MLB Player News

Sosa (hand) is starting at second base and batting seventh Friday against Atlanta, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Sosa was diagnosed with a hand contusion after being hit by a pitch during Wednesday's game against the Marlins. He did not play in Thursday's loss to Atlanta but will return to the lineup Friday after missing just the one game.

Toro went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, a second run scored and a stolen base in Thursday's 10-2 win over the White Sox.

Toro stepped in at third base for Alex Bregman (quadriceps), who was placed on the injured list Thursday. On Wednesday, the day of Bregman's injury, Houston manager Dusty Baker suggested the third baseman could miss significant time. Normally, this would be a spot for Aledmys Diaz, but he's on the injured list with a hand injury and not expected until after the All-Star break. That means at-bats become available for Toro and Robel Garcia. Since Garcia has more position flexibility, Baker might be inclined to keep him on the bench for late-game maneuvering and go with Toro as the primary fill-in for Bregman. He's hit well when given consistent playing time in the minors but has been unable to transition to a limited role in the majors the last three seasons.

Moncada went 0-for-3 with a walk in Thursday's 10-2 loss to the Astros.

Moncada was back on the field after a sinus infection shelved him for three games. He had an errant throw on a first-inning grounder -- a potential double-play ball -- that contributed to Houston's three-run first inning.

Escobar went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored in Thursday's 10-3 loss to the Giants.

Not all was bad for the Diamondbacks, who set a modern era record with their 23rd consecutive road loss. Escobar extended his hitting streak to six games, going 8-for-24 with four extra-base hits during that run. The 32-year-old infielder is in the final year of his contract, so Arizona, which has the worst record in MLB, will likely move him before the trade deadline.

Machado went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and two total runs scored in Thursday's 6-4 win over Cincinnati.

The third baseman gave San Diego a 2-0 lead with his homer during the seventh inning. Machado has hit safely in 11 of 15 games in June, going 15-for-54 (.278 average) with four home runs, nine RBI and eight runs scored this month. He's up to 10 long balls, 40 RBI, 33 runs scored and six stolen bases through 63 contests overall.

Ramirez went 1-for-5 with a home run and three RBI on Thursday against Baltimore.

Ramirez was one of three Cleveland players to take Jorge Lopez deep. It was his 16th home run of the season and second in second in as many contests. Ramirez continues to produce at an elite level, as he has a 138 wRC+ with 47 runs scored, 44 RBI and six stolen bases across 273 plate appearances on the campaign.

Urshela went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, a double and two more runs scored during Thursday's win over the Blue Jays.

Urshela extended New York's lead by taking T.J. Zeuch deep in the third inning. He nearly cranked another homer in the ninth, but after the official review, it was ruled as a foul ball. The 29-year-old, who now has tallied eight long balls and 12 doubles, has put together a decent run at the plate so far, batting .269/.313/.436.

Rendon (triceps) is not in Thursday's lineup against Detroit, but he is going through a workout on the field to determine if he can return Friday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Rendon is not in the starting lineup for the third consecutive game, though he could return as a pinch-hitter Thursday. If things go well, it appears likely that Rendon will return to a full-time role at some point during the team's weekend series against Detroit.

Manager David Bell said Thursday that Moustakas (foot) will be back in a walking boot for about a week before he's re-evaluated, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Moustakas returned to Cincinnati on Wednesday after he experienced a setback in Tuesday's rehab game with Triple-A Louisville, and his rehab assignment will officially be shut down for at least a week. The 32-year-old reportedly didn't tear his plantar fasciitis, but it's not yet clear when he'll be able to return to game action following the setback. Kyle Farmer should continue to see increased playing time in his absence.

Bregman (quadriceps) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

The exact length of Bregman's absence remains unclear, but he'll be sidelined for at least 10 days as he recovers from the left quad strain suffered early in Wednesday's game against the Rangers. Garrett Stubbs was recalled to fill Bregman's roster spot, while Abraham Toro and Robel Garcia could see time at third base during his absence.