MLB Player News

Diaz went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings win over the Rockies.

Diaz notched his third multi-hit effort over his last seven games. The steal was just his third of the season, though two of them have come since the All-Star break. Diaz remains firmly in the leadoff role despite the relative lack of speed, as he continues to set the table well. He's batting .300 with an .831 OPS, 15 home runs, 64 RBI, 61 runs scored, 20 doubles and one triple over 109 contests this season.

Hicks went 2-for-5 with a grand slam, a double and a walk in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings win over the Rockies.

Hicks was dealt from Miami at the trade deadline and had a fantastic performance in his Rays debut. His grand slam came with two outs in the third inning, and he ended up with his fifth multi-hit effort in his last eight games when all was said and done. The catcher is batting .284 with an .808 OPS, 15 homers, 66 RBI, 55 runs scored, three stolen bases, 10 doubles and one triple over 102 contests this season. Hicks' steady bat should make him the favorite for starts at catcher over Nick Fortes, especially against right-handed pitchers.

Bell went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 8-2 loss to the Royals.

Bell provided one of Minnesota's few bright spots, taking Steven Cruz deep for a solo homer in the eighth inning. The blast was his 14th of the season and snapped a 21-game homer drought. While the power returned Tuesday, Bell has been relatively quiet since the All-Star break, batting .241 with three RBI and five runs scored across 15 games.

The Red Sox optioned Gonzalez to Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday, Chris Henrique of BostonSportsJournal.com reports

Gonzalez will head back to the minors to help make room on the active roster for the additions Boston made prior to Monday's trade deadline. The 29-year-old utility man has seen his production take a hit this season, slashing just .185/.264/.308 with seven RBI and seven runs scored in 73 plate appearances with Boston.

Ballesteros will start at designated hitter and bat sixth in Tuesday's game against the Orioles.

Ballesteros was acquired from the Cubs in a trade Monday and will be thrown right into the lineup. That the left-handed-hitting Ballesteros is getting a start versus a lefty in Cade Povich is an encouraging sign that the Angels plan to give him everyday reps down the stretch. Ballesteros is a career .249/.328/.408 hitter with a 10.8 percent walk rate and 19.9 percent strikeout so far in the majors.

The Orioles acquired Hinds from the Marlins for cash considerations Monday and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday.

Between stops in the big leagues with the Reds and Marlins this season, Hinds has gone just 4-for-35 (.114 average) at the dish. The 25-year-old could get a look with Baltimore later this season, but for now, he'll play regularly at Norfolk.

Stanton (calf) took swings against Carlos Rodon (elbow) on Monday, MLB.com reports.

Stanton has been swinging a bat for some time, but that doesn't necessarily gauge where he's at in his recovery from a strained right calf. Still, standing in against Rodon suggests that the slugger is making progress, and he could log more live at-bats Tuesday versus recovering hurler Clarke Schmidt (elbow). Stanton also did some jogging in the Yankee Stadium outfield Monday, and the hope remains that he'll be ready for activation off the IL before the end of August.

The Guardians acquired Lowe from the Reds on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Lowe had to settle for a minor-league contract with the Reds during that offseason but played his way into a regular role in slashing .266/.341/.480 with 12 home runs over 83 contests. The 31-year-old should be in line for regular reps against right-handed pitching.

The Angels acquired Ballesteros and right-hander Mason McGwire from the Cubs on Monday in exchange for right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ballesteros had been playing regularly at Triple-A Iowa over the past six weeks, but he may not have to wait long to receive another look in the majors with the Angels, either as a designated hitter or as an option at catcher. The 22-year-old is firmly a bat-first catching prospect, though the Angels will likely have more patience than the Cubs in overseeing his development behind the dish. After recently dealing away Logan O'Hoppe, the Angels are left with the underwhelming veteran duo of Travis d'Arnaud and Tyler Heineman as their catching tandem, and it wouldn't be surprising if Ballesteros was prioritized ahead of them down the stretch. Ballesteros has already demonstrated himself to be a big-league-caliber hitter, producing a .249/.328/.408 slash line with a 10.8 percent walk rate and 19.9 percent strikeout rate over 241 career plate appearances with the Cubs.

The Rays acquired Hicks from the Marlins on Monday in exchange for infielders Brayden Taylor and Adrian Santana and right-hander Jacob Kisting, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Hicks has turned in a robust .282/.363/.432 batting line with 14 home runs and a 40:39 BB:K over 101 games this season. He's split time between catcher, first base and designated hitter in 2026, but Hicks should in line to serve as the primary catcher in Tampa Bay. He's under team control through 2030.