MLB Player News

Baez went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Dodgers.

Baez had a third of Detroit's six hits and drove in the team's only run Friday. The Tigers are struggling at 6-13 overall, and their 59 total runs are tied for the fewest in the league, so Baez hasn't been in a productive lineup so far. The shortstop is still doing his part with a .282/.317/.487 slash line and nine RBI across 10 games played.

Velazquez singled in his only at-bat, stole a base and scored a run in Friday's win over the White Sox.

Velazquez came on as a defensive replacement at shortstop in the seventh inning and registered his only at-bat in the ninth. He singled to lead off the frame, stole second base, advanced to third on a groundout and came around to score on a Tyler Ward double. The base knock was the first for Velazquez over his past six games, and he is batting just .143 overall this season, though he has collected three steals.

Fletcher went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles Friday in a 5-1 win against the White Sox.

Fletcher made his return to the club Friday after missing over two weeks due to a hip injury. He started at shortstop before shifting over to second base later in the contest. Fletcher's doubles were his first of the season, and prior to Friday he hadn't registered a hit since Opening Day. Even with the multi-hit effort, he's batting only .176 through 17 plate appearances this season.

Seager went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-3 loss to Atlanta.

He took Will Smith deep in the eighth inning for the game's final run. Seager has been up and down to begin his stint with the Rangers, but the 28-year-old has homered in back-to-back games to give him three long balls on the season, and he's batting a cool .300 (6-for-20) over the last five contests.

Pena went 1-for-5 with a three-run homer, two runs scored and a walk during Friday's 11-7 victory against the Blue Jays.

Pena scored in the third inning after grounding into a fielder's choice. He later launched a three-run shot as part of a five-run sixth for Houston. The rookie shortstop is up to eight extra-base hits and 10 RBI through 19 career MLB games.

Fletcher (hip) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and is starting Friday's game against the White Sox, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Fletcher participated in an extensive on-field workout Thursday, and the Angels ultimately deemed him healthy enough to return to action for Friday's series opener in Chicago. The 27-year-old is starting at shortstop and batting ninth Friday, and he's in line to serve as the Angels' everyday shortstop now that he's been activated.

Smith (ankle) was activated off the 10-day injured list Friday.

Smith wound up missing just the minimum 10 days with a bone bruise in his left ankle. He was featured heavily prior to his injury and will likely continue to earn regular playing time, though he'll have to hit a lot better than the .161/.212/.226 line he managed prior to his injury if he's to keep it.

Witt went 1-for-5 with a stolen base in Thursday's 5-2 extra-innings win over the White Sox.

Witt stretched his hitting streak to seven games, during which he's gone 9-for-29 (.310). His steal came in his lone trip on base in the eighth inning after his single. The infielder has shown off his speed with four stolen bases in five attempts while adding a .206/.229/.294 slash line with five RBI and six runs scored in 70 plate appearances. He has four doubles and a triple, but Witt has yet to hit his first major-league home run.

Seager went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored in a 3-2 loss Thursday against Houston.

Seager made it a one-run ballgame with his one-out, solo homer to straightaway center field in the ninth off Rafael Montero. It was his second homer of the season and first since April 14. Coming into Thursday's game, the shortstop was 4-for-28 with no extra-base hits in his previous seven games. Despite that slump, he still has a respectable .257 batting average and, with a .499 SLG in his career, his power should show up at some point.

Franco went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in a 2-1 win Thursday over Seattle.

After being retired in his first three at-bats, Franco walked and stole second in the eighth but was unable to come around to score. It was his second stolen base of the season and just the third time he's reached on a free pass. The phenom has been praised for his plate discipline and walked more than he struck out in his brief minor-league career. However, he's played only 88 games at the major-league level, and it may take a little while for the 21-year-old's on-base skills to reach their full potential.