MLB Player News
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Austin Voth RP | MIN
Blue Jays' Austin Voth: Removed from 40-man roster
Toronto designated Voth for assignment Saturday, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Voth was brought up to the big-league roster Wednesday and gave up five runs on five hits and four walks over 3.1 innings in bulk relief Friday. He's subsequently lost his place on the the 40-man roster in favor of Hayden Juenger, who had his contract selected from Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday in a corresponding transaction.
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Derek Hill RF | PHI
White Sox's Derek Hill: Scratched due to back issue
Hill has been removed from Saturday's starting lineup versus Detroit due to upper-back tightness, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
Hill had been penciled in as Chicago's No. 6 batter and center fielder, but the back issue will prevent him from starting Saturday. In his place, Rikuu Nishida is starting in center field and batting ninth.
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Nick Sogard 2B | BOS
Red Sox's Nick Sogard: Returns to lineup Saturday
Sogard (side) is starting at shortstop and batting fifth for the Red Sox on Saturday versus Cleveland, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
Sogard has been dealing with a side injury and didn't start Friday. However, he entered as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and finished the game at first base, suggesting that the side issue isn't severe. Indeed, Sogard is back in the lineup Saturday, and he seems to have seized a regular role at second base while Marcelo Mayer has shifted to shortstop in the wake of Trevor Story's absence due to a sport hernia.
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Munetaka Murakami 1B | CHW
White Sox's Munetaka Murakami: Grade 2 strain, out 4-to-6 weeks
Murakami has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
Murakami suffered the injury while running to first base after hitting a grounder Friday versus Detroit. The star rookie landed on the 10-day IL earlier Saturday, and he will miss far more than the minimum. While Murakami is sidelined, Miguel Vargas is expected to move from the hot corner to make most of the team's starts at first base, and Colson Montgomery is shifting from shortstop to third base for Saturday's contest.
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Taylor Walls SS | TB
Rays' Taylor Walls: Back in lineup Saturday
Walls (hamstring) is starting at shortstop and batting ninth for the Rays on Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Walls missed each of Tampa Bay's past three games due to a hamstring issue, but he's feeling well enough to return to action Saturday. Three different players started at shortstop for the Rays while Walls was sidelined, and Ben Williamson -- who played the position Friday -- is sliding over to second base for Saturday's matchup.
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Evan Carter CF | TEX
Rangers' Evan Carter: Beginning on bench Saturday
Carter isn't in the Rangers' starting lineup for Saturday's matchup against Kansas City.
Carter frequently sits against lefty starters, but this time he's being held out of the lineup versus right-hander Seth Lugo. Michael Helman will man center field for Texas in Carter's stead. Carter was hit by a pitch Friday, but it's unclear if that has anything to do with him being held out Saturday, per Matthew Postins of SI.com.
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Hunter Bigge RP | TB
Rays' Hunter Bigge: Relegated to Durham
The Rays optioned Bigge to Triple-A Durham on Saturday.
The 27-year-old will end up as the roster casualty necessary to make room in the bullpen for Cole Sulser (back), who returned from the injured list Saturday. Bigge owns a 6.98 ERA and 1.45 WHIP through 19.1 innings with the Rays this season and gave up three earned runs without recording an out during his last appearance Friday.
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Cole Sulser RP | TB
Rays' Cole Sulser: Returns from IL
The Rays reinstated Sulser (back) from the injured list Saturday.
Sulser didn't play in any rehab games while recovering from a lower-back strain, but he has been facing live hitters over the past few days and will now rejoin the Rays' bullpen following a minimum-length IL stay. The 36-year-old righty will presumably reclaim a setup role after posting a 3.68 ERA and 1.36 WHIP through 22 innings on the year. Hunter Bigge was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
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Jordan Leasure RP | CHW
White Sox's Jordan Leasure: Moved to 60-day IL
The White Sox transferred Leasure (forearm) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.
Leasure landed on the injured list Friday with a right flexor strain and will be shut down from throwing for four weeks. He isn't expected to be activated until the second half of the season, so the White Sox will stash him away on the 60-day IL and give his 40-man spot to Jacob Gonzalez, who joined the big club Saturday.
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Jacob Gonzalez 1B | CHW
White Sox's Jacob Gonzalez: Contract selected
The White Sox selected Gonzalez's contract from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday.
Gonzalez will provide the White Sox with extra infield depth and a power bat to help make up for the loss of Munetaka Murakami, who landed on the injured list Saturday with a hamstring strain. Gonzalez has experience fielding all four infield positions -- primarily second base and shortstop -- which could help him crack the starting nine somewhat regularly while he's in the big leagues. Jordan Leasure (forearm) was transferred to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.