MLB Player News

Rendon is not in the lineup for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Marlins, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Rendon had previously started 12 straight games but will get the day off Sunday as the Nationals prepare for their opening playoff game against the Dodgers on Friday. Stephen Drew will replace him at third base for the finale, batting fifth for the Nationals.

Valencia (neck) is back in the lineup Saturday against the Mariners, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Valencia was scratched from Friday's lineup with what the team called a "neck issue," but it doesn't look to be anything serious. Valencia will get the start in right field and bat sixth in the order against Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma.

LeMahieu is out of the lineup Saturday against the Brewers, MLB.com's Thomas Harding reports.

He has just two at-bats in the last three games, as the Rockies are intent on getting LeMahieu the NL batting title. His batting average sits at .348 while Daniel Murphy's is at .347, and considering Murphy won't return until the postseason, it's plausible that LeMahieu won't receive another plate appearance this year in order to make sure he gets the batting crown. Daniel Descalso will start at the keystone and hit second.

Rendon went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in Friday's 7-4 loss to the Marlins.

The slugging third baseman took Andrew Cashner deep in the fourth with a 410-foot shot, putting the first run of the game up for the Nationals. Rendon has now hit safely in six of his last seven games and has a pair of homers and seven RBI over that span. He's also just one homer shy of equaling the career-high 21 he smacked in 2014, while his 85 RBI already represent a personal best.

Bregman will not play this weekend, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The 22-year-old returned to the lineup Wednesday, but with Houston officially eliminated from postseason contention on Thursday, he will be shut back down. Bregman struggled initially upon arrival to the major leagues but quickly adjusted and finished with an impressive .791 OPS in 217 plate appearances. He appears primed to open 2017 in an everyday role.

Valencia has been scratched from Friday's lineup with a neck issue, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Matt Olson is now slated to start in right field against Taijuan Walker and the Mariners. The extent of the neck injury is uncertain and thus Valencia's status for the final two days of the regular season is up in the air.

Bregman is out of the lineup Friday against the Angels, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

It was feared that Bregman's season was over as a result of a hamstring injury but he made a surprise return to the lineup Wednesday, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI in a loss to Seattle. He will turn third base over to Yulieski Gurriel on Friday but Bregman figures to start at least one of the Astros' final two games of the regular season.

Segura (rib) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Padres.

Segura was removed early from Thursday's game due to cramping around his rib cage, but the setback will not prevent him from taking the field. He will man second base and bat leadoff like he regularly does.

Asche is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mets, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Asche started four of the last six games in left field, but he will open on the bench with Jimmy Paredes getting the start instead. Asche is 4-for-19 (.211) with an RBI and four runs scored over 11 games this month.

Moncada has gone to Arizona to prepare for Fall League, ending his season with the Red Sox, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Though Moncada is immensely talented and certainly a centerpiece of the Red Sox future, his youth and inexperience were evident during his stint with the big league ball club this fall as he slashed .211/.250/.263 with 12 strikeouts in 19 at-bats. Brock Holt and Travis Shaw figure to man the hot corner the rest of the way while Moncada reports to Arizona Fall League.