MLB Player News

Alvarez went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts Sunday in the Astros' 8-5 win over the Angels.

Alvarez will head into the postseason in a bit of a rut, as he failed to record a hit in 11 at-bats during the four-game series with the Angels while striking out seven times. The slump does little to diminish what was a banner rookie campaign for the 22-year-old, who slashed .313/.412/.655 with 53 extra-base hits in only 87 games. Following his June 9 callup, Alvarez's 1.067 OPS matched Alex Bregman for the team lead and trailed only three other hitters in baseball (Ketel Marte, Nelson Cruz and Mike Trout).

Soler went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a victory over the Twins on Sunday.

Soler put the Royals on the board in the first inning with a solo shot to left field. The 27-year-old was one of the few bright spots for the Royals this season, breaking out to lead the American League with 48 home runs and tying for second with 117 RBI while slashing .265/.354/.569 in 162 games.

Cabrera went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the White Sox.

Cabrera took Chicago starter Ross Detwiler deep in the first inning for his 12th home run of the season and the 477th of his storied career. The 36-year-old was lifted later in the game for a pinch hitter, which was a recurring theme down the stretch as the team managed his balky knee. Cabrera has said he won't have offseason surgery but will focus on weight loss and fitness in an attempt to take some pressure of his knee next year.

Choi (foot) is starting at first base and batting third Sunday at Toronto, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic eports.

Choi missed the last two games with the foot bruise but apparently progressed well enough to return to action for the season finale despite the Rays already having their playoff position locked in. The 28-year-old may not see a full nine innings Sunday, but it's nonetheless a good sign to see him return to the field ahead of Wednesday's Wild Card Game.

Choi (foot) was walking with less of a limp Saturday and could be available in some capacity Sunday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Choi is being treated with an abundance of caution as he continues to deal with a bone bruise in his foot. With the Rays having failed to clinch home-field advantage for the American League Wild Card Game by virtue of their loss and an Athletics win Saturday, Choi seems likely to remain on the bench for Sunday's finale in the hopes of having him available for the one-game playoff.

Canha is not in the lineup for Sunday's game at Seattle, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Canha returned to the lineup the past two days after missing a game with a groin issue, so it's no surprise to see him receive Sunday off after the A's clinched home-field advantage for Wednesday's Wild Card Game. Skye Bolt will start in center field in the season finale.

Ford is being considered for a spot on the postseason roster, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

Ford lost time to Luke Voit through the first part of September, but Voit's current 1-for-32 slump combined with Ford's strong play has brought into question which player will make the ALDS roster. Through 14 games in September, Ford is slashing .364/.447/.727 with three home runs, 10 RBI and a 1.175 OPS.

Jimenez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers.

Jimenez cracked his 31st home run in the afternoon and followed up with a single in the nightcap, putting the finishing touches on what has been his best month of the season. Jimenez has hit safely in 19 of 23 games during September while posting a slash line of .344/.388/.719.

Soler went 2-for-3 with two homers and three RBI in Saturday's game against the Twins.

Solo hit a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run homer in the seventh, accounting for all his team's runs in their 4-3 loss. The homers were Soler's 46th and 47th of the season, breaking a tie with Mike Trout (foot) for the American League lead. With Trout shut down for the season and the next closest hitters in the AL (Alex Bregman and Nelson Cruz) sitting on 41 homers, Soler's crown looks to be secure.

Martinez went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo homer in Saturday's loss to Baltimore.

The homer was Martinez's first in three full weeks, a rare drought for the veteran slugger. He'd hit just .255/.350/.294 in the 14 games since his previous home run. His .305/.383/.559 slash line on the season is still quite strong, but represents a significant drop-off from the .330/.402/.629 mark he recorded in 2018, especially considering how the league's overall offense has increased between the two seasons.