MLB Player News

Norby will start at third base and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Norby's playing time has been trending down lately while the Marlins have been keeping the hot-hitting Heriberto Hernandez's bat in the lineup. Miami will include Norby in the lineup Sunday for just the fifth time in the last 11 games, with the 26-year-old covering the hot corner this time after his previous four starts had come at first base. With Hernandez gaining a foothold in left field, the Marlins could continue to lean primarily on Liam Hicks and Kyle Stowers at first base rather than Norby, who is slashing a measly .193/.317/.307 since the beginning of May.

Langford went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Red Sox.

Langford recorded multiple hits for the second straight game, going 5-for-9 with a double and two RBI in the first two games of the series in Boston. It appears the outfielder needed some time to regain his form following a six-week layoff due to a forearm strain. Langford went 3-for-23 (.130) over his first six games off the IL prior to his two-game rebound this weekend.

Hernandez will start in left field and bat fifth in Sunday's game against the Pirates.

After recalling Hernandez from Triple-A Jacksonville on May 7, the Marlins had initially been using him as a short-side platoon player. The 26-year-old's hot-hitting ways have allowed him to gain traction against right-handed pitching, however. Hernandez will be included in the starting nine for a third straight matchup versus a righty, with the 26-year-old batting out of the No. 5 spot in each of those contests. He's slashing a robust .313/.338/.563 with five home runs, two steals, 16 RBI and nine runs over 22 games since his call-up.

Burger went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-3 loss to Boston.

Burger swatted his 12th homer of the season. He's in a groove right now, having gone 9-for-18 with two home runs and five RBI over the last six contests to boost his slash line on the season to .248/.307/.440 over 274 plate appearances.

Sanoja is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Sanoja will get a breather after he started the last four games -- three at third base, one at shortstop -- and went 2-for-14 with one double, one walk and three runs. Otto Lopez will be back at shortstop after serving as the Marlins' designated hitter Saturday, while Connor Norby receives the nod at the hot corner.

Griffin will report to the Pirates' facility in Bradenton on Sunday to continue rehabbing his right forearm strain, Aidan Stepansky of MLB.com reports.

Griffin began playing catch out to 90 feet Wednesday and is expected to gradually increase the distance and intensity of his throwing while he's in Florida. The standout rookie has been on the shelf since May 31 but could return to action before the end of June, depending on how quickly he's able to resume full baseball activities.

Merrill went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk versus the Orioles in Saturday's 9-3 win.

Merrill opened the scoring with a two-run blast in the first inning. That was the initial salvo in what would become a five-homer day for San Diego's offense. The long ball was Merrill's second in what has been a rough June so far, as he's slashing just .178/.229/.378 through 11 contests this month. However, four of his eight knocks during that stretch have gone for extra bases, and his 20.8 percent strikeout rate in June is an improvement on his 24.2 percent mark overall on the campaign.

Sheets went 1-for-5 with a solo home run against Baltimore in a 9-3 victory Saturday.

Sheets was one of five Padres to go deep in the win, and his seventh-inning solo shot off Albert Suarez gave the team a 7-2 lead. The veteran slugger has played a key role in the offense this season, ranking second in homers (11) and RBI (30). Sheets' defensive versatility has also been useful, as he's jumped around between first base and right field while also logging starts at DH.

Reynolds went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI on Saturday against the Marlins.

Reynolds delivered an RBI double in the third inning to give the Pirates the lead and extend his hitting streak to five games. He has two doubles and a home run in that span, continuing a resurgent season. Reynolds is on pace to top both 80 RBI and 80 runs scored thanks to a .265 batting average and .386 OBP across 306 plate appearances.

Fairchild started in center field and went 2-for-2 with a stolen base in Saturday's 3-1 win over Detroit. He was also hit by a pitch.

Fairchild had to move mid-game, from center to right field, when Chase DeLauter (ribs) was removed. Later, Angel Martinez (foot) made an early exit. Fairchild's been used sparingly since his contract was selected from Triple-A Columbus at the end of May, but if DeLauter and/or Martinez need extended absences, Fairchild would see an uptick in playing time.