MLB Player News

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Thursday's game that Tucker will shift to the cleanup spot in the batting order, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Tucker had been locked into the two spot before he collected a pair of hits while batting fourth Thursday against the Giants. The 29-year-old's tenure with the Dodgers has gotten off to a slow start, but Roberts is hoping a new lineup spot will jumpstart the free-agent signing. Tucker should have plenty of RBI opportunities while hitting behind Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and eventually Mookie Betts (oblique).

The Nationals recalled Cornelio from Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

Cornelio earned his first promotion to the big leagues after putting up a 2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB through 18.1 innings with Rochester. The right-hander will likely be broken in as a long reliever, but given the lackluster performance of the Nationals' rotation, Cornelio could earn some starts if he pitches well.

Kim went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base Thursday in a 3-0 win against San Francisco.

Kim produced the game's final run with an RBI single in the fourth inning. The 27-year-old started at shortstop for the third straight game while Mookie Betts (oblique) remains sidelined, but Kim's playing time overall this season has been sporadic despite his effectiveness when called upon, as he's slashing .324/.415/.471 with one home run, five RBI, five runs and four stolen bases in as many attempts. Given his numbers with the big-league club, Kim may be earning a permanent spot on the 26-man roster even after Betts returns to action.

The Mets selected Edwards' contract from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Edwards has struggled as a member of the Syracuse rotation this season, collecting a 5.29 ERA and 13:11 K:BB over 17 innings covering four starts. However, he can provide length in the bullpen, which the Mets need after starter Christian Scott lasted only 1.1 innings Thursday versus the Twins. Edwards' stay in the big leagues will likely be brief.

The Mets optioned Scott to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Scott issued five walks and lasted only 1.1 innings in a start Thursday versus the Twins. Manager Carlos Mendoza indicated after the game that the original plan was to keep Scott in the rotation, but his shaky performance taxed the bullpen and scrambled those plans, with Carl Edwards taking the young righty's spot on the 26-man roster. With David Peterson and Kodai Senga both struggling, Scott should get another opportunity in the Mets' rotation eventually, but for now he'll try to regain his confidence in Syracuse.

Laureano went 3-for-6 with a triple and two RBI against the Rockies in a 10-8 victory Thursday.

Laureano knocked in a run in the fourth inning with his second three-bagger of the season. The veteran outfielder came into the contest having gone 2-for-20 with 11 strikeouts over his previous five games, but he busted that mini-slump with his second three-hit performance of the campaign. Laureano has been one of San Diego's most productive hitters this season, slashing .264/.320/.484 with four home runs, 13 runs, a team-leading 17 RBI and three stolen bases through 100 plate appearances.

Arraez went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Dodgers.

Arraez drew a walk in the first inning and subsequently stole second. The 29-year-old infielder reached base on a leadoff single in the fourth as well, accounting for San Francisco's lone hit in the contest. He's slashing .304/.340/.359 with 11 runs scored, six RBI and three stolen bases across 101 plate appearances as the Giants' everyday second baseman.

Sheets went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run in a 10-8 win against Colorado on Thursday.

On the day he turned 30 years old, Sheets began the game on the bench. However, he replaced Ty France in the eighth inning and came through with a huge three-run blast in the ninth that ultimately decided the outcome of the game. Through 79 plate appearances, Sheets is slashing .227/.266/.467 with three homers, nine doubles, nine runs, nine RBI and one stolen base while making starts at first base, in left field and at DH, primarily against right-handed pitchers.

Benge went 2-for-3 with a double, a solo home run and a second run scored in Thursday's win over the Twins.

The rookie outfielder took Joe Ryan deep in the fourth inning, giving Benge his second homer of the year. It was the first time in his brief career that the 23-year-old had recorded multiple extra-base hits in a game, and it was his first multi-hit performance in April. Benge may be getting comfortable in the majors -- while he's still batting just .200 (4-for-20) over the last seven games, three of his four hits in that span have gone for extra bases, and his 20.0 percent strikeout rate is a significant improvement on the 28.9 percent mark he posted in his first 12 contests of the season.

Mikolas is available to serve as the primary pitcher for the Nationals in Friday's contest against the White Sox, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

PJ Poulin will be the team's opener, an assignment he's drawn in both of Mikolas' last two bulk-relief outings. Washington will likely go with the same setup Friday, though the Nationals are expected to call up right-hander Riley Cornelio from Triple-A Rochester and could have him available to cover multiple innings out of the bullpen. Mikolas is coming off his best appearance of the season, having tossed four shutout frames against the Giants.