Cruz went 5-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 9-8 loss to the Diamondbacks.

The Pirates as a team managed only 13 hits in total, but Cruz nearly single-handedly kept them in the game with the first five-hit performance of his young career. The 25-year-old shortstop is slashing .311/.357/.589 over 23 games since the beginning of July with five homers, four steals, 15 runs and 20 RBI despite a 32.7 percent strikeout rate during that stretch.

Fitzgerald went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and two RBI in Friday's win over the Reds.

Fitzgerald knocked an RBI double in the second inning and added an insurance run with a solo blast in the seventh. He was stuck in a small 3-for-20 skid before Friday's big performance. Over the last 14 games, he's gone 19-for-52 (.365) with 13 extra-base knocks, including nine homers. The hot stretch has pushed Fitzgerald's season slash line to .313/.371/.633 through 140 plate appearances.

Witt went 1-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 9-2 win over the Tigers.

Witt was on the front end of a double steal in the seventh inning, and he scored on a wild pitch later in the frame. While this wasn't his best game recently, he extended his hitting streak to 15 games, a span in which he's gone 30-for-59 (.508) with four home runs and three steals. The superstar shortstop is up to 25 thefts while adding 20 homers, 78 RBI, 94 runs scored and a .348/.396/.600 slash line through 111 contests.

Seager went 3-for-3 with two homers, three runs scored and three RBI in Friday's 11-6 loss to Boston.

The two-time World Series MVP opened the contest's scoring when he laced a 371-foot solo shot off Kutter Crawford in the first inning. Seager then cracked another solo homer -- this one traveling 410 feet -- off Crawford in his next plate appearance in the third. The Texas shortstop has found a groove since the All-Star break, hitting .333 (17-for-51) with three homers, two doubles, nine runs scored and five RBI over 14 games.

Arcia went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in Friday's win against the Marlins.

The Atlanta shortstop opened the scoring for his team when he slugged a 399-foot solo shot off Valente Bellozo in the fifth inning. Arcia later added another RBI on a single in the eighth to stretch the Atlanta lead to 5-3. The 29-year-old has been hot since the All-Star break, hitting .356 (16-for-45) with four homers, five runs scored and eight RBI across 14 games. He is currently riding a 13-game hit streak.

Sogard is starting at second base and batting eighth against the Rangers on Friday.

Sogard will make his big-league debut Friday while David Hamilton retreats to the dugout. Sogard was promoted from Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, where he slashed .279/.382/.439 with 10 steals, 12 home runs and 54 RBI across 406 plate appearances. The 26-year-old will get his first taste of the majors against Rangers right-hander Jose Urena.

Schneemann is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Orioles.

Even with Baltimore sending right-hander Dean Kremer to the mound, the lefty-hitting Schneemann will begin Friday's contest on the bench. Since the beginning of July, Schneemann has slashed .161/.217/.357 with two home runs, six RBI and a 33.3 percent strikeout rate across 60 plate appearances. Brayan Rocchio will start at shortstop and bat eighth.

Hamilton is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Hamilton started the previous three games but has just three hits in 33 at-bats since the All-Star break, and he'll sit Friday versus Texas righty Jose Urena. Nick Sogard will make his major-league debut at second base, batting eighth.

Oakland reinstated Hernaiz (ankle) from the 60-day injured list Friday.

Hernaiz had been on the injured list since May 8 due to a left ankle sprain. He started his rehab assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas on July 20, and across his nine games, he slashed .364/.432/.545 with two stolen bases, three doubles, one home run and two RBI across 37 plate appearances. To make room for Hernaiz on the 40-man roster, the Athletics transferred right-hander Luis Medina (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. Hernaiz had been given a brief look in an everyday role prior to landing on the IL, but he may have to settle for a utility role upon his return with Zack Gelof, Abraham Toro and Max Schuemann seemingly locked in as Oakland's starters at second base, third base and shortstop, respectively.

Walls isn't in the Rays' lineup for Friday's game against the Astros, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Walls has gone just 1-for-14 with nine strikeouts over his last five games, and he'll now get a day off to regroup. Jose Caballero will slide over to cover shortstop while Curtis Mead starts at the hot corner.