MLB Player News

Suarez will occupy the short side of a platoon with Mike Moustakas at third base for now, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The Reds' default lineup early in the season featured Moustakas at third base and Suarez at shortstop, but Suarez fared poorly enough at that position that the team evidently no longer views him as a viable option there now that Moustakas is back from an extended absence due to a heel contusion. Considering that Suarez has slumped to a 70 wRC+ this season and had a barely above-average 104 wRC+ last year, it's no surprise that the Reds don't feel the need to keep him in an everyday role. He bats right-handed while Moustakas hits left-handed, so a platoon looks like a natural setup that the Reds could stick to down the stretch.

Anderson is out of the lineup Friday against the Rockies, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Anderson started the past three games and will take a seat while mired in a 2-for-15 slump. Isan Diaz will start at the hot corner Friday in his place.

Davis is not in the lineup Friday against the Phillies, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

Davis started three of the past four games and will take a seat Friday. Jonathan Villar will work at the hot corner in his absence.

Suarez is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.

Mike Moustakas (heel) returns from a lengthy absence and will start at third base in Suarez's place. Early in the season, the Reds regularly started Suarez at shortstop and Moustakas at third, but Suarez looked overmatched at the position and hasn't started there since May 29. Whether or not that alignment will be an option now that Moustakas is back is not yet clear. If it's not, Suarez could see his playing time substantially reduced. That's arguably something that should be happening already given that he owns a .177/.260/.379 slash line on the season, though he does have a much better .800 OPS over his last 15 games.

Moustakas (heel) was activated off the 60-day injured list Friday and will bat fifth and play third base against the Pirates.

A heel contusion had kept Moustakas on the sidelines since mid-May, but he's finally ready to go after going 5-for-14 with a homer over four rehab appearances. The 32-year-old hit .241/.337/.437 in 28 games prior to suffering the injury, with his 105 wRC+ representing a small step back from the 109 wRC+ he produced last season. He's expected to fill the large side of a platoon with Eugenio Suarez down the stretch.

Groshans hasn't hit a home run for Double-A New Hampshire since a two-homer effort back on June 25, though he's still managed to hit .294/.374/.412 with 10 doubles and an 11:18 BB:K in the 25 ensuing games.

His lack of home-run power is certainly concerning, but Groshans has kept hitting nonetheless, and he's cut down his strikeout rate to a noteworthy degree in the process. The Fisher Cats also play in a park that typically favors pitchers. Of course, as a guy who has minimal speed and is expected to land at third base in the majors, he's going to have to hit the ball out of the yard way more often. Groshans has only five homers on the season, and if he doesn't ultimately find a way to tap into his raw power, he'll run the risk of falling into more of a utility-type profile.

Wisdom is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the White Sox.

The stretch run for the Cubs will be all about auditioning players to see who deserves to be part of the club's future. Wisdom has made a strong case for himself in his 62 games already this season, homering 16 times while slashing .272/.335/.572, though his 37.9 percent strikeout rate casts doubt on the sustainability of that line. He looks set to continue featuring frequently over the final two months following the team's moves at the trade deadline, though it will be Frank Schwindel and Matt Duffy who start at the infield corners Friday.

Bregman (quadriceps) did not play for Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday but will start Friday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Bregman, who was pulled from a rehab appearance Sunday due to hamstring tightness, last played in a game Tuesday before that contest was suspended due to rain. He did not finish up the suspended game Wednesday and will have had two full days off before continuing his rehab with the Skeeters over the weekend.

Rivera went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Thursday's win over the White Sox.

Rivera hit a two-run double in the first inning off Dallas Keuchel to put the Royals on the board. He was the only player in the game with multiple RBI. The 25-year-old recently returned from the IL and has appeared in just four games this season, going 3-for-13. This was his first extra-base hit and RBI of the season.

Riley went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and a strikeout as Atlanta defeated St. Louis, 8-4 on Thursday.

After getting out in his first three at-bats, Riley homered in the eighth off Giovanny Gallegos to tie the game and then singled in the ninth to continue a two-week hot stretch that's seen the third baseman go 22-for-55. The 24-year-old is now slashing .292/.372/.525 with 24 home runs. 58 runs and 67 RBI.