MLB Player News

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Ortiz was removed from Wednesday's win over the Rangers due to a neck injury, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The injury apparently surfaced during last week's series against the Angels, and it prompted his removal from Wednesday's contest in the sixth inning after going 0-for-2. Ortiz's ability to play through the issue indicates it isn't a serious concern, so he could be back in action Friday versus the Cubs following Thursday's team off day.

Barger is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.

Barger will take a seat after he had started in eight of the Blue Jays' past 10 games, with five of those assignments coming at third base and the other three in the corner outfield. With Bo Bichette returning from the injured list Tuesday, Barger's opportunities to play in the infield will become more limited moving forward, but he could still push Davis Schneider or George Springer for the occasional start in left or right field.

Ortiz was removed from Wednesday's game versus the Rangers in the bottom of the sixth inning with an apparent injury, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. He went hitless in two at-bats before leaving the game.

Ortiz ran into the tarp while chasing after a pop-up in the top of the sixth, and though he initially stayed in the game, he was lifted in favor of a pinch hitter in the bottom of the frame. It's not clear yet what injury Ortiz might be dealing with, but the Brewers should offer more clarity soon.

Reds manager David Bell clarified Wednesday that Candelario is dealing with hamstring tendinitis and is considered day-to-day, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Candelario has been nursing the issue for more than a week, with Bell saying before Wednesday's loss to the Pirates that the injury is "progressively not getting better." However, the team doesn't seem to have any plans at this time to put Candelario on the 10-day injured list. Even if Candelario avoids the IL, he could still be deployed at designated hitter for a few games to ease the stress on his legs.

Urias is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Guardians.

After making three straight starts at third base, Urias will hit the bench for the second game in a row. Jorge Mateo will pick up another start in the infield while Urias takes a seat.

Solano will start at first base and bat second in Wednesday's game against the Nationals.

Solano will crack the starting nine for the fifth game in a row. The Padres are facing a left-hander (DJ Herz) for a third straight game, but San Diego could have room for both Solano and the lefty-hitting David Peralta in the regular lineup against right-handed pitching after Fernando Tatis' (quadricep) move to the injured list Monday opened up a spot. Since getting a call-up from Triple-A El Paso in early May, Solano is slashing .284/.354/.405 with three home runs and 15 RBI over 130 plate appearances.

The Guardians recalled Noel from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday. He'll start at first base and bat sixth in the Guardians' series finale in Baltimore.

Noel will hit the big leagues for the first time. The 22-year-old slashed .295/.359/.578 with 18 home runs over 65 games with Columbus this season. Much of that production has come since the start of May, with Noel producing a .343/.404/.651 line with 14 home runs in 43 contests over that stretch. Noel has also struck out at just an 18.1-percent rate since May 1, which is a positive development for a player who has often struggled to make contact during his minor-league career. While he can handle first base and the corner outfield spots in a pinch, Noel's best shot at consistent playing time in Cleveland could come at designated hitter.

Harris (undisclosed) has gone 4-for-8 with two solo home runs and two additional runs in two starts for Triple-A Sacramento since he was activated from the 7-day injured list Saturday.

Harris spent just under a month on the shelf while recovering from the unspecified injury. He's hitting .301/.415/.496 with five home runs and three stolen bases across 135 plate appearances for Las Vegas on the season.

Rendon (hamstring) said Wednesday that he's "definitely close" and is still deciding whether to go out on a rehab assignment, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

A rehab assignment would be sensible, considering he's missed two months of action with a high-grade partial tear of his left hamstring. Rendon said that he's open to the possibility of playing rehab games before coming off the 60-day injured list, though the Angels can't force him to do so. Either way, the veteran third baseman should be clear to play in games soon if he's able to sprint on consecutive days without issue.

The Rangers optioned Duran to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday.

Duran had a nice first full season with the Rangers in 2023, slashing .276/.324/.443 with 14 home runs and eight stolen bases. His follow-up in 2024 hasn't been as successful, as he sports just a .256/.294/.324 line with two home runs and one steal over 58 contests. Duran could still play a prominent role with the Rangers later this season, but for now he'll try to get back on track in a less-pressurized environment.