MLB Player News

Walls (back) will start at shortstop and bat ninth Sunday against the Mariners, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.

The 30-year-old was withheld from the starting nine in Saturday's 3-2 win due to lower-back tightness, but he'll rejoin the lineup for the series finale in Seattle. Walls is batting .103 (3-for-29) with four walks, three steals and 11 strikeouts in his past 12 games.

Johnston is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

The left-handed-hitting Johnston will be on the bench for the fourth time in five games and has missed out on three starts versus righties during that stretch. With Johnston producing a middling .421 OPS since the All-Star break, the Rockies have opted to rotate a number of players in and out of the lineup in his place.

Fermin will start at third base and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Rockies.

Fermin will be included in the lineup for the sixth time in seven games, with four of those starts coming against right-handed pitching. He could be emerging as the preferred option at third base, as rookie Blaze Jordan (122 wRC+ versus lefties, 52 wRC+ versus righties) has struggled against same-handed pitching this season.

Jordan is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.

Jordan will head to the bench for the second time in the series and has now been excluded from the starting nine in three of the Cardinals' last four matchups with right-handed pitchers. Jose Fermin may have overtaken Jordan the team's preferred option at third base while Jordan has struggled to a .236/.250/.315 batting line (52 wRC+) in 96 plate appearances versus righties.

Encarnacion-Strand is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.

Encarnacion-Strand has gone 2-for-19 with seven strikeouts through seven games in August and will hit the bench Sunday for the second time in Baltimore's past three games. Coby Mayo will start at third base and bat seventh while Tyler O'Neill gets a turn at designated hitter.

Jeffers is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.

Victor Caratini will receive a turn behind the dish while Jeffers rest for the series finale. Jeffers started behind the plate in the Twins' previous two contests and went 2-for-8 with a double, two walks, two runs and an RBI.

Ortiz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins due to an upper-back injury and is considered day-to-day, Hunter Baumgardt of Fox Sports 920 Milwaukee reports.

Ortiz was forced out of Saturday's 4-3 win due to the injury, but his back issue is considered less of a concern than the hamstring strain fellow infielder Cooper Pratt sustained in the same game. With the Brewers moving Pratt to the injured list Sunday, Ortiz could settle in as the primary option at shortstop once he's healthy. David Hamilton will cover shortstop Sunday while Andrew Vaughn makes his second career MLB start at third base.

Culpepper is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.

The 23-year-old started at shortstop in his first two MLB games after being called up Friday, and he'll get a break Sunday after going 2-for-5 with a walk, two hit-by-pitches and solo home run. Ryan Kreidler will handle shortstop for the Twins in the series finale.

Rave is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.

He'll head to the bench for the second time in the series while the Royals roll out an outfield of Starling Marte, Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone from left to right. Rave has started eight of the last 10 games and produced an .846 OPS during that stretch, so he appears to have a grasp on at least a strong-side platoon role for the time being.

Collins is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.

Collins will be given the afternoon off after going 3-for-17 with a double, two walks, an RBI and a run scored in the previous five contests. Starling Marte will take Collins' spot in left field and bat fifth.