MLB Player News

Diaz is not in the lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Diaz hasn't sat out since May 3, so he'll get a night off Friday. Greg Garcia will take over duties at shortstop for the evening.

Sardinas cleared waivers Friday and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Sardinas was claimed off waivers Wednesday after being released by the Padres, so the Orioles will bring him aboard to provide organizational depth. The 24-year-old hit just .163/.226/.163 while seeing limited playing time with San Diego, but could overtake utility infielder Paul Janish for a roster spot if he can impress in Triple-A.

Owings went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Brewers.

Owings has failed to record multiple hits in his last four starts, which ties his longest stretch of the season, but fantasy owners shouldn't lose faith in the 25-year-old even as his .387 BABIP starts to normalize a bit. He's still hitting the ball with authority -- both his medium and hard contact percentages are career bests -- suggesting that the gains in power he's shown this season could be for real. In addition to the increased home-run potential, Owings has been able to take advantage of manager Torey Lovullo's willingness to act aggressively on the basepaths. He's already notched nine steals, putting him nearly halfway to last season's total of 21.

Bogaerts went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Rangers. The homer was his first of the season.

It took 181 plate appearances for Bogaerts to hit his first homer, but that doesn't mean he hasn't produced. Thursday's multi-hit effort was his third straight and 11th in 22 games during the month of May. The shortstop leads Boston in hits, runs, stolen bases, batting average and on-base percentage. His track record has been that of a hitter who heats up as the weather gets warmer and that pattern is playing out once again in 2017.

Correa went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 7-6 win over the Tigers.

Correa had missed the previous two games due to an illness, but showed up hale and hearty Thursday and snapped an 0-for-12 skid with his three-hit effort. The dynamic shortstop, and the Astros' primary cleanup hitter, has seven homers and 26 RBI through 42 games.

Crawford went 2-for-4 with his first stolen base of the season in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.

Crawford isn't known for his speed on the basepaths, but he will chip in a handful of steals over the course of the season. Despite a lack of counting stats early on, the veteran shortstop holds value due to his regular placement in the middle of the Giants' batting order.

Story went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Thursday's extra-innings loss to Philadelphia.

Story has recorded an extra-base hit in each of his two games since returning from a shoulder injury that required a stint on the disabled list. Between the injury and a slow start, it's been an underwhelming fantasy run to date, and Story currently sports a disappointing .188/.307/.427 slash line. Playing his home games at hitter-friendly Coors Field is a great virtual boost, and Colorado has six straight home games on deck.

Correa (illness) is playing shortstop and batting cleanup Thursday against the Tigers.

Correa is apparently feeling better after missing the two games due to an illness. The 22-year-old, who is slashing .276/.361/.455 with six homers and 24 RBI across 156 at-bats this season, will face Justin Verlander in his return to the lineup.

Chang is hitting .201/.277/.475 with nine home runs, 21 RBI and 20 runs through his first 38 games at Double-A Akron.

The Tribe's No. 7 prospect has the fourth-most home runs among all Eastern League players. Not only does his long ball count lead the RubberDucks, but Chang's 20 runs scored is tops on the team, too. The big problem for Chang in 2017 has been his 32.5 percent strikeout rate, which is up almost 10 points from the 23.1 percent mark he posted in 2016 at High-A. His bat will need to carry the rest of the profile, as he is capable, but not extraordinary in the field, and he will need to cut back on the strikeouts as the season goes on if this campaign is to be viewed as a success.

Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double, stolen base, two runs and two RBI in Wednesday's 8-6 win over the White Sox.

Ahmed entered the lineup for the third time in four games with manager Torey Lovullo giving outfielder David Peralta the day off and turned in his fourth two-hit effort of the month. Though Ahmed doesn't have a direct line to an everyday role, the versatility of Chris Owings allows Lovullo to jostle his lineup as matchups warrant, enabling Ahmed to pick up a handful of starts per week. In addition to giving the Diamondbacks a dependable glove in the middle infield when he starts, Ahmed has also made himself a tougher out at the plate after routinely struggling to provide an offensive impact in his first three seasons in the big leagues. Ahmed's .725 OPS is up 161 points from 2016 and is 91 points better than his career-best mark.