MLB Player News

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed (back) is improving, but likely won't return before the weekend according to manager Chip Hale.

Tuesday's back injury will already keep Ahmed out of Wednesday's lineup and it will likely keep him out for at least another day as well. While he hasn't been officially ruled out for Thursday's series finale against the Dodgers, owners should expect him back Friday at the earliest.

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed left Tuesday's game with a jammed lower back, the Associated Press reports. 

He injured himself on a dazzling defensive play and was replaced by Aaron Hill, with Chris Owings sliding over to shortstop. Ahmed had a double and a run scored in three at-bats before exiting.

Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas went 1 for 3 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Phillies.

Rojas has been swinging a hot bat in Adeiny Hechaverria's absence, and Tuesday's effort marked the seventh consecutive game in which he's hit safely. The 26-year-old had three consecutive multi-hit outings before Tuesday's game and is blasting a scorching .435 (10-for-23) over his hitting streak.

Blue Jays shortstop Cliff Pennington is not in the lineup Tuesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet reports.

Pennington will get a rare day off, as the Blue Jays go with Munenori Kawasaki at second base against Yankees' starter Luis Severino.

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts put on a power show Monday against the Rays, as he went 2 for 5 with five RBI, a double, and his seventh home run--his first career grand slam.

This is just Bogaerts's third game this year with two extra-base hits and his six total bases ties a career high. Bogaerts's batting line is up to .323/.353/.426 on the season. He has the best batting average among major league shortstops by 36 points over Jung Ho Kang and by 52 points over the next American League shortstop, Erick Aybar.

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts went 2 for 5 with two runs scored in Sunday's victory over the Blue Jays.

Bogaerts is in the middle of a nine-game hitting streak where he's hitting 16 for 41 (.390). The hot-hitting shortstop is closing in on 200 hits for the season and is hitting .322 on the season, good for second in the American League.

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Giants.

This is Ahmed's third day off in Arizona's last five games, with Chris Owings again getting the start shortstop and batting eighth.

Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor slugged his 10th homer as part of a 3 for 5 effort in Friday's win over the White Sox. With Carlos Correa falling back to earth a bit in recent weeks, the surging Lindor could be overtaking him as the frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year honors.

In addition to providing sparkling defense at shortstop, Lindor has been far better than anticipated at the plate, hitting .319 with 42 RBI, 43 runs, and eight stolen bases. 

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager went 1 for 4 with a two-run home run in a 6-2 win over Pittsburgh on Friday.

The expectations couldn't have been higher for Seager, but he very well may be exceeding them. Seager now has a cool .412/.508/.647 slash line and he's surely making the injured Jimmy Rollins nervous. It would be surprising to see manager Don Mattingly pull him out of the lineup for Rollins when he returns, but the manager has done stranger things for the sake of "veteran leadership." In any case, use Seager while he's hot and while he's still playing.

Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings is not in the lineup Friday against the Giants.

Owings had drawn the start in each of the past eight games, so Friday appears to just be a regular day off. Aaron Hill will draw the start at the keystone in his place and bat fifth.