MLB Player News

Muncy went 1-for-5 with a walk, a solo home run and three runs scored in Monday's 17-1 blowout win over the Pirates.

Muncy got another start at second base -- as expected against a right-handed starter -- and has now made six starts at the keystone this season. It won't be long before the 27-year-old gains eligibility at the position in standard league formats. Muncy's .271/.414/.613 slash line already plays well at first base, but his value will receive a boost with the added positional flexibility. The slugger's 18 homers would currently lead all qualified second basemen.

Candelario went 3-for-4 with three singles in Monday's win over the Blue Jays.

Candelario had a rough June, posting a meager .172/.304/.344 slash line, but he's now recorded a hit in three of his past four games. Perhaps this three-hit effort will jump start a bounceback July for the 24-year-old.

Escobar is not starting Monday against the Brewers, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

Escobar will head to the bench in favor of Willians Astudillo. There's now less playing time to go around in the Twins' infield with Jorge Polanco returning from his PED suspension, but Escobar should still start regularly after impressing to the tune of a .277/.332/.527 line on the season.

Lewis has gone 14-for-32 (.438) at the plate with two home runs, four doubles and three stolen bases in his nine games with Low-A Cedar Rapids since returning from a knee injury.

Lewis was sidelined for less than a week due to the knee issue but hasn't missed a beat since rejoining the lineup, displaying the familiar power, speed and contact skills that make him the Twins' top prospect. On the campaign, the 19-year-old is slashing .319/.366/.492 with 28 extra-base hits, a 19-for-23 success rate on stolen-base attempts and a 15.4 percent strikeout rate. He'll likely earn a promotion to the Florida State League at some point later this summer.

Longoria (hand) is expected to resume taking swings in about a week, the Associated Press reports.

Longoria has seemingly progressed as anticipated after undergoing surgery June 19 to repair his fractured left hand. He'll likely first start taking dry swings, then move on to hitting off a tee and in the cage before finally facing live pitching in batting practice. The third baseman was handed a 6-to-8-week recovery timeline after undergoing surgery, putting him in line for a return from the disabled list in early-to-mid August.

Ramirez went 3-for-6 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI in the Indians' 15-3 rout of Oakland on Sunday.

After launching his 24th long ball of the season on Saturday, Ramirez followed up with yet another stellar performance with this three-hit effort to help the Indians to the mammoth victory. He's been spectacular again in 2018 coming off his breakout campaign of last season, as Ramirez now sports a truly elite .295/.399/.607 slash line through 308 at-bats. He's also been running wild on the basepaths recently, with six steals in his last 12 games to give him 14 on the season -- a trait that solidifies his status as one of the most valuable assets in fantasy.

Duffy went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a strikeout in Sunday's victory over the Astros.

Duffy drove in a pair on a two-RBI single in the seventh inning, handing the Rays a 2-1 lead. He's now recorded a base hit in 10 straight games and has three RBI and two doubles over that span. Duffy is batting .321 with four homers and six stolen bases through 67 games this season.

Machado went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's series finale against the Angels.

Machado went deep in the fourth inning against Deck McGuire as he spotted the Orioles with an early 2-1 lead. Machado has hit safely in each of his last five games, totaling two homers and four RBI over that span. Machado will look to keep it rolling at the plate as Baltimore travels to Philadelphia for a two-game set starting Tuesday.

Asuaje was recalled from Triple-A El Paso and will start at second base and bat sixth Sunday against the Pirates.

Asuaje assumed the active roster spot of outfielder Matt Szczur, who was designated for assignment. After losing out on his starting role at the keystone and being banished to the minors in late May, Asuaje caught fire at the plate, slashing .338/.408/.492 across 149 plate appearances with El Paso. Though he'll receive the starting nod Sunday, Asuaje may have to settle for a backup role behind Jose Pirela on most occasions.

Muncy will start at second base and bat second in Sunday's game against the Rockies. Manager Dave Roberts relayed that Muncy will serve as the Dodgers' primary option at the keystone against right-handed pitching, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Muncy has seen most of his action at the corner-infield spots this season, but Roberts believes that having Cody Bellinger at first base and Justin Turner at third base is the optimal setup for the Dodgers. That won't result in Muncy being phased out of the lineup, however, as the 27-year-old's unexpected excellence at the plate this season will allow him to retain a regular role at second base, a position where he possesses limited familiarity. Roberts is apparently willing to live with Muncy's lackluster defense due to the significant offensive upgrade he'll provide over Logan Forsythe, who projects to man the keystone primarily against left-handed pitching. The third man on the depth chart, Chase Utley, is only expected to garner one start per week at the position.