MLB Player News

Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Giants.

The 24-year-old will head to the bench following 21 consecutive starts, affording Ivan De Jesus an opportunity at shortstop. Suarez has hit safely in all but three games so far this month, although he's now gone 12 straight games without a homer and six straight without an extra-base hit.

Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Cubs.

Michael Morse will get the start at first base in the nightcap with left-hander Jon Lester toeing the rubber for Chicago. Alvarez went 0-for-2 in Game 1, but he did also draw two walks for the third straight game.

Athletics infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia has been scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup.

Max Muncy is now slated to play third base against Jeff Samardzija and the White Sox, with Mark Canha at first base and Jake Smolinski in left.

Valencia was scratched Tuesday with a stiff trap muscle, MLB.com's Jane Lee reports. No explanation was originally provided regarding why Valencia was scratched, and this doesn't seem like something that will keep Valencia out for long.

Easily the best season for Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas now has easily his best game.

Moustakas singled in two runs in the sixth inning to whet his appetite, blasted a grand slam in the seventh and put the cherry on top with a three-run dinger in the ninth to set a franchise record with nine RBI in a game.

The huge performance lifts his slugging percentage to .460, its highest point since June 29.

Third baseman Trevor Plouffe gave the Twins a pair of leads aginst the White Sox on Friday. Plouffe went 3 for 5 with three RBI, two runs scored and two home runs, as the Twins beat the White Sox 6-2.

Plouffe blasted a solo shot in the fourth inning to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. Then, with the score tied 2-2, he launched another solo homer in the eighth inning to put the Twins back on top for good.

Plouffe's first multi-home run game of the season gives him a total of 20 big flies on the season.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado increased his home run lead, as he cranked out a solo shot in the first inning of Thursday's 4-3 win over the Padres. 

Arenado is on some kind of tear right now. He has homered in two of his last three games, and has eight longballs in 11 games this month. And it's not just a power display for the stud third baseman. He's batting .432 with three doubles so far in September.

Shortstop Eduardo Escobar batted ninth for the Twins in Kansas City on Monday night. He didn't hit like he belonged there.

In fact, he hasn't hit like he belongs there for quite some time.

Escobar remained hot with a 3-for-3 performance that a double and RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings. He added a walk as he reached base in all four plate appearances.

He is batting .394 (26-for-66) over his last 18 games with 14 RBI and 19 runs.

Rockies slugger Nolan Arenado has been taken out of the Monday game against the host Padres with a chest contusion, per the San Diego Union-Tribune, which is awaiting the results of x-rays.

Arenado was removed in the eighth inning, which allowed him to remain in long enough to slam an RBI double and score a run.

Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas was back in Sunday's lineup against the White Sox, reports The Kansas City Star. Moustakas will hit third and play third base.

A hamstring injury had prevented Moustakas from playing in the last few games.

After leaving Saturday's game due to a bruised forearm, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria was back in the lineup Sunday, reports The Tampa Tribune. Longoria will hit third and play third base.