MLB Player News

Plouffe is out of the lineup Sunday against the Indians, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

It looks to be just a routine day off for Plouffe, who returned from the DL earlier this month with a rib injury. Since rejoining the Twins, Plouffe is batting .229 with one homer and three RBI in 35 at-bats. Miguel Sano will cover third base in Plouffe's stead Sunday.

Rendon went 2-for-4 with an RBI, run scored and a walk in the first game of a Saturday day-night doubleheader versus the Marlins.

The 25-year-old stepped up with his third multi-hit effort in the last four games. His bat has been in a deep slumber during May, as he's only slashed .188/.291/.375 for the month despite Saturday's effort.

LeMahieu went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and two RBI Saturday against the Mets.

LeMahieu singled in a run in the second inning and gave the Rockies a lead they'd never relinquish. He's now recorded multiple hits in six of his last 12 games to raise his batting average to .304.

Valencia (hamstring) went 2-for-4 with two solo homers in Friday's 6-3 victory over the Rays.

The veteran third baseman returned to the lineup in fine fashion after missing the last two games of the series versus the Red Sox due to his hamstring ailment. The performance continued a streak of hot hitting for Valencia, who's now hit safely in four straight games. The effort also marked the first time that the 31-year-old had gone deep all season, and brings his 2016 line to .323/.362/.462 over 65 at-bats.

Ramirez, who is starting at third base and hitting fifth Saturday, could be in line for a short-term bump in playing time with Michael Brantley (shoulder) landing on the 15-day DL.

Rajai Davis is starting in left field Saturday, but when Ramirez is not starting at third base, he should be the go-to option in left while Brantley is out. He's not much of a power hitter, but his position flexibility, strong hit tool, and advantageous placement in the Indians lineup makes him a valuable player in many formats.

Asche went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first rehab appearance with High-A Clearwater on Friday.

Asche will likely stay with Clearwater through the weekend and then move up to Triple-A next week to continue getting at-bats. GM Matt Klentak said Asche will be activated as soon as he is ready to contribute. He will likely have at least a part-time role in left field after he rejoins the Phillies.

Bregman will start at third base for Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, the Houston Chronicle reports.

This is certainly an interesting development, as third base has been a black hole for the major league team and Bregman has been raking with the Double-A affiliate to this point (.311/.414/.662, 10:7 BB:K) while playing exclusively at shortstop. General manager Jeff Luhnow declined to say how often Bregman will play third moving forward, but he did gush some about the 22-year-old on Friday. "[Bregman's] been terrific," Luhnow said. "He's exceeded my expectations, which were high, for him this season, and I think he's put himself into consideration to quite frankly maybe help our club this year."

Moustakas (thumb) was able to take dry swings and play catch Thursday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Thursday marked a big step in the right direction for Moustakas as he was able to resume baseball activities for the first time since being placed on the disabled list with a fractured thumb. His initial timetable as of May 7 was a 2-3 week absence, and the fact that he's already playing catch and taking dry swings suggests that he's on track to return in that time frame. The next step in the recovery process for Moustakas will likely be taking live batting practice.

Asche (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Clearwater on Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the News Journal reports.

Asche has been out with this oblique injury since the beginning of spring training, but he seems to be progressing well through his rehab process. Barring a setback, the 25-year-old could return to the Phillies within the next couple weeks.

Ramirez (hand) is back in the lineup for Friday's game against the Twins.

A hit by pitch Wednesday gave Ramirez a bit of a scare, but X-rays were negative and it seems the bruising has diminished enough to where Ramirez can give it a go. Ramirez is still not playing quite every day, but he's been hot to begin the 2016 campaign and figures to be in the lineup more often than not for the foreseeable future.