MLB Player News

Choi went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Friday's win over Cleveland.

Choi socked his fifth long ball of the year in the ninth inning off reliever Nick Wittgren, and his blast was part of a six-run frame that allowed the Rays to come away with the win. The first baseman has gone yard twice while hitting a meager .227 across 44 at-bats this month.

Vogelbach (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment next week, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Vogelbach was given a six-week timeline when he strained his left hamstring in late June. Beginning a rehab assignment next week should keep him right on schedule. Exactly what his role will be upon his return is unclear, as the Brewers acquired fellow left-handed first baseman Rowdy Tellez in a trade with Toronto in early July.

Rooker was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul and will bat sixth as the designated hitter Friday against the Angels.

The 26-year-old will fill the vacant roster spot created by the Twins' trade of Nelson Cruz, and he'll also receive first crack at taking over as the designated hitter. Rooker appeared in eight games for Minnesota early in the season, going only 3-for-29. He's spent most of the year at the Triple-A level, where he has a .908 OPS and 19 homers in 61 contests. Rooker should have a regular role between the outfield and designated hitter with Cruz out of the picture, Alex Kirilloff (wrist) out for the season and the Twins out of playoff contention.

Canha went 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and two walks in a win over the Mariners on Thursday.

The veteran produced a prototypical leadoff effort, pushing his OBP to an elite .383 in the process. Canha has hit safely in all five games since his return from a stint on the injured list due to a hip issue, and Thursday's steal gives him a career-high eight swipes on the campaign.

Ohtani is not in the lineup Friday against the Twins, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Including days he's pitched, Ohtani has been in the lineup for each of the past 30 games, and he'll receive the day off Friday while mired in a 4-for-24 slump since the All-Star break. He's especially struggled over the past two contests with six strikeouts, so it's not a bad idea to provide him a day to reset. Justin Upton will serve as the designated hitter in his place while Juan Lagares starts in left field.

Solak was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.

Solak has been a fixture at second base for the Rangers this season, but he'll move down to Triple-A to attempt to get back on track offensively. The 26-year-old had a solid start to the season but is slashing only .192/.252/.240 in 37 games since the start of June. Curtis Terry had his contract selected in a corresponding move.

Ohtani went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Thursday's win over the Twins.

Believers in the mostly debunked Home Run Derby hangover theory are likely keeping tabs on Ohtani's performance, as he has gone 4-for-24 with 14 strikeouts since he participated in the contest. That said, manager Joe Maddon indicated that he is not worried about the two-way star in spite of his recent struggles, per the Associated Press. "He feels good. He's upbeat. He's constantly conversing with everybody. He'll come out of this thing. He's not going to be perfect all year," Maddon said.

Ramirez went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's 5-4 extra-inning loss to Tampa Bay.

Ramirez got aboard with a single and stole second before scoring on an Austin Hedges sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. It was Ramirez's third stolen base of the season, which represents a career high. He's slashing a solid.279/.323/.441 with six home runs, 24 RBI and 25 runs scored through 220 plate appearances as a regular option in the corner outfield.

Reyes went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 5-4 extra-inning loss to Tampa Bay.

The designated hitter has come out swinging for the fences after the All-Star break. His homer Thursday was his third in the last six games. Reyes is up to 17 long balls, 45 RBI, 30 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases while slashing .264/.317/.587 through 218 plate appearances. He should be a fixture in the heart of Cleveland's order during the second half of the season.

Belt (knee) will start running the bases over the weekend, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports.

Belt resumed light baseball activity early in July and is set to begin the next step toward his return. After the diagnosis, he opted to avoid surgery in an effort to return to the field faster, though there is still no timetable for his activation off the injured list.