MLB Player News

Hot-hitting Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon is grabbing some pine Wednesday against Arizona in favor of Kevin Frandsen.

Rendon has been productive and consistent since late May. He has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and owns a .276/.332/.461 stat line on the year.

Slumping Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson is out of the lineup Wednesday against the visiting Mets.

Donaldson has just three hits in 21 at-bats since slugging two home runs in Kansas City on Aug. 12.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado went 3 for 4 with a walk and a solo home run in his team's 7-4 loss to the Royals.

Arenado put his team ahead for the last time in the bottom of the fifth before the Royals scored six runs in the seventh and eighth innings. He's 9 for 16 with three walks and two home runs in his last four games. Arenado owns a .298/.340/.500 line with 13 home runs and 50 RBI in 342 at-bats.

Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez is unlikely to play third base again this season in anything but an emergency situation, MLB.com reports.

"Right now, I think we have a better option in Josh Harrison," manager Clint Hurdle said Tuesday. "This season, right now -- to put the best team that I can on the field every night, we have better options. We have to find [Alvarez] some at-bats. Is third base the optimum place to get them? No, it is not."

Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau (neck) and infielder DJ LeMahieu are both back in the lineup Tuesday against the Royals.

Morneau had missed the team's previous two games as a result of his injury, but is batting third and starting at first base for his return. LeMahieu had missed just the one game, and is batting eighth and playing second base Tuesday. 

Twins infielder Trevor Plouffe came up with a big hit late in Monday's game against the Royals, but it was not enough to stave off a 6-4 loss.

Plouffe had just one hit, but it was a big one, as he brought the Twins back into the game with his three-run home run in the ninth inning. Unfortunately, the rally would end there, with Plouffe finishing the game 1 for 4 with three RBI and a strikeout.

Plouffe has nine home runs and 58 RBI in 402 at-bats on the season, while hitting .244/.313/.400.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez will make his first start at first base Monday.

Alvarez has played the majority of his games at third this season. Alvarez has taken extra infield practice lately in expectation of the move. He's hitting .233/.314/.392 over 378 at-bats.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was back in the starting lineup Sunday against the Dodgers after missing one start due to a hand injury. Segura is batting .265 with one double, one RBI, one run and no stolen bases in his last 11 games.

Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau (neck) and infielder DJ LeMahieu (ankle) were held out of the starting lineup Sunday against the Reds. Morneau missed a second straight game, while LeMahieu sat out his first game.

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu is dealing with a sore ankle stemming from a takeout slide in Friday's game, MLB.com reports.

Saturday's game between the Rockies and Reds was postponed, but LeMahieu wasn't expected to play. He could miss both games of the doubleheader Sunday in order to give him three straight days to rest the injury. He has hit just .190 over the last four weeks while striking out 26 times in 91 at-bats.