MLB Player News

Witt went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in Thursday's 9-2 win over the Mets.

Witt singled in his first at-bat before coming around to score the Royals' first run of the game. He then took Carlos Carrasco deep in his next trip to the plate and added another insurance run in the eighth with his third hit of the day. The shortstop has now recorded multiple hits in four of his last six games to go along with 13 RBI, seven runs scored and three stolen bases. He's hitting .462 through three games in August.

McLain went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Cubs.

McLain swiped his ninth base of the season in the third inning but was stranded there, as the Reds went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The infielder has a combined 19 steals between Triple-A Louisville and the majors in 2023. He also struck out twice Thursday, raising his count to 15 over the last 34 plate appearances (44.1 percent K rate).

Smith (back) went 2-for-4 with a double, a solo home run and an additional run in Triple-A Las Vegas' loss to Albuquerque on Wednesday.

Smith's batting line was certainly noteworthy, but equally important was the fact he played a full game at shortstop after logging seven innings at second base Tuesday. Assuming Smith doesn't experience any residual effects from playing defense in back-to-back rehab games for the first time, he could be deemed ready for activation before week's end.

Camargo was released by the Tigers on Thursday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Camargo joined the Tigers on a minor-league contract in June, a week after getting cut loose by the Royals, and had batted just .238 with a .696 OPS through 88 plate appearances with Triple-A Toledo. The 29-year-old infielder is back on the free-agent market.

Crawford is out of the lineup Thursday versus the Diamondbacks.

Casey Schmitt is playing shortstop and batting ninth as Isan Diaz covers second base and hits eighth. Crawford has enjoyed a productive week so far, but he's slashing just .215/.286/.355 through 239 total plate appearances this year at age 36.

Washington recalled Downs from Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.

Downs could get regular playing time on the Nationals' infield following Wednesday's demotion of Luis Garcia, but the 25-year-old former top prospect doesn't offer much immediate fantasy appeal given how poorly he's performed this summer in the minors. In his 45 games (166 plate appearances) between the rookie-level Florida Complex League, High-A Wilmington and Triple-A Rochester this season, Downs was slashing just .165/.319/.308 with three home runs and eight stolen bases. Per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, Michael Chavis and Ildemaro Vargas will also be in the mix for starts at the keystone.

Duran remains out of the lineup Thursday versus the White Sox.

Duran sat Wednesday in favor of Mitch Garver getting a turn at designated hitter, and it'll be Corey Seager filling the DH role for the Rangers in Thursday's matinee. Josh Smith is playing shortstop. Seager's swift return from a thumb sprain could continue to muddy Duran's path toward regular playing time.

Volpe went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a stolen base in Wednesday's 7-2 win over the Rays.

After Wander Franco gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a homer, New York's rookie shortstop responded in kind, getting the Yankees on the board in the third by taking Shane McClanahan (forearm) deep. Volpe's begun to look a little more comfortable since the All-Star break, slashing .256/.333/.395 over his last 14 games, and while his .671 OPS on the season is disappointing, the 22-year-old has added 14 homers and 20 steals in 108 contests.

Franco went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 7-2 loss to the Yankees.

The shortstop took Gerrit Cole deep in the first inning, but it was all the offense the Rays could muster. Franco has now homered three times in the last five games while hitting safely in six straight, batting .348 (8-for-23) over that stretch with a steal, four RBI, seven runs and a 4:2 BB:K as he shows signs of recapturing his blistering early-season form.

Turner is hitting eighth Thursday against the Marlins.

He hit seventh in the lineup July 29, and had hit sixth in the lineup the past three games, but this represents a new low for Turner. The big-ticket free agent signee is slashing .238/.303/.369 with five home runs and 14 steals in 52 games since June 1.