MLB Player News

Braves infielder Pedro Ciriaco is in the starting lineup for the second time this season, as he will be the starting third baseman on Tuesday against the Rays. Ciriaco started Sunday's game at shortstop, but will slide over to the hot corner with Phil Gosselin lost for at least two months with a thumb injury.

The light-hitting Ciriaco is batting second in the order on Tuesday. He does have three hits in seven at-bats this season, with all of them going for extra bases (two doubles and a triple).

Angels left fielder Matt Joyce is back in the lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the Blue Jays, while third baseman David Freese is serving as the designated hitter for the third time this season.

Joyce was a late scratch on Monday but is ready to roll one day later. He said he was scratched because he thought the team was playing a night game on Monday rather than during the day, the Los Angeles Times reports. Joyce has hit just .143/.180/.219 in 105 at-bats.

Freese is getting a break from starting at third base for the third time this season. He'll be replaced at third base by Taylor Featherston, who is making his third start at the position.

The Angels are underdogs (+112) in Toronto on Tuesday, per VegasInsider.com.

Indians outfielder Michael Bourn is out of the starting lineup on Monday against the White Sox, the team announced.

Bourn has started eight of the last 10 and 30 of 36 games for Cleveland this year, but will get a day off for Zach Walters. Bourn is hitting .233 with nine RBI in 116 at-bats this season.

Tony La Russa, the Diamondbacks chief baseball officer, had be thinks shortstop Nick Ahmed will improve with the bat due to all the work he's been putting in, according to MLB.com.

"I think Ahmed is making a real positive effort with Turner and Mark to build a stroke that he can repeat, that's gonna make him an offensive plus," La Russa said. "We believe in him because we know the talent, we know the work ethic. But you don't just flip the switch. He's making adjustments and he'll continue to adjust."

Ahmed, an outstanding defender, entered Sunday with a .165 batting average.

Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.

Simmons has started all 36 games at shortstop this season but will receive his first break Sunday, with Pedro Ciriaco taking his place at the position and batting seventh. It's the first start of the season at any position for the backup infielder, who is 2 for 4 with two RBI in five games.

The Braves are underdogs (+117) in Miami Sunday, per VegasInsider.com.

Red Sox manager John Farrell has been asking his players, speficially Xander Bogaerts, Blake Swihart and Sandy Leon, to drop down more bunts this season, according to MLB.com.

"We've placed a greater emphasis on it in spring training," said Farrell. "Maybe guys that haven't done it in their Minor League career, guys that dominate the Minor Leagues [but are] going to come up and hit in the bottom third of our order ... you want to allow them to grow as Major League players, but to contribute to a rally by putting down a sacrifice bunt, there's a lot of benefit that goes to the individual."

Boston has already dropped down 10 sacrifices this season in 36 games after only getting 20 down last season. 

"You go back to the game situation," said Farrell. "Did we anticipate an offense that would be more consistent than what we've shown? Yes, and we'll realize that in time. But where we are and what the game is suggesting and presenting to us, we've got to be equipped to handle that, and we've asked guys in those spots to lay a bunt down."

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford went 3 for 5 at the plate in San Francisco's 11-2 win over the Reds on Saturday.

Crawford did his damage in the fifth inning when he crushed a grand slam off of Mike Leake, the third of his career. Crawford totaled a career-high six RBI in the game, the first time a Giants player has done so since 2013. 

"He's so gifted defensively, but he's underrated as a hitter," manager Bruce Bochy said to MLB.com.

"Look at the numbers. He's a very productive hitter who finds a way to get the runs in. He seems to have great focus up there with men on base. He's dangerous, too. He can hit the ball out of the park, as you saw. He's a good baserunner. He's just a good all-around ballplayer."

Crawford moved his average to .277 with 24 RBI in 120 at-bats this season.

Red Sox outfielders Mookie Betts and Shane Victorino are out of the lineup for Saturday’s game in Seattle, getting replaced by Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field and Brock Holt in right.

Holt will bat leadoff while Bradley will hit ninth.

Betts has led off 33 of the Red Sox’s 36 games coming into Saturday.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts will move up and hit sixth on Saturday, the highest he’s hit in the order all season.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon continued his hot hitting during Friday's 5-3 loss to the Braves.

Gordon went 3 for 5 with one run scored. He is now batting .433 on the season. Gordon is 37 for 72 over his last 17 games.

Gordon is now tied for the second most hits in the first 33 games of the season in major league history, according to FOX Sports. Gordon has 61 hits in 33 games. He trails only Hank Aaron, who had 66 in 1959. 

Indians manager Terry Francona said he's giving Zach Walters the start at third base Friday in Texas to try to "...get him going," reports the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

In four games this season, Walters is 0 for 8 with six strikeouts.

Walters, in his third MLB season, is a career .182 hitter (26 for 143).