MLB Player News

Nationals third baseman Yunel Escobar was not in the starting lineup again for Saturday's game against the Cubs. As a result, manager Matt Williams started Clint Robinson in left field, and moved Ryan Zimmerman to the No. 2 hole in the order, followed by Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon at cleanup.

Escobar has now missed back-to-back games after suffering a wrist injury while checking his swing during Thursday's contest. He is expected to rest again on Sunday and will try to test his wrist by taking light swings over the weekend, per the Washington Post. He is hitting .316/.376/.389 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 190 at-bats.

Braves second baseman Jace Peterson underwent an X-ray on his injured hand, which revealed no structural damage between his left thumb and index finger. He's expected to sit out his second straight game on Saturday against Pittsburgh, reports MLB.com.

"I've been playing with it for the last 2 1/2 weeks, so I think it will be good," said Peterson, who believes he jammed his hand while diving for a ball.

Prior to Friday's absence, Peterson led off every game for Atlanta since May 15, and started them all since May 8. He is hitting .262 (45 for 172) with one home run, 22 RBI and six stolen bases in 50 games played.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura hit a lead-off home run in the first inning of Friday's 10-5 win over the Twins. It was Segura's third longball of the season, and his only hit of the game, though he did walk and score another run.

Segura extended his hitting streak to eight games, during which he is batting .361 (13 for 36) with two doubles, two triples and a home run.

Tigers third baseman Josh Wilson drove in two of Detroit's three runs in Friday's loss to the White Sox.

Wilson went 1 for 4 and earned his first two RBI of the year. 

"Any time you get some hits and production from the bottom of the order, you know your team is probably going to do well," Wilson said. "If I can continue to just have good at-bats, we have some pretty good hitters at the bottom of the lineup."

Giants third baseman Matt Duffy showed some power in Friday's 5-4 win over the Phillies. In four trips to the plate, Duffy recorded two hits, including a solo home run in the second inning.

The longball was Duffy's fourth of the season and it brought the Giants to within one run of the Phillies at the time. Duffy also singled and scored twice as he raised his season average up to .277.

Outfielder Rajai Davis returned from paternity leave and will leadoff a juggled Tigers lineup Friday as Detroit looks to break out of an offensive funk. 

Davis, who missed five games, is hitting .355 (11 for 31) with three doubles and a home run in his career against White Sox starter Jose Quintana.

Josh Wilson will make his season debut Friday, hitting eighth and playing third base. He was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday. 

Braves second baseman Jace Peterson had his six-game hitting streak halted Wednesday. And he is out of the lineup Friday against Pittsburgh with discomfort between his left thumb and index finger, MLB.com has reported. He will definitely sit Saturday as well and could be sidelined beyond that.

Pedro Ciriaco is set to start instead.

Peterson, who has led off in every game since May 15, has started them all since May 8. He owns a slash line of .262/.335/.337.

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman is batting in the No. 2 hole Friday for the Nationals for just the second time this season as Washington juggles its lineup in search of offense. 

Zimmerman hit second on April 27 but has spent the majority of the season in the five-hole for the Nationals. He has just four hits in his last 37 at-bats. 

"I think the top of the lineup will help because he’ll get more turnaround and have more at-bats sooner and take the pressure off hitting behind Bryce and relax," hitting coach Rick Schu said, per The Washington Post.

Anthony Rendon, fresh off the disabled list, will hit fourth, while Wilson Ramos returns from a right thumb injury to bat fifth. 

Twins utility man Eduardo Escobar waited until his last at-bat to record his lone hit of Thursday's 8-4 win over the Red Sox. Escobar went 1 for 5 with an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning that gave the Twins some un-needed insurance.

Despite the two-bagger on Thursday, Escobar has been scuffling at the plate recently. After Thursday, Escboar has just two hits in his last six games.

After missing the first 53 games of the season due to a left knee sprain, Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon will make his return in Thursday's game against the Cubs, the team announced.

"You can't expect him to be the catalyst, but we are glad to have him back," manager Matt Williams said about Rendon, per MLB.com. "The fact that he is physically able to play is important to us and important to him as well. So he feels good. He got some at-bats, not the ideal amount of at-bats, but nonetheless he is like what we said [Wednesday], he is a quick study."

Rendon will bat second and play second base during the game. He will face Jake Arrieta, who he is 0 for 3 against in his career.

The Nationals are favored (-111) over the Cubs on Thursday.