MLB Player News

The Marlins did not have a lot of things go right for them on Friday, as they fell to the Dodgers 7-1. But second baseman Dee Gordon was a bright spot on the evening. Gordon went 3 for 4, scored a run and stole his 26th base of the season. 

Gordon just hasn't stopped hitting in 2015. He is now riding an eight game-hitting streak, and has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games overall. In that 15-game stretch, Gordon is batting .355 and has six stolen bases. Strangely enough, however, he has not drawn a walk since May 24.

Mets infielder Ruben Tejada left Friday's game against the Reds after being hit by a pitch in the arm in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tejada, who started at third base on Friday, was replaced by Eric Campbell in the top of the fifth.

The Mets are calling the injury a left elbow contusion. Tejada underwent X-Rays, which came back negative. He was 0 for 1 before departing.

"He's pretty stiff right now," Mets manager Terry Collins said immediately after the game, per MLB.com. "That's why I took him out. He might need a day."

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford went 2 for 4 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored in the 13-8 win over the Padres on Thursday. The solid effort brought his season average up to .274.

The triple, his third of the season, was one of four three-baggers the Giants hit on Thursday. Crawford had been 0-for-10 over his last three games, so this was a good mini-slump buster for the 28-year-old shortstop.

For the first time this season, Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed will bat in the leadoff spot for Thursday's game at Colorado, the team announed. 

Ahmed had been hitting eighth or ninth this season. He will go against Jorge De La Rosa, who he has never faced in his career. Over his last 12 games, Ahmed is hitting .333 with one home run and five RBI.

The Diamondbacks are the underdogs (+112) at Colorado on Thursday.

The Mets have begun discussions about shifting Ruben Tejada to shortstop and Wilmer Flores to second base once Daniel Murphy returns from the disabled list, a team source told the New York Post. Murphy is expected to play third base with David Wright sidelined.

“That would be the best defensive alignment,” the source said.

The Mets have been hesitant to move Flores because they don't want to break his confidence, according to the Post. However, the team believes he could handle the switch and move back to shortstop later in the season, if needed.

Mets manager Terry Collins ackowledged the report Thursday and said moving Flores to second base is "a possibility." 

"I don't think that's a major shakeup," Collins said, per NJ.com.

Tejada has been bouncing between second and third base while Murphy and Wright have been on the disabled list.

Indians prized rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor got his first chance to trot around the bases in the big leagues Wednesday, helping his team finally beat the Tigers with a solo home run in the fifth inning.

Lindor, who hit three line-drive outs Tuesday against Detroit, nailed one so nobody could reach it. He lined it over the right field wall. He also singled, and walked twice, including one that provided another RBI.

He raised his average from .206 to .243 with the performance and shot his on-base percentage up from .200 to .275.

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has vastly improved at the plate with runners in scoring position. After batting .153 with 29 RBI in those situations last season, he is batting .357 with 27 RBI with runners in scoring position this season.

Hitting coach Chili Davis credits Bogaerts' turnaround to a more aggressive approach, according to The Providence Journal.

"When he sees his pitch, he knows what to do with it," Davis said. "Usually with runners in scoring position, most pitchers are either going to want to get ahead to use their secondary pitches, or they're going to try to tease you with their secondary pitches to see if you'll chase.

"If they try to tease you with secondary pitches and you don’t offer, all they're doing is digging a hole, and they're going to have to throw you a pitch to hit. But if you go up there ready to swing at your pitch and they're trying to get ahead and you get that pitch, go ahead and jump on it. Be aggressive but be smart aggressive."

On Tuesday, Astros rookie shortstop Carlos Correa became the 10th 20-year-old to hit at least four home runs in his first 15 MLB games, joining the likes of Ted Williams, Frank Robinson and Orlando Cepeda, according to GetSportsInfo.com.

"Well, he's not a secret anymore," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of his shortstop, per MLB.com. "He's a good player, very comfortable up here. He's not timid at all. He's doing a lot of things right early and gaining a lot of confidence at this level."

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft is batting .308 with five doubles, 11 RBI, 10 runs and four stolen bases.

"The last player I've seen with that kind of confidence and charisma at that age was Trouty," said Astros catcher Hank Conger, who played alongside Angels outfielder Mike Trout for three years. "Those guys don't get frustrated about anything on the field. They just keep playing."

Astros shortstop Carlos Correa smacked his fourth home run of the season to help lead the Astros to a 13-3 win over the Angels on Tuesday.

Correa went 3 for 6 at the plate and drove in four runs during the contest. His biggest hit came in the second inning when he hit a three-run home run off C.J. Wilson. He also scored three runs.

Prior to his three-hit game Tuesday, Correa was hitting .150 with no home runs or RBI in his last five games.

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's los to Colorado. 

Ahmed hit his first home run in June, snapping a 20-game drought. He reached four home runs and 15 RBI on the year.