MLB Player News

Zavala, who is on Triple-A Worcester's 7-day injured list due to a left oblique strain, began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday and went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in his first game.

After failing to win a backup catcher job with Boston after attending spring training as a non-roster invitee, Zavala reported to Triple-A Worcester and batted .129 over nine games before being shelved in mid-April. Just under a month later, Zavala looks to be nearing a return to action, but he'll likely stick around in Florida for a few more rehab games before linking back up with Worcester.

Jeffers is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Orioles.

It's a routine day off for Jeffers, who started each of the previous five tilts. Christian Vazquez will do the catching and bat ninth as the Twins try to complete the sweep.

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

Wong will get some rest for the day game after he went 1-for-4 with a run scored while catching all nine innings of Wednesday's 6-4 win. He'll give way to Carlos Narvaez behind the dish in the series finale.

Bader (illness) is starting in left field and batting eighth in Thursday's game versus the Orioles.

Bader was held out of the lineup the previous two days due to illness, but he homered as a pinch hitter Wednesday and is back in the Twins' lineup Thursday. The 30-year-old has provided surprising offensive punch for Minnesota this season, sporting an .825 OPS with four long balls.

Gonzalez (back) is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Gonzalez has been serving as Boston's primary option at first base since Triston Casas suffered a ruptured patella tendon Friday, but the former was forced out of Wednesday's 6-4 win due to back stiffness and will need at least one game off to recover. Abraham Toro will step in at first base in Thursday's series finale.

Wilson went 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Mariners.

Wilson has been on a tear at the plate, recording multiple hits in four of his last five games -- he's gone 12-for-21 (.571) with a 1.275 OPS in that span. The rookie shortstop has boosted his slash line to .357/.383/.476 across 150 plate appearances this season with three homers, 21 RBI, 20 runs scored and a stolen base.

Jung batted ninth in the order and went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Red Sox.

Jung swatted a homer off closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning. It was his first home run in 12 contests and third of the season. As part of recent personnel changes -- a new hitting coach -- and attempts to shake up a team that has underperformed offensively, manager Bruce Bochy has experimented with different batting orders. He had Jung batting ninth for a second straight game. It's hard to read this as a "demotion," as Jung has been better than several struggling Ranger hitters. Perhaps the manager wanted to stick with the same order that produced 16 hits the previous game.

Pederson went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to Boston.

Pederson recorded multiple hits for a second straight game and is a combined 4-for-5 with two doubles, one walk and an RBI in the first two games of the series with the Red Sox. It's just the second time all season he's hit safely in consecutive contests. He still has a way to go to dig out of an epic season-starting slump -- his average was .052 on April 22 -- but Pederson is batting .281 (9-for-32) over the last 12 games, and the bat is showing signs of life.

Martinez went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 8-6 win over Washington.

The Guardians were trailing, 3-0, after five innings but erupted for an eight-spot in the sixth inning. After Carlos Santana knotted the game with a three-run double, Martinez knocked a two-run single to give Cleveland the lead. He's been a steady contributor since being called up in the wake of Lane Thomas' wrist injury, but there are warning signs he won't sustain his .313 average. Martinez has been lucky (.373 BABIP, .249 XBA), and a lack of plate discipline (43.2 chase percentage, lowest percentile) could chip away at the high average.

Santana went 1-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 8-6 win over the Nationals.

The Guardians were held in check for the first five innings, but they eventually solved Washington starter Michael Soroka the third time through the lineup. Cleveland scored all eight of its runs in the sixth inning, when Santana kicked off the scoring with a three-run double. It was the second straight game with three RBI for Santana, who has driven home nine over the last six contests.