MLB Player News

X-rays on Abrams' left ankle came back negative Thursday, but manager Blake Butera said Abrams will likely need to sit again Friday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Butera said Abrams will hopefully be back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins after he initially injured his ankle in the ninth inning of Wednesday's contest. With Abrams out Thursday against the Rangers, Jose Tena made the start at second base and hit cleanup for the Nationals. He went 0-for-3 with a trio of strikeouts and one walk in the 2-0 loss.

Abrams is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Rangers.

It's the first day off since July 1 for Abrams, who is slashing only .167/.268/.306 across his last nine games. The Nationals will deploy Nasim Nunez and Jose Tena in the middle infield for Thursday's series finale.

Pratt is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Mariners.

Pratt went 0-for-4 at the plate Wednesday in his return from the 10-day injured list. He's being eased back into action with a day off during Thursday's matinee. Joey Ortiz will hold down shortstop for the Brewers.

King made his professional debut at third base Wednesday with Triple-A Rochester, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI.

The 23-year-old has been one of the hottest hitters in the minors of late, hitting safely in 10 straight games while compiling a .463/.532/.951 slash line with six homers and three steals. King's gone yard in three straight games, and the defensive switch from shortstop to third base did nothing to slow his momentum. He's not expected to get a late-season promotion to the majors and isn't on the 40-man roster yet, but if he adapts well to playing the hot corner, King could head into spring training next year with a real chance to win the Opening Day starting job.

Adames went 3-for-4 in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Cleveland.

After missing four straight games with back spasms, Adames returned to action Wednesday. The veteran shortstop hit singles in the first, sixth and eighth innings, marking his sixth game of the season recording three or more hits. He's batting .262 through 49 plate appearances in August and is now slashing .229/.288/.416 with 59 runs scored, 48 RBI, 19 long balls and five stolen bases across 489 plate appearances this season.

Winn is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Cincinnati.

Winn has started each of the previous 13 contests, so he will get some rest during Thursday's matinee. JJ Wetherholt will shift over to shortstop, and Bryan Torres will grab a start at second base for the Cardinals.

Betts went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a second RBI and two total runs scored in Wednesday's 6-4 extra-inning win over the Rockies.

Betts has gone 6-for-27 (.222) since he received an off day last Thursday. The shortstop delivered a big game in this one, contributing a homer in the fourth inning and plating an insurance run in the 10th with an RBI single. For the season, he's batting .237 with a .703 OPS, 16 homers, 44 RBI, 49 runs scored, 14 doubles and one stolen base over 91 contests.

Ortiz went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI in Wednesday's 7-5 loss to the Mariners.

Ortiz provided most of the Brewers' offense, driving in the team's first four runs over three plate appearances. The 28-year-old has now hit safely in six of his past seven games, tallying two home runs, eight RBI and seven runs scored during that stretch. For the season, he's slashing .252/.318/.383 with seven homers, 37 RBI, 36 runs scored and eight steals across 312 plate appearances.

Ortiz will start at third base and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Mariners.

The Brewers will get some reinforcement on the left side of the infield Wednesday with shortstop Cooper Pratt (hamstring) returning from the injured list and immediately re-entering the lineup, but the hot-hitting Ortiz will get the nod at third base over David Hamilton. Ortiz will pick up his seventh straight start after going 7-for-21 with a home run, a double, four walks, six runs and four RBI over the Brewers' last six games.

Adames (back) will start at shortstop and bat third in Wednesday's game against the Guardians.

He'll make his return to the lineup for the first time in a week after a bout with back spasms kept him on the bench for the Giants' last four games. With Adames back at his usual post at shortstop, Christian Koss will slide back over to third base Wednesday.