MLB Player News

Martinez (back) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Martinez will remain on the bench Sunday for the third consecutive game due to back spasms. It's unclear if the veteran slugger will be available off the bench or if he's expected to be back for Monday's series opener versus the Guardians. Alex Verdugo will serve as the designated hitter while Franchy Cordero shifts to left field.

Ford was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.

Ford will return to the big leagues Sunday, replacing Adam Duvall (wrist) on the active roster after he was placed on the 10-day injured list. Ford has produced a .162 average with a double, five RBI and a run scored over 37 at-bats with the Giants, Mariners and Atlanta this season.

Morel is starting in center field and batting first in Sunday's game against the Phillies.

Morel has largely been batting ninth lately but moves up to the top of the order Sunday. The rookie has certainly looked the part of a leadoff hitter with a .279 batting average, nine home runs and nine stolen bases across 57 games. If Morel sticks in the No. 1 spot moving forward, his outlook gets a little brighter due to increased run-scoring potential.

Jimenez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in a 5-4 win over the Guardians in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.

Jimenez went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter in the matinee before starting in left field in the nightcap. He delivered a sixth-inning solo shot to give the White Sox a brief 3-0 lead. He was sidelined by a leg injury before the All-Star break, but he's now 2-for-7 in three contests since returning to action. The outfielder owns a disappointing .219/.266/.356 slash line with three homers, 14 RBI and five runs scored through 78 plate appearances this year.

Turner (abdomen) could require a trip to the injured list, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Turner has already been ruled out for the rest of the Dodgers' weekend series against the Giants, but he was initially expected to avoid an IL stint. However, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that a trip to the IL is a possibility. If Turner ultimately lands on the IL, Jake Lamb will likely see an uptick in playing time over the next week and a half.

Reyes isn't starting the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the White Sox.

Reyes served as the designated hitter during Saturday's matinee and went 0-for-5 with a strikeout. Jose Ramirez is taking over as the DH while Ernie Clement starts at third base.

Stanton isn't starting Saturday's game against the Orioles, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

Stanton is getting a breather after he went 0-for-8 with six strikeouts over the last two games. Matt Carpenter will draw the start in right field and bat sixth.

Buxton, who is not in Saturday's lineup against the Tigers, received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right knee the day after the All-Star Game and won't return until next week's series in Milwaukee at the earliest, Megan Ryan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

The positive spin is that the PRP injection will help his knee heal, but he will nonetheless be unavailable in the short term for the rest of this weekend's series against the Tigers. The Twins have two off days next week, which could also help Buxton manage the issue. As has been the case for most of the season, the Twins are opting for giving Buxton strategic time off rather than be without him for an extended stretch via a trip to the injured list.

Soler was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with lower-back spasms, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.

Mish says that he doesn't think the back injury is a season ender, but it has certainly bothered Soler for good chunks of the year. Soler is hitting .207/.295/.400 with 13 home runs in 72 games, failing to duplicate his strong play in the second half of last season with Atlanta. Luke Williams is starting in left field Saturday and former top pick JJ Bleday joined the big club to take Soler's roster spot.

Vogelbach isn't starting Saturday against the Padres.

Vogelbach was traded from the Pirates to the Mets on Friday but will remain out of the lineup for a second consecutive game. J.D. Davis will serve as the designated hitter and bat eighth.