MLB Player News

Crawford went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs in a win over the Rays on Monday.

The hot-hitting shortstop continued his recent surge, producing his fourth multi-hit effort in the last seven games. Crawford owns a .323 average and .400 on-base percentage over that sample of 35 plate appearances while striking out at a modest 17.1 percent clip. He's been a short on impactful hits, however, counting a double as his only extra-base knock during that span.

Mondesi (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.

Sidelined since June 20 with a strained left oblique, Mondesi is finally ready to move on to the final phase of his recovery program by taking part in minor-league games. Since Mondesi has already spent time on the shelf with two other lower-half injuries this season (a strained right oblique and a strained left hamstring), the Royals could elect to take it slowly with his rehab assignment. According to Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Kansas City, general manager Dayton Moore hinted Monday that once he returns from the 10-day injured list, Mondesi could be subject to more frequent maintenance days as the Royals aim to preserve him from the long haul. Even if he plays only five or six times per week, Mondesi should remain one of the league's top stolen-base threats, assuming his injuries haven't compromised his speed or aggressiveness on the basepaths.

The Blue Jays promoted Martinez from Low-A Dunedin to High-A Vancouver on Tuesday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

The 19-year-old outfielder has enjoyed a breakout campaign at Dunedin, hitting .279 with 19 home runs over 325 plate appearances. Martinez's 26.2 percent strikeout rate is somewhat worrisome, and he may need to cut that down (or at least not increase it) in order to remain productive against the more advanced pitching at High-A.

Edman, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs in a win over the Twins on Sunday, is hitting .316 (12-for-38) with six two-baggers, one home run, five RBI, three walks, two steals and five runs across his last 11 games.

Edman has hit safely in 10 of those contests as well, with seven of his 12 hits in that span impressively going for extra bases. The 26-year-old's well-rounded fantasy profile includes 26 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 18 stolen bases, numbers that help enhance his value despite his rather ordinary .259/.304/.380 slash line.

Reyes was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Monday.

Reyes was promoted July 27 and went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a walk in four appearances. Jace Peterson (contact tracing) was activated from the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.

Franco isn't starting Monday against the Mariners, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Franco will get a breather for the first time since July 19 after he went 6-for-11 with two triples, a double, four RBI and three runs across the last three games. Joey Wendle will start at shortstop and bat fifth.

Manager Dave Roberts said he's hopeful Turner (illness) will be cleared to return from the COVID-19 injured list as soon as Friday or Saturday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Before dealing Turner away to the Dodgers in a blockbuster trade, the Nationals placed him on the COVID-19 IL on July 29, two days after he tested positive for the virus. Turner will have to complete a 10-day quarantine before he's eligible to return from the IL, but assuming he went into isolation the day he tested positive, he may end up missing the minimum amount of time. Assuming Turner is testing negative by the time 10 days are up and he isn't experiencing any side effects from the virus, a weekend debut for the Dodgers would seem realistic. After making all 96 of his starts with the Nationals at shortstop this season, Turner is expected to settle in as the Dodgers' primary second baseman with Corey Seager already in the fold at shortstop.

Franco went 2-for-3 with a run scored Sunday in the Rays' 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

After turning in his third consecutive two-hit performance, Franco's batting average is now up to a palatable .250 through his first 30 games in the big leagues. The Rays' ample depth in the infield makes predicting the team's everyday lineup a difficult endeavor, but Franco status as a switch hitter will put him less at risk of falling into a platoon than the likes of Joey Wendle, Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe.

Cleveland optioned Chang to Triple-A Columbus on Monday, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Rather than Chang, Cleveland will keep Owen Miller around as a short-side platoon partner at first base with the lefty-hitting Bobby Bradley, who was reinstated from the bereavement list Monday in a corresponding move. Chang appeared in 11 games during his latest stint in the big leagues, going 7-for-29 with three runs and two RBI.

General manager Dayton Moore acknowledged Monday that the Royals can't realistically count on Mondesi (oblique) to handle an everyday role in 2022 in light of his injury history, Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Kansas City reports. "No. You can't [count on Mondesi playing every day]...We're learning that we're going to have to manage his workloads in ways that he may not be a guy that plays more than 100 games...We can't count on him as an everyday player."

Given the overwhelming positivity GMs tend to express about players like Mondesi who are viewed as cornerstone pieces for their franchises, Moore's admission is surprising, and probably a fair assessment at this stage. Residing on the injured list for the third time this season, Mondesi hasn't played since June 20 due to a left oblique strain, after he previously missed action with a right oblique strain and a left hamstring strain. Mondesi also required surgery on his left shoulder in the 2019-20 offseason, but the slew of lower-half injuries he's dealt with in 2021 are probably the greater concern for his long-term outlook, given how reliant his game is on speed. The 26-year-old is said to be progressing from his latest health-related setback, but the Royals haven't established a timeline for him to begin a rehab assignment, much less return from the 10-day IL.