MLB Player News

Indians infielder Zach Walters went 1 for 4 for the Columbus Clippers in a rehab start on Wednesday night. 

The Clippers took on the Indianapolis Indians and lost 8-6. Walters played third base in this game, with his lone hit going for an RBI triple. Two of the outs Walters recorded came via strikeout. 

Walters injured his oblique early in the season and is on the 15-day disabled list. 

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is out of the starting lineup Tuesday against the Rays, the team announced. Bogaerts started the last four games for Boston, but will get the day off Tuesday, giving Brock Holt the start at short.

Holt is hitting .462 with five RBI in 26 at-bats this season.

Indians first baseman Nick Swisher and left fielder Zach Walters are both expected to start minor league injury rehab assignments this week, according to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Swisher started the season on the 15-day disabled list after having surgery on both knees. Walters is on the 15-day DL for an oblique injury. 

Swisher and Walters will both play for Triple-A Columbus on injury rehab. Walters will begin his rehab assignment Wednesday. 

Orioles pitcher Wei-Yin Chen has surrendered a .323 batting average to current Red Sox hitters, masnsports.com reports.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has collected more hits against Chen than anyone in the lefty pitcher's career, going 14 for 27 with a .519/.567/.778 line. Designated hitter David Ortiz is 8 for 21 with a home run, right fielder Shane Victorino is 4 for 10 with a home run and shortstop Xander Bogaerts is 3 for 10 with a home run against Chen. All four are in the starting lineup Monday, as are first baseman Mike Napoli, who's just 3 for 17 against Chen but with two home runs, and catcher Ryan Hanigan, who's 1 for 9 with a home run against the pitcher.

The Orioles are underdogs (+110) against the Red Sox in Boston Monday.

Though early-season statistics can be skewed, those registered by Red Sox young shortstop Xander Bogaerts in 2015 compared to the numbers he recorded last year jump off the page. And there are several reasons for it.

Bogaerts sweetened his stat line to .395/.452/.474 with a 2-for-4 performance Friday night, which included a game-winning single that made him the youngest Boston player to slam a walk-off hit since Jim Rice in 1975. Not bad considering he batted just .240 with a .297 on-base percentage a in 2014.

Among the reasons for his surge has been opposite-field hitting. He has hit more line drives and fly balls to right and with greater success, MLB.com is reporting. He hit .218 on balls hit to right a year ago, but is 6-for-13 going that way this season.

But perhaps the most significant improvement has been in regard to patience and discipline. John Farrell has certainly noticed.

"He's just been a little more relaxed at the plate, letting the ball travel a little bit deeper in the strike zone," Farrell said. "It's allowed him to use the whole field a little bit more, which is more the norm of what he's always been as a hitter. He's in a confident place right now."

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts' one-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning pushed across Mike Napoli for the game winner Friday against the Orioles.

Bogaerts went 2 for 4 with a run scored in the game.

The two hits on the night lifted Bogaerts' batting average to .382, best among Red Sox starters.

"Yeah, because when you're going bad, you don't get anything," Bogaerts said when asked about balls falling in when you're hot.

Indians infielder Zach Walters (oblique) and first baseman Nick Swisher (knee) are close to being cleared to begin rehab assignments, reports MLB.com.

Indians manager Terry Francona said Walters could begin rehabbing in the next few days while Swisher is right behind him.

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts went 0 for 4, but made it through Wednesday's game against the Nationals unscathed, per the Boston Herald.

Bogaerts missed Tuesday's contest due to a sore right knee. He underwent an MRI, which came back clean before returning to action on Wednesday. He reported no issues following Wednesday's 10-5 loss to Washington.

"I was a bit concerned about the knee in the beginning of the game," Bogaerts said. "But I can't think about that or else I can't play. Just let the natural abilities take over."

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts made his return to the starting lineup Wednesday against the Nationals after sitting out Tuesday due to a knee injury. Unfortunately, Pablo Sandoval was absent from the lineup after leaving Tuesday's game with a left foot contusion.

Brock Holt, who started in Bogaerts' absence Tuesday, moved over to third base to start for Sandoval on Wednesday. Although, manager John Farrell said Sandoval could play if needed, but felt Wednesday was a good time to give him a day off.

The Red Sox are considered favorites (-125) for Wednesday's game.

Red Sox infielder Xander Bogaerts underwent an MRI on his injured knee, which came back negative, manager John Farrell told reporters following Tuesday's contest against Washington, per the Boston Globe.

Bogaerts suffered the injury during Monday's game, but he didn't start feeling pain until Tuesday morning. He was not included in Tuesday's lineup, and has been deemed as day to day moving forward.