MLB Player News

In an exchange of backups, the Angels have traded catcher Drew Butera to the Royals for infielder Ryan Jackson.

The 31-year-old Butera, who had been designated for assignment Monday, has four hits in 21 at-bats this season.

"Obviously, our hope was that we would be able to maintain Drew in the organization, but he's been a backup catcher in the big leagues for a number of year," Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto told MLB.com. "As soon as we designated him for assignment, it became fairly clear that he was going to get claimed on waivers, so putting together a trade made the most sense."

Jackson, who has now been with four different organizations since 2012, has two hits in 24 big-league at-bats. But he was batting .305 this year with Triple-A Omaha.

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed went 1 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored in his team's 13-7 win over the Rockies in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader.

Ahmed has had trouble finding offense early in the season, picking up just eight hits in 57 at-bats during April, but he was able to reach base safely multiple times Wednesday like almost everyone else in the Diamondbacks' lineup. Ahmed has hit .152/.253/.167 with four runs scored.

Denard Span and Ian Desmond had big games as the top two hitters in Washington's lineup helped their team win Wednesday. But their counterparts fron the Marlins performed even better in defeat.

Dee Gordon and Martin Prado both smacked three singles and scored a run. Gordon raised his average to a ridiculous .430 on the year, which leads both leagues. He has 49 hits in 27 games, putting him on pace for 294 this season.

Giants skipper Bruce Bochy is loving what he's getting from shortstop Brandon Crawford and second baseman Joe Panik, both in the field and at the plate. 

"It's fun to watch those two go, how they work together," Bochy said Tuesday, per MLB.com. "Craw is so gifted, and Joe Panik has made so much improvement defensively. They're so solid out there, offensively and defensively. They make the routine plays, and when you need a double play, they turn it as well as anybody."

The two continued their offensive prowess in Tuesday's victory over the Padres. Crawford, who was moved up to the fifth spot in the batting order, reached safely in all four of his plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. This was his third mult-hit performance in his last six games.

Panik, meanwhile, hit a solo home run, his second of the year, in the fifth inning. He went 1-for-4 on the evening. He has hit safely in four of his last five games.

"We have a great relationship," Panik said. "He makes my job easier -- just a great guy to play with. When you first get called up, a lot of emotions are running through you, the typical butterflies. The game tends to beat up on you. Then you look over at Brandon, and everything's fine.

Struggling Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings is set to sit Tuesday night in Colorado. Nick Ahmed will play his position.

Owings peaked at .241 in late April, but his average has fallen to .205, courtesy of a 3-for-25 slide.

Marlins infielder Dee Gordon went 20 for 31 on the nine-game homestand that ended on Sunday. His .645 average is the second highest in baseball history for a homestand that long.

Only Barry Bonds has ever had a better homestand. He went 13 for 19 (.684) over a 10-game stand in 2004. 

"Let's just be honest about it, I’m not going to be as good as Barry Bonds, ever," Gordon said, per the Miami Herald.

Seven of Gordon's eight games over the homestand were multi-hit games, including three 3-hit nights and a 4-hit outing. He scored five runs, drove in two and walked four times. 

Following a torrid start to the season, Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has been in an offensive funk for a few weeks. After batting .395 in his first nine games, Bogaerts is batting .152 over his last 14 games, dropping his season average to .262.

Bogaerts has not had a multihit game in his last 14 appearances after having five in his first nine outings. Bogaerts has one double, one home run, two RBI, five runs, four walks and 12 strikeouts in his last 14 games.

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is not in the lineup for a second straight day Sunday against the Nationals.

Flores has started 21 of his team's 25 games at the shortstop position, but Ruben Tejada will get the call for a second straight day. Tejada was 1 for 3 Saturday but is just 4 for 21 with three walks and two doubles on the season, while Flores has hit .240/.278/.387 with three home runs and eight RBI in 75 at-bats. Flores has also committed errors in three straight starts.

"We're hoping a couple of days refreshes him and gets him back on track," manager Terry Collins said Sunday morning, per ESPN New York.

The Mets are favorites (-110) against the Nationals Sunday.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon is not in the lineup for the first time this season Sunday, while third baseman Martin Prado is receiving his second day off in his team's matchup with the Phillies.

Gordon has led off all season, while Prado has been the team's No. 2 hitter for the last games with Christian Yelich out. With the pair on the bench. left fielder Ichiro Suzuki will lead off against the Phillies, while shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria will bat second.

The Marlins are also giving catcher J.T. Realmuto a break after starting the team's last eight games. Jhonatan Solano will draw the start behind the plate in his place.

The Marlins are heavy favorites (-185) Sunday.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon went 3 for 3 at the plate in Miami's 7-0 win over the Phillies on Saturday. 

Gordon, who also walked twice, smacked three singles in the game and scored twice.

"He's locked in," manager Mike Redmond said per the Associated Press. "He's doing everything. He's getting big hits, driving in runs, playing great defense. That play he made over his shoulder in shallow center field was good as I've seen in a long time."

"He's as advertised. He's the guy that we knew we were getting when we traded for him and it's fun to see him going out there and just being himself and I think that's been for him to go out and play his game and I think we're seeing the results."

He continues to lead the league in hitting to start the year, posting a .440 average in 100 at-bats.