MLB Player News

Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock is leading off and shortstop Chris Owings is batting second in Tuesday's matchup with the Rockies.

The alignment is the same from last Tuesday, which was the last time Ender Inciarte was out of the lineup as he is against the Rockies. However, Owings getting just his second start of the season at shortstop, having seen most of his action at second base.

The Diamondbacks are favorites (-115) against the Rockies Tuesday.

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed is off to at slow start at the plate. The young player is hitting just .125 in 48 at-bats this season.

"Obviously nobody wants to start slow," said Ahmed to MLB.com. "It's a long season, there's a ton of at-bats to come, a ton of games to play. I just wish the last few games I could have put together some better at-bats to help the team win."

Ahmed also struggled with his swing in Triple-A last season as well as Double-A in 2013.

"We're making a lot of demands on him with his swing," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "We're kind of talking to him about some things that we need him to do to be a better Major League hitter. We talked about it in Spring Training, he did it, he's getting a little bit away from it right now. But the main thing, I think, with Nick right now is pitch selection."

Ahmed is trying to not let the struggles get to him.

"Just have to stay level-headed," Ahmed said. "I lean on people that have good advice, and just stay calm and not overanalyze. Just trying to stay even keeled and go out and play."

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon went 4 for 5 in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Nationals but did not have any runs, RBI or extra-base hits.

The four-hit performance caps off a big series for the second baseman, as Gordon went 8 for 13 with one walk, one RBI and one stolen base during his team's three-game sweep of the Nationals. He has hit .390/.407/.463 with eight stolen bases, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored in 82 at-bats.

Diamondbacks right fielder Mark Trumbo is on the bench for Saturday's game against the Pirates, with Ender Inciarte moving to right field and David Peralta taking over in left, the team announced.

Trumbo had started four consecutive games for Arizona and will get the day off. Also out of the lineup Saturday is Yasmany Tomas, moving Aaron Hill back to third base. Tomas has started two games at third since being called up and is hitting .400 in 10 at-bats. Cliff Pennington also replaces Nick Ahmed at shortstop, who started the last nine games in a row.

The Diamondbacks are currently the underdogs (+120) against Pittsburgh.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon collected three hits in four at-bats in Friday's victory against the Marlins to improve his batting average to .370 on the season.

Gordon entered Friday's game tied for first in the National League with 24 hits (Adrian Gonzalez).

Red Sox utility man Brock Holt gets a start at shortstop in place of Xander Bogaerts for Friday's game at Baltimore. 

Holt has started games at second, third, short and center. With Friday's game, Holt will have three starts at shortstop, more than any other position. It's the second time in four games he's gotten the start at short ahead of Bogaerts. 

Boston and Baltimore are even with -105 money lines for the game. 

The Indians activated utility man Zach Walters from the 15-day disabled list Friday and then optioned him to the team's Triple-A affiliate, the team announced.

Walters has not played in the majors this season after he sustained an oblique injury in spring training.

Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings went 2 for 3 with a solo home run and an RBI triple in his team's 8-5 win over the Rangers Wednesday.

The triple and the home run were the first of the season for each for Owings, who helped his team build up an 8-1 lead by the eighth inning and held on for a win despite a ninth-inning charge from the Rangers. Owings had managed just two extra-base hits coming into Wednesday's game but is now hitting .220/.250/.360 with six RBI in 50 at-bats while striking out 18 times.

Indians infielder Zach Walters went 1 for 4 for the Columbus Clippers in a rehab start on Wednesday night. 

The Clippers took on the Indianapolis Indians and lost 8-6. Walters played third base in this game, with his lone hit going for an RBI triple. Two of the outs Walters recorded came via strikeout. 

Walters injured his oblique early in the season and is on the 15-day disabled list. 

Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson and second baseman Daniel Murphy are out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Braves, the team announced. 

Granderson will be replaced by John Mayberry for a scheduled off day while Ruben Tejada will take Murphy's place and bat ninth. Tejada is hitting .281 with 23 RBI in his career against left-handed pitchers, as opposed to his .244 average against righties.

Mayberry is hitting .455 with three double and an RBI in 11 career at-bats against Braves pitcher Eric Stults. It will also be Mayberry's first ever start in the leadoff spot. The Mets are currently the favorites (-132) against Atlanta.