MLB Player News

Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBI in Monday's loss to the Pirates.

Moustakas is hitting .416 with five hits, a double, a home run and four RBI over his last three games.

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon went 1 for 2 with a single during a Class A rehab game on Monday.

Rendon is on the 15-day disabled list because of a quadriceps injury.

With the Pirates playing an interleague game at Kansas City, regular first baseman Pedro Alvarez gets the call to start at DH on Monday. It's Alvarez's second start at DH this year in six games at AL parks. 

Replacing Alvarez at first is Travis Ishikawa, who gets the start there for the second straigth game. 

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe went 1 for 3 in Sunday's loss to Oakland. Plouffe walked and scored the Twins' only run of the game. 

Plouffe also added his 23rd double of the year, his third extra base hit in the last four games. 

Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez went 3 for 5 with a double, a home run and a RBI in Sunday's loss to the Indians.

Suarez hit his fourth home run of the season in the second inning off Indians starter Carlos Carrasco.

Suarez is hitting .333 with 11 hits, three home runs and four RBI over his last nine games.

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon, who began a rehab assignment Saturday, could be back with the team within 7-10 days, according to The Washington Post.

“A little bit out of shape right now,” he said. “Can’t do cardio. We all can’t look like Michael Taylor. Superman over there. Just trying to play in games, get back in that rhythm. … It was good to get back out there and standing on the field, that atmosphere, just getting used to it.”

Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez was not in Sunday's lineup at Milwaukee, the team announced.

Alvarez was replaced at first by Travis Ishikawa, who will bat fifth. Alvarez is hitting .128 with one home run and six RBI in his last 12 games.

Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez was originally held out of the starting lineup Sunday against the Indians, as Ivan De Jesus drew the start in his absence. It would have been just the fourth time since Suarez became the starting shortstop June 11 that he was not in the starting lineup.

However, the Reds switched their original lineup and Suarez came off the bench to start at shortstop, as De Jesus moved to third base to replace All-Star Todd Frazier.

Suarez has homered twice in 11 July games. He is batting .250 with a .417 slugging percentage, .706 OPS, four RBI, three runs, two walks and 11 strikeouts in July as well.

Indians third baseman Giovanny Urshela was held out of the starting lineup Sunday against the Reds, as Mike Aviles started at third base. It was the first time since June 28 that Urshela was not in the starting lineup.

The rookie third baseman has been struggling offensively since hitting his last home run June 30. He is batting .188 with two doubles, no RBI, five runs, two walks and nine strikeouts in his last 14 games. His batting average has declined from .271 to .234 in that span.

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu extended his hitting streak to 10 games, as he went 1 for 4 with a run scored in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Padres. 

The 2015 All-Star is batting .450 during the 10-game stretch.