MLB Player News

Pena went 5-for-6 with a triple, a double and three RBI in Sunday's 17-4 win over the Tigers.

Pena began his day with a double and also tripled home three runs in the eighth. He's enjoying his best month of the season at the plate, slashing .333/.426/.425 with seven RBI, 15 runs and a 13:18 BB:K in 24 games. Pena has not been able to replicate the same power he showcased his rookie season with just 10 home runs compared to the 22 he hit last year. Sunday was his first game with multiple extra base hits since June 9 and his first game with multiple RBI since he had four July 29.

Witt went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Mariners.

Witt has done it all in August, batting .340 (34-for-100) with eight home runs, nine steals and 21 RBI over 24 contests this month. He'd posted just fine ratios through July, but he's now at a strong .278/.318/.502 slash line with 26 long balls, 38 thefts, 81 RBI and 73 runs scored across 129 games overall. Witt should continue to perform well as the Royals' No. 2 hitter down the stretch.

Smith is hitting .392 with six home runs and 19 RBI over the 76 plate appearances he's logged with Triple-A Las Vegas since being optioned to the Aviators on Aug. 5.

Smith also has a pair of steals and walks apiece along with 15 runs over that 18-game span, which comes on the heels of a six-game rehab assignment with the Aviators during which he posted a .381 average and 1.123 OPS. The 27-year-old's big-league body of work has been in stark contrast to those numbers, however, as Smith has a forgettable .191/.216/.330 slash line over 34 games with the Athletics this season. Consequently, it's uncertain a non-contending team like Oakland will invest a spot in Smith when rosters expand Sept. 1.

Kessinger (illness) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday and went 1-for-3 with a walk while playing nine innings at third base.

Kessinger has already spent the required seven days on the COVID-19-related injured list, so he'll be eligible for activation whenever the Astros deem him ready. Prior to being deactivated, Kessinger had been seeing light work as a utility man for Houston.

The Blue Jays announced that Bichette was removed from Sunday's game against the Guardians due to right quadricep tightness, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

Bichette went 0-for-3 on the day and may have suffered the injury in his final at-bat in the bottom of the fifth, when he was slow to get out of the batter's box on a groundout to second base. Santiago Espinal stepped in at shortstop in the next half inning to replace Bichette, who can be viewed as day-to-day heading into Monday's series opener versus the Nationals.

Bichette was removed ahead of the sixth inning of Sunday's game against the Guardians due to an apparent lower-body injury, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. He went hitless in three at-bats prior to departing.

Though the nature of Bichette's injury isn't yet known, Matheson notes that the shortstop wasn't running close to full speed out of the batter's box while grounding out to second base in the bottom of the fifth inning. Santiago Espinal came off the bench to replace Bichette in the top of the sixth. Expect the Blue Jays to provide an update on Bichette's condition later Sunday.

Duran is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.

Duran will get a maintenance day after he started at third base in each of the past seven games while going 7-for-23 with three walks, four runs and a stolen base. Josh Smith will fill in for Duran at the hot corner Sunday.

Allen is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.

Aledmys Diaz will step in at shortstop after Allen had started each of the past five games. Allen is maintaining a .262/.304/.415 slash line with three home runs and three stolen bases since the beginning of August, and though his production hasn't been anything eye-popping, it should be enough for the 24-year-old to hold down a near-everyday role for the remainder of the season.

Reyes (elbow) will start at second base and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Though Reyes was initially expected to get the day off after he was pulled from Saturday's 8-5 win with left elbow pain, he'll end up getting his fifth straight start Sunday. The Red Sox scratched third baseman Rafael Devers (wrist) from the lineup to clear a spot for Reyes.

Reyes (elbow) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Reyes will see his streak of four straight starts come to an end Sunday while he nurses left elbow pain. Luis Urias will spell Reyes at second base in the series finale.