MLB Player News

Correa (thumb) could progress to taking batting practice over the weekend, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Correa continues to work his way back from a torn ligament in his thumb, as he was able to field grounders, run the bases and take between 20 and 25 swings off a tee Monday with no issues. He's looking to resume regular batting practice over the weekend as he continues to ramp up the intensity of his baseball activities before being cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment. Correa, who is about four weeks removed from his operation, still feels ahead of his estimated six-to-eight week recovery schedule.

Correa (thumb) took between 20 and 25 swings off a tee Monday, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. "I feel good," Correa said. "I swung hard and everything. It didn't bother me at all. It's a good start."

Correa also fielded groundballs and ran the bases as he approaches the four-week mark since his operation. He had been scheduled for a six-to-eight week rehabilitation period, but feels he's ahead of that schedule. Correa will continue to increase the level and intensity of his baseball-related activities before heading out on a rehab assignment, where he can get his timing back and be ready to contribute immediately once he's back in the majors.

Pennington started at the keystone and went 2-for-4 in Sunday's victory over the Mariners.

Kaleb Cowart has emerged as the Angels' primary option at second base, but Pennington has picked up starts in two of the club's last three games, which have both come against southpaws. While both players are switch hitters, the former has struggled against lefties since being called up (4-for-20) while the latter has experiences success against that handedness this season (10-for-34), so a platoon situation at the keystone appears to be developing in Los Angeles.

Anderson went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer Sunday against the Royals.

Anderson came in with a .315/.333/.441 line against lefties, and was once again promoted to the leadoff spot with southpaw Jason Vargas on the mound for Kansas City. He rewarded that decision with a long ball in the fifth inning, but that was ultimately far from enough in what ended as a lopsided 14-6 loss. The shortstop's affordability in daily formats makes him worth a look when facing left-handers.

Correa (thumb) will grip a bat for the first time Monday, but is not quite ready to take swings, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

It's not clear what exactly Correa will do with the bat, other than grip it, as McTaggart reports Correa is still not ready to swing. However, this is another small step in the recovery process. More information should be available early next week after he makes this latest progression.

Anderson went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored in Friday's 6-3 win over Kansas City.

Anderson has been a disappointment in 2017, but is teasing fantasy owners here in August. Over the last nine games, the 24-year-old shortstop is slugging .675 with seven of his 13 hits going for extra bases, including three homers. The flip-side to those good numbers are his 15 strikeouts and zero walks during that stretch, suggesting Anderson still has some plate discipline issues to work through.

Anderson went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and an RBI double in a 7-1 win against the Astros on Wednesday.

The two clubs were locked in a scoreless tie entering the bottom of the fifth, when Anderson opened the floodgates with his two-run shot. He's now hit safely in seven consecutive games, racking up a pair of long balls and three doubles during that span. Anderson was known almost exclusively for his speed in the minors -- the guy stole 49 bases while hitting only five home runs in Double-A just two years ago -- but through his first 199 MLB contests, he has more long balls (20) than steals (16). He's also struggled with his plate discipline, posting a whiff rate north of 27 percent and a walk rate under three percent, so the 24-year-old still has some work to do to become a steady fantasy asset.

Lindor went 1-for-6 with a two-run home run during Wednesday's loss to Colorado.

Lindor entered Wednesday's game with a .344/.410/.544 slash line, four homers, eight RBI, three stolen bases and 12 runs through 23 games since the All-Star break, so this was just another solid showing from the young shortstop. He's heating up at the right time for fantasy owners and remains a go-to option in all settings.

Correa (thumb) said he won't resume swinging a bat until next week, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The star shortstop was expected to pick up a bat this week, but he's apparently moving along a little slower than expected. Once he's able to swing a bat with no issues, he'll progress to taking batting practice before ultimately heading out on a rehab assignment.

Anderson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Red Sox.

This has been one disappointing season for Anderson, who had gone 19 games in between home runs. During that stretch, he hit .197 (14-for-71) with just two RBI. After a nice rookie season in 2016, it appears the league has caught up to him, and he needs to make adjustments or have coaches that can help him react. On top of that, his defense (22 errors, -6.2 defensive runs saved, -10.5 UZR) has been league-worst among shortstops. Manager Rick Renteria certainly hasn't done him many favors, moving Anderson up and down the batting order instead of letting him get comfortable in one spot.