MLB Player News

Brantley (shoulder) took batting practice on the field prior to Saturday's game against Cincinnati, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.

Brantley hasn't played since June 26 of last year as he recovers from shoulder surgery. He appeared close to a return in early May before suffering a setback, but he's back to making steady progress. The veteran outfielder remains without a clear return date, but the Astros could certainly use him, as they sit a disappointing 19th by team wRC+.

Ford will sit Saturday against the White Sox.

Ford has stepped into a regular role in Seattle, starting eight of the previous 10 games as the designated hitter prior to Saturday's off day. He's homered four times in 28 plate appearances this season, but he's also gotten on base at just a .286 clip and has a limited track record of big-league success, slashing .203/.300/.406 across 162 career games. Teoscar Hernandez will serve as the designated hitter Saturday, with Jarred Kelenic sliding to right field and Dylan Moore entering the lineup in left.

Cabrera is serving as the designated hitter and batting seventh in Saturday's game against the Twins.

Cabrera started Thursday's game before getting a day off Friday. That's been the norm for the 40-year-old this season in what appears to be his last MLB campaign. Cabrera is not the feared hitter he used to be, as he has a .620 OPS on the year, which would be a new career low.

Turner went 3-for-5 with a double, two-run homer, grand slam and an additional run scored in Friday's win over the Yankees.

Turner has hit safely in seven straight games, including five multi-hit efforts during that stretch. Friday's performance was the veteran's first multi-homer outing of the campaign, and his six RBI is a season high. Given his recent hot streak, the Red Sox are looking to get Turner's bat in the lineup as much as possible, which means he'll likely get a few more chances at first base to go along with his usual DH duties.

The Blue Jays recalled Horwitz from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday.

Horwitz holds an .826 OPS in Triple-A this season and will join the Blue Jays to provide depth at first base, although he has also been used occasionally in left field. Nathan Lukes was optioned to Buffalo in a corresponding move.

Horwitz will be recalled from Triple-A Buffalo prior to Friday's game versus the Rangers, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

It's not clear yet what the Blue Jays' corresponding move will be. Horwitz is sporting a .300/.421/.405 batting line with two home runs and three stolen bases with Buffalo this season. The 25-year-old is capable of playing first base and left field and can also handle second base in a pinch. He'll be making his major-league debut when he gets into a game.

Ohtani (6-2) earned the win Thursday, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk over six innings in a 5-3 victory over the Rangers. He struck out three and went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and two walks at the plate.

Ohtani tied his season low in strikeouts, and Thursday's tilt marked his first outing with fewer than five punchouts since May 3rd. However, he managed to pick up his first win in his last six appearances to notch his eighth quality start, and he also helped himself offensively with his 22nd long ball. Though Ohtani has taken a step back from his incredible 2022 season on the mound, where he tallied a 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 219 strikeouts across 166 innings, he's remained a strong source of strikeouts (11.52 K/9) while totaling a 3.29 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 82 innings in 2023. Ohtani is in line for another tough matchup next time he takes the mound, which is expected to come during a two-game homestand versus the Dodgers.

Buxton (rib) was activated from the 10-day injured list Thursday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Buxton wound up being sidelined a few days past the minimum 10-day stay on the IL with a left rib contusion, but he's ready to go now for the Twins' four-game weekend series against the Tigers. The 29-year-old had been in a 2-for-22 rut at the plate before getting injured when he took a Tanner Bibee pitch to the ribs back on June 1.

Ohtani went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Rangers.

Ohtani made things interesting in the ninth inning, launching a two-run, 453-foot shot off Will Smith to cut the Angels' deficit to 6-3. Ohtani has been red hot of late -- he's hit safely in 11 straight contests, including four straight multi-hit games, going 21-for-43 (.488) with six homers in that span. He's up to 21 homers this season, one shy of Pete Alonso for the league lead. Ohtani's now slashing a robust .299/.377/.610 with 52 RBI, 45 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Jimenez (calf) went 2-for-5 with a double, one RBI and one run scored in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Dodgers.

Jimenez missed four contests with left calf soreness. He was one of five White Sox batters with multiple hits in the contest, and he was able to pad the lead with an RBI single in the ninth inning. Assuming he avoids setbacks, he should be able to stay in the lineup between designated hitter and his usual spot in right field. Staying healthy has been a challenge for Jimenez, but he has a solid .262/.318/.440 slash line with six home runs, 25 RBI, 18 runs scored and seven doubles through 36 contests.