MLB Player News

Stanton is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rays.

Stanton has been handled cautiously since returning from a quadriceps injury in late May, starting just four times in seven games. Aaron Judge will rest his legs as the designated hitter in his absence, with Clint Frazier starting in right field.

Alvarez started in left field, went 0-for-2 and was hit by a pitch in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Boston.

This was the first start in the field for Alvarez, whose knees have been closely monitored and managed by the Astros' medical staff. If he can play at least one game per week in the field, that would enable manager Dusty Baker to give his position regulars a break, as he did Wednesday when Jose Altuve served as the designated hitter, and it might eventually qualify the slugger for something other than DH in certain formats.

Lewis (knee) is receiving a second opinion Wednesday on his torn right meniscus, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

A differing opinion may change the timeframe for Lewis' return, but it'll be unclear until details surface from Wednesday's visit to the doctor. Lewis is "really down and disappointed," said manager Scott Servais, as he could miss considerable time if his meniscus is indeed torn.

Canha went 2-for-6 with an RBI single and a run in a win over the Mariners on Tuesday, snapping an 0-for-14 skid that had encompassed his previous four games.

The veteran has rarely endured multi-game slumps this season, but the aforementioned four-game stretch saw eight of the 14 outs he made come via strikeouts. Tuesday's multi-hit effort keeps Canha's season slash line at a solid .251/.385/.462, and while his batting average does have plenty of room for improvement, it currently qualifies as the second highest of his last six seasons.

Solak is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.

With just one homer and a .192 average in his last 32 games, Solak has certainly cooled off after a hot start to the season. Charlie Culberson will get the start at second base and bat seventh Wednesday.

Choi isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Yankees.

Choi will get a breather with left-hander Jordan Montgomery starting for the Yankees. Yandy Diaz will take over at first base and bat second.

Ramirez isn't starting Wednesday's game against the White Sox.

Ramirez will get a breather after he went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base in Tuesday's loss. Bradley Zimmer will start in center field and bat eighth.

Brantley (hamstring) could return to the starting lineup "relatively early" during the team's upcoming road trip, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Brantley, who has continued to hit while on the injured list, was scheduled to run the field prior to Tuesday's game. If he comes out of that without a setback, Brantley will presumably not need a rehab assignment. The outfielder was placed on the IL retroactive to May 25, meaning the earliest he could return is Friday, when Houston kicks off its three-city, nine-game road trip in Buffalo against the Blue Jays.

Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Red Sox.

Alvarez was back in the lineup after missing five games with a sore right wrist. He slotted into his customary four hole.

Ramirez went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base during Tuesday's 6-5 win over the White Sox.

The 26-year-old came through in the clutch, delivering a pair of singles with runners in scoring position. Ramirez has a .256/.297/.407 slash line with two homers, seven doubles, 10 RBI, two stolen bases and 10 runs through 28 games.