MLB Player News

Bell is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.

After starting each of the Twins' last eight games, Bell will rest for Sunday's day game. Byron Buxton will get a day off from playing center field and occupy Bell's usual spot at designated hitter.

Buxton went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to Toronto on Saturday.

Buxton got Minnesota off to a good start with a solo blast leading off the bottom of the first inning. The long ball extended the veteran outfielder's streak of games with a homer to three, and he's now gone deep five times over his past six contests. Buxton is currently on a big-time heater, hitting safely in seven straight games and batting .400 (12-for-30) with the five homers, seven RBI and a stolen base over that span.

Buxton went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk in Friday's 7-3 loss to the Twins.

Buxton is swinging one of the hottest bats in the majors, as he's on a six-game hitting streak with multiple hits in three of those contests and a homer in four of his last five. Over his last 17 games, Buxton is 24-for-77 (.312) with nine homers, 12 RBI, 16 runs scored, one stolen base and four walks. Buxton is now slashing .260/.317/.528 with nine long balls, 13 RBI, 24 runs scored, one stolen base and a 9:36 BB:K across 139 plate appearances this season. Buxton is in the 94th percentile with his 18.5 percent barrel rate.

Rooker went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in Friday's 8-5 loss to the Guardians.

Rooker got Thursday off after going 0-for-13 with five strikeouts and a walk in three games following his return from an oblique strain. The outfielder benefited from the reset, as he homered in his first at-bat Friday and added an RBI single in the seventh inning. Rooker is still batting just .136 with a .509 OPS, three homers, 11 RBI, six runs scored and two stolen bases over 68 plate appearances this season. That said, the slugger is due to see his rate stats improve, and he should be able to maintain a steady spot in the lineup as the Athletics' primary designated hitter.

Stanton (calf) has not been cleared to resume running, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Stanton hopes to resume hitting this weekend, but there's no word on when he will be cleared to run, and a timeline for his return to the active roster won't come into focus until that happens. The designated hitter suffered a low-grade right calf strain one week ago.

Buxton went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional run scored and a double in Thursday's 7-1 win over the Blue Jays.

Buxton produced three of Minnesota's six hits in the victory, with his biggest knock being a sixth-inning solo homer. That long ball was the third over his past four games and eighth overall this season. Buxton is in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, during which he's batting .409 (9-for-22) with three homers, four runs, four RBI and a stolen base. He's increased his season OPS from .705 to .810 over the hot stretch.

Alvarez went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and three total runs scored in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles.

Alvarez extended Houston's lead to 6-0 in the second inning of Thursday's nightcap with a 424-foot blast off Brandon Young, his 12th homer of the year, tying Aaron Judge and Munetaka Murakami for the league lead. It was another huge effort from Alvarez after he went 0-for-4 in the opening game of the doubleheader, ending a 13-game hitting streak. The 28-year-old slugger is now slashing an eye-popping .356/.462/.737 through his first 143 plate appearances this season with 27 RBI and 25 runs scored.

Rooker is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.

Despite the Royals starting lefty Noah Cameron, Rooker will be on the bench after going 0-for-13 at the plate in three games since returning from the injured list due to a strained oblique. Rooker is now slashing just .111/.206/.222 with two homers, eight RBI, five runs scored, two stolen bases and a 7:22 BB:K across 63 plate appearances this season.

The Blue Jays designated Jimenez for assignment Wednesday.

Jimenez will cede his spot on the roster to George Springer (toe), who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Jimenez got a bit of run at designated hitter while Springer was out, going 9-for-31 -- all singles -- in 12 games. He'll now go through the waivers process.

The Yankees placed Stanton (calf) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

The veteran slugger was diagnosed Monday with a low-grade right calf strain after undergoing an MRI, and he's now officially been moved to the IL. Jasson Dominguez was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and started as the designated hitter Monday against the Rangers, and the top prospect could get regular playing time while Stanton is on the shelf.