MLB Player News

Crawford (ankle) started at shortstop and went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in High-A Modesto's win over Visalia on Tuesday.

Crawford put in seven innings and apparently emerged without setbacks, with his sixth-inning three-run homer serving as the highlight of his night. The 24-year-old is slated to only play another couple of games with the Nuts this week before being activated ahead of a weekend series against the Athletics.

Fletcher is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Dodgers.

Fletcher will sit his third straight game with the sore left shoulder, but he doesn't appear to be headed to the injured list Tuesday with the Angels demoting reliever Jake Jewell to bring up first baseman Justin Bour. The team may just be playing it safe with Fletcher and utilizing Wednesday's scheduled off day for some additional rest. Wilfredo Tovar garners another start at shortstop in his absence.

Crawford (ankle) began a rehab assignment with High-A Modesto on Tuesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Crawford has been out for just shy of two weeks with a sprained ankle. He's expected to return to the Mariners ahead of their weekend series in Oakland.

Wendle (wrist) will play for Triple-A Durham on Tuesday night, and if all goes well, he could be activated from the injured list for Thursday's game against the Angels, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Wendle is set to be re-evaluated Wednesday, and if everything checks out, he's expected to be activated Thursday. He's been on the injured list since April 25 after fracturing his right wrist.

Ahmed (foot) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh Tuesday against the Phillies, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Ahmed was lifted from Sunday's series finale due to a bruised left foot, but after sitting out Monday, he'll be ready to roll for the second contest of the series. He's slashing .268/.323/.407 with four homers, 25 RBI and four stolen bases through 65 games this season.

Gordon (wrist) was activated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

Gordon had been out with a right wrist contusion since May 21. He should reclaim a near-everyday role now that he's healthy. Fill-in second baseman Shed Long remains on the roster, with reliever Matt Festa optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

Franco is batting .322/.389/.517 with six home runs and a 12-for-18 success rate on stolen-base attempts across 239 plate appearances with Low-A Bowling Green this season.

Franco owns a monstrous 154 wRC+ on the campaign, production that becomes even more meaningful after accounting for the fact that the 18-year-old is not only one of the youngest players in full-season ball, but also younger than all but three players selected in the first round of last week's 2019 first-year player draft. Franco's quick bat from both sides of the plate coupled with his plus speed and plus raw power are some of the more notable tools he offers, but the way he's controlled his at-bats may be the most impressive aspect of his performance in the Midwest League. He maintains a 18:26 K:BB on the season, with his 7.5 percent strikeout rate supporting his reputation as an elite contact hitter. Franco looks well on his way to opening 2020 as the sport's consensus top prospect, especially with Vladimir Guerrero having already graduated from prospect status and star rookies Fernando Tatis and Austin Riley on track to do the same within the next few weeks.

Turner went 3-for-6 with a double, a triple, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Monday's rout of the White Sox.

He was caught stealing for the first time this season, but otherwise it was another hugely productive evening for the shortstop. Turner's now reeled off three straight multi-hit performances, and he's slashing .340/.375/.698 over his last 12 games with 11 extra-base hits (six doubles, two triples and three homers) among his 18 knocks.

Bichette (hand) is expected to be activated from the 7-day injured list later in the week, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Bichette has been able to play in two rehab games with High-A Dunedin, so he'll likely be activated from the injured list sometime this week. He's been on the shelf since the end of April after breaking his left hand.

Fletcher (shoulder) remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Fletcher was held out of the last two contests due to a sore left shoulder, though he was able to take some swings Monday and doesn't expect a trip to the injured list. Wilfredo Tovar draws another start at shortstop and is batting eighth with Fletcher out of the mix.