MLB Player News

Ohtani (knee) will start at designated hitter and bat leadoff in Friday's game versus the Yankees.

Ohtani has dealt with left knee irritation in recent weeks and was expected to have his knee drained Sunday following the Dodgers' last game of the first half. The issue prevented Ohtani from making his final start on the mound before the break, but it has not kept him from hitting, as he will make an eighth straight start at DH in Friday's series opener in the Bronx.

Ohtani (knee) is not listed among the Dodgers' scheduled starting pitchers for this weekend's series against the Yankees, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Ohtani has not started a game on the mound in two weeks as he deals with a nagging left knee issue. He had the knee drained Sunday and was expected to receive an injection in the knee over the All-Star break, as well. The Dodgers haven't revealed when Ohtani's first start of the second half as a pitcher will be, but Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register speculates it could be next Wednesday in Philadelphia. Ohtani will be available to serve as a designated hitter this weekend versus the Yankees.

The Athletics optioned Meneses to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.

Meneses went 1-for-6 in two games after being recalled from Triple-A on Friday, and he'll now lose his place on the active roster to make room for Donovan Walton, who was claimed off waivers from the Angels over the weekend. Meneses boasts a .347/.398/.546 slash line through 71 games in the minors, though he isn't likely to serve as more than bench depth if he makes it back to the big leagues this year.

The Red Sox acquired Jones from the Tigers on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named later, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

The 29-year-old was designated for assignment by Detroit last week and will now make his way to Boston. Jones has excelled against lefties throughout his big-league career but has yet to get on track in 2026. Jones has a .440 OPS in 105 overall plate appearances and has a .154/.250/.256 slash line in 88 plate appearances versus southpaws. A short-side platoon role is a best-case scenario for the veteran outfielder.

Suarez went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Cubs.

Suarez, who homered for a second straight day, dialed up the power this past week with three long balls over his last six games (22 ABs). The flip side of that are the 16 times he's struck out during that stretch. Suarez has 11 home runs and 35 RBI through 67 games.

Ohtani is set to get his left knee drained shortly after the Dodgers' contest Sunday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani will get his problematic left knee addressed as soon as possible ahead of the All-Star break in order to maximize his healing time. The two-way star is skipping the Midsummer Classic this year in order to get extra rest, as he's been dealing with inflammation in his knee since mid-June. Though the issue resulted in him missing his most recent start as a pitcher, he's expected to retake his regular spot in the rotation following the break. Ohtani doesn't seem to be impacted much by the knee as a hitter, as he went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run Sunday and closed the first half with a home run in four of his final six contests.

The Cardinals released Madris on Saturday.

Per Brian Walton of TheCardinalNation.com, Madris will continue his career overseas, as the 30-year-old has agreed to a contract with a team in the Korea Baseball Organization. Madris saw big-league action with the Pirates, Astros and Tigers from 2022 through 2024, but he's played exclusively in the minors over the past two seasons. Over 71 games at Triple-A Memphis this season, Madris produced a .277/.389/.519 slash line with 14 home runs and four stolen bases across 283 plate appearances.

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

After a run of three consecutive starts against right-handed pitchers during which he went 3-for-9 with three doubles, a walk, two runs and two RBI, Andujar has now been left on the bench for the Padres' ensuing two contests, both of which have also come against righties. The 31-year-old may have to settle for a short-side platoon role while the Padres are seemingly prioritizing Ty France and Sung-Mun Song ahead of him in matchups versus righties.

Springer is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Springer started the past three games after missing six contests while on the paternity and family medical emergency list, but he'll take a seat Sunday for the final matchup before the All-Star break. Barring an appearance off the bench, the veteran slugger will finish the first half with a disappointing .218/.303/.374 slash line, nine home runs and six steals in 66 games.

Polanco is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.

Polanco will hit the bench for the Mets' final game before the All-Star break while Juan Soto gets a day off from playing the outfield as the designated hitter. Since being activated from the 60-day injured list July 7, Polanco has started at DH in four of six games, going 3-for-16 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run. He's not expected to be available to play first base anytime soon coming off injuries to his Achilles and ankle, and unless he's able to catch fire at the plate, Polanco could find himself on the bench once Luis Robert (back) returns from the 60-day IL at some point following the All-Star break.