MLB Player News

Joe (illness) started at first base and went 0-for-3 for Triple-A Louisville on Friday.

Joe played five innings for the Bats in what was the start of a rehab assignment. He can be activated at any time, but Joe would have a depth role if the Reds bring him back to the majors.

Espinal started at second base and went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 9-6 win over Philadelphia.

Espinal, who was a prominent member of the third-base rotation while Noelvi Marte was on the 10-day injured list, was moved off the hot corner Friday with Marte's return. He drew the start at second base while Matt McLain served as the Reds' designated hitter, but Espinal's inclusion in the lineup was likely a byproduct of the Phillies sending a lefty starter (Jesus Luzardo) to the hill. The right-handed-hitting Espinal isn't expected to see regular playing time versus righties now that Marte is back in the fold.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Friday that he hopes Walker (appendix) will be ready for activation from the 10-day injured list within the next two weeks, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Walker seems to be physically ready to return after landing on the IL on June 25 due to appendicitis. However, the Cardinals are having him work on a swing adjustment, and they have specific staff at Double-A Springfield -- where Walker is on his rehab assignment -- that they believe can help with that adjustment. The Cardinals could hold off on activating Walker until the start of the second half, as that would be the two-week mark from Mozeliak's statement Friday.

Marte went 0-for-2 with a walk and an RBI in Friday's 9-6 win over the Phillies.

Marte was activated from the 10-day injured list Friday and started at third base. He's expected to be the primary starter at the hot corner, but manager Terry Francona could occasionally use the position to get at-bats for others.

Senzatela (3-12) took the loss Friday, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk over 5.2 innings as the Rockies fell 3-2 to the White Sox. He struck out four.

The veteran righty fell just short of his second quality start of the season, getting the hook after he served up what proved to be a game-winning solo homer by Edgar Quero, then plunking Michael Taylor (neck) with a pitch. Senzatela's dozen losses are the most in the majors, and he hasn't given the Rockies at least six innings in a start since May 20, stumbling to a 6.87 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 21:18 K:BB through 36.2 innings over his last eight trips to the mound. He'll try to right the ship in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next weekend in Cincinnati.

Naylor started at first base and went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in Friday's 9-3 loss to the Royals.

Naylor, who recently battled neck spasms, played the field for the first time since his return. He served as the designated hitter Wednesday before being held out of the starting nine against a tough left-hander Thursday. The RBI was his 55th, which ranks third on the team.

Graveman (hip) threw a live batting practice session Friday, MLB.com reports.

Graveman's session was overshadowed by the hitter he threw to -- rehabbing outfielder Corbin Carroll (wrist) -- but the reliever's activity carries significance. Arizona's bullpen ranks 28th in the majors with a 5.18 ERA, and the team's relief corps has had recent meltdowns in the latter innings of losses. Graveman battled a back injury and missed the first six weeks of the season before a right hip impingement shut him down early in June.

Baldwin went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Orioles.

The rookie backstop accounted for all of Atlanta's offense when he crushed a Charlie Morton fastball to right field in the sixth inning. Baldwin has hit a bit of a wall over the last couple weeks, going just 2-for-18 since June 24, but both hits left the yard. On the season, he's slashing .274/.348/.476 with 10 homers and 28 RBI, and Atlanta seems content to deploy a timeshare behind the plate with Baldwin and Sean Murphy, with each catcher starting five of the last 10 games.

Strider (3-7) took the loss Friday as Atlanta was downed 3-2 by the Orioles, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander delivered his fifth quality start in his last six trips to the mound, but homers by Jordan Westburg in the third inning and Cedric Mullins in the fifth -- as well as a lack of run support -- stuck Strider with the loss. Over that six-outing stretch, he's posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 44:13 K:BB in 36 innings as he inches closer to his pre-injury form. Strider will try to keep the ball in the yard in his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road next week against the A's.

Lopez went 1-for-4 with a walk, a home run and three RBI in Friday's 6-5 loss to the Brewers.

An RBI groundout in the first inning preceded a two-run homer off Quinn Priester in the fifth, which tied the game at 5-5. Lopez has been a run-producing machine of late, hitting safely in 12 of his last 14 games and slashing .339/.413/.536 with three of his nine homers on the season, plus a whopping 19 of his 44 RBI.