MLB Player News

Alvarez went 3-for-5 with two RBI in Saturday's win over the Angels.

Batting out of the cleanup spot as the Astros' designated hitter, Alvarez laced a pair of doubles and a single for his ninth three-hit effort of the season. He drove in a run in each of the third and fifth innings to push his RBI total to a team-high 76 on the season. Alvarez is slashing a solid .286/.353/.527 across 417 plate appearances on the campaign.

Rooker went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double in Saturday's 12-0 victory over the Rays.

Rooker took the first pitch he saw from Louis Head deep into the Minnesota night to cash Max Kepler and extend the Twins' lead to nine in the sixth inning. Although he is batting under the Mendoza Line on the season, Rooker has now strung together six hits and two home runs in the first two games of this series against Tampa Bay.

Martinez went 2-for-5 with a double and a three-run home run in Saturday's 16-2 rout of the Orioles.

He turned around an Adam Plutko pitch in the fifth inning for his 22nd homer of the season, part of a five-homer, 17-hit rampage by the Boston offense in support of Chris Sale during the southpaw's first big-league start in almost exactly two years. Martinez has been feast or famine so far in August -- he has four multi-hit performances in 10 games and also four goose eggs -- but the former has outweighed the latter, leading to a .333 (14-for-42) batting average on the month with 10 RBI.

McCutchen went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Reds.

He capped the scoring on the night by taking Sean Doolittle deep in the eighth inning. The homer was McCutchen's 21st of the season and first in four games since coming off the IL, but it actually extended a bit of a power surge that began before his knee became an issue toward the end of July. Over his last 10 games, the 34-year-old has only seven hits in 35 at-bats, but four of them have left the yard.

Winker (back) is expected to return to the lineup Sunday or Monday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Winker was absent from both Friday and Saturday's games against the Phillies while working through tightness in his lower back. The Reds got good news following an examination Saturday, however, so it looks as though he'll miss at most one more game.

Dickerson will remain on the bench for Saturday's game against the Rockies, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports.

Dickerson sits for the second straight game as the Rockies send out another southpaw in Kyle Freeland. Darin Ruf will be the left fielder in his absence.

Belt will sit Saturday against Colorado, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports.

Belt has homered four times in seven games since returning from a knee injury. He'll get the day off against lefty Kyle Freeland, with Wilmer Flores starting at first base.

Buxton (hand) could begin a rehab assignment next week, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Buxton is away from the team for the weekend to attend to a family matter but will return for a workout Monday, at which point the team will determine how to proceed with his recovery. He's been out of action since late June with a broken hand, so he'll likely need more than merely a game or two on his rehab assignment before he's cleared to return.

Manager Dave Roberts said Turner (groin) will be available to pinch hit Saturday and should be in Sunday's lineup, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The Dodgers' skipper added that they'll pinch run for Turner if he reaches base Saturday. This will be the third baseman's fifth consecutive game out of the lineup, but it certainly seems like he'll be starting the series finale Sunday.

Choi (hamstring) will bat cleanup and play first base Saturday against the Twins, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Choi left Tuesday's game against the Red Sox with hamstring soreness. While he returned to the lineup Wednesday, he didn't appear in either of the next two games. He's evidently ready to go again now, however, and will bat in the heart of the order against righty Kenta Maeda.