the minors, but that stat line was buoyed by the highly fortunate .421 BABIP he put up while batting .393 in Low-A. He'll need to adjust his approach to become a useful big leaguer, particularly because Noel looks like he may be limited to first base defensively.

Muncy went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored Thursday against Cincinnati.

Muncy highlighted his performance by taking Hunter Greene yard in the fifth inning to record his fifth home of the season. However, he also managed his first multi-hit game since June 9 and his fifth of the campaign. Muncy is still hitting only .232 in 12 games since being activated from the injured list.

Longoria went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored in Thursday's 7-6 loss to Atlanta.

Longoria struggled in the middle of June while battling a hamstring injury, but he's starting to gain some traction at the plate. He's gone 5-for-15 (.333) with a pair of walks, a double and three runs scored across his last four games. If he can stay healthy, the third baseman could get rolling. He's slashing .225/.307/.422 with five home runs, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored and five doubles in 35 contests overall this year.

Bregman went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Yankees.

Jameson Taillon had a rough first inning, allowing the first two Astros hitters to reach base before Bregman's three-run blast. During a six-game hitting streak, Bregman has gone 9-for-20 (.450) with three homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored, and that span includes multiple hits in each of his last three contests. He's posted a .234/.353/.409 slash line in 67 games overall, but his recent work is more in line with what fantasy managers have come to expect of him in his career. With nine long balls this season, he's just three shy of his mark from 91 contests in 2021.

Hayes (shoulder) is only sore after a collision at home plate to close Thursday's game against the Cubs, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Hayes scored in dramatic fashion to win the game for Pittsburgh in the bottom of the 10th inning, but he stayed down after colliding with Willson Contreras. Despite the positive news, Hayes will be evaluated in the morning, which should provide a better idea of his availability for the team's weekend series against the Rays.

Machado (ankle) did leg exercises and played catch on the field prior to Thursday's game against the Phillies, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Cassavell further reported that Machado didn't appear to be favoring his sprained left ankle. Manager Bob Melvin offered that Machado could appear as a pinch hitter "in a few days." While the team remains optimistic that Machado will avoid a stint on the injured list, it sounds as if his return to the lineup is not imminent.

Toro went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Athletics.

Toro kept the pressure up in the ninth inning, stealing second to give the Mariners two runners in scoring position after they tallied the go-ahead run. Hitting success has remained sparse for the infielder in June -- he's 10-for-69 (.145) this month, dropping his season average to .167 in 58 contests. He's added six home runs, 17 RBI and 20 runs scored across 207 plate appearances, and his steal Thursday was his first of the year after he went 6-for-9 on the basepaths in 2021.

Machado (ankle) isn't starting Thursday's game against the Phillies.

While the Padres remain optimistic that Machado won't require a trip to the 10-day injured list due to his left ankle sprain, he'll remain out of the lineup for a fourth consecutive game. Sergio Alcantara is starting at third base and batting ninth.

Anderson (back) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Anderson has been sidelined since the beginning of June due to a mild disc bulge in his lumbar spine, but he ramped up his baseball activities over the last few weeks. The 29-year-old will return to game action with the minor-league club, but he'll likely require several rehab games prior to rejoining the Marlins.

Hayes is being evaluated for a left shoulder injury following Thursday's 8-7 win over the Cubs, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports. He went 1-for-5 with his third home run of the season, two RBI and two additional runs in the Pirates' victory.

Hayes appeared to jam his left shoulder while sliding into home during the bottom of the 10th inning Thursday, and a better idea of his diagnosis should be known after he's evaluated by the team doctors. If the 25-year-old is forced to miss additional time, Yu Chang and Diego Castillo are the top candidates for increased playing time at third base.