MLB Player News

Schanuel went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, a run and two RBI in a loss to the Rangers on Thursday.

Schanuel was the star of the Angels offense Thursday, posting four of the team's 10 total hits, including both of the club's extra-base knocks. His seventh-inning single plated two runs as part of a five-run rally that resulted in a tie game, but Texas ultimately came away with a walk-off win. Schanuel was in need of a big performance -- he entered Thursday having gone just 1-for-11 over his previous three games and was batting a meager .211 across his past 10 contests.

Rice went 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, a walk and an additional run scored in Thursday's 12-4 win over the Rays.

Rice delivered his first multi-homer game of the year Thursday and the fourth of his career, amassing a season-high five RBI in the process. Following a dreadful month of June, when he hit .196 with just seven extra-base hits over 102 at-bats, the All-Star slugger is returning to form in July. Rice has gone deep five times while collecting 11 RBI in only 29 at-bats during July thus far, now slashing .275/.366/.590 with 28 long balls, 15 doubles, 65 RBI and 63 runs scored across 377 trips to the plate overall.

Kurtz (illness) will serve as the designated hitter and bat second during Thursday's game against the Tigers.

Kurtz was pulled from Wednesday's game in the second inning after he came down with an illness, but he's feeling well enough to return to the starting nine for Thursday's series finale. The 23-year-old has fallen into a minor cold spell at the plate recently, going 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts across his last four contests.

The Tigers recalled Valencia from Triple-A Toledo on Thursday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Valencia has spent the entire season in Triple-A, slashing .267/.353/.486 with 16 homers, 49 RBI and 56 runs scored across 331 plate appearances. He'll now be called upon to provide the big club with depth behind the plate while Dillon Dingler manages a thumb injury. Valencia will be making his MLB debut whenever he gets into a game.

The White Sox are expected to activate Murakami (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list ahead of Friday's game against the Athletics, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

On the shelf since May 30 due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, Murakami appears poised to resume his outstanding rookie campaign this weekend after checking out well following two rehab games at Triple-A Charlotte. He's gone 2-for-7 with a double and a walk between the two contests and was able to play a full nine innings at first base Wednesday. Murakami's upcoming return from the IL is expected to most negatively affect fellow rookie Jacob Gonzalez, who had posted a .699 OPS in 29 games with the White Sox after stepping in for Murakami as the team's primary first baseman.

Contreras' suspension for his actions in the June 30 game against the Nationals has been reduced from seven games to five games, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Contreras will begin serving the suspension Thursday and will be reinstated before the second game of a doubleheader versus the Rays on July 17. The first baseman had already been slated to sit out Thursday's game with a left foot contusion, but the injury should no longer be an issue by the time Contreras is eligible for reinstatement. Brett Harris is starting at first base for the Red Sox on Thursday, and he could share the position with Romy Gonzalez while Contreras is unavailable.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Thursday that Pasquantino (hand) could return from the 10-day injured list ahead of Friday's series opener versus the Orioles, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.

Pasquantino has been shelved since June 14 after suffering a right hamate fracture, but he's made quick progress in his recovery from surgery and started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha earlier this week. He's gone 2-for-6 with one RBI and three walks in two games with Omaha, and Pasquantino looks as though he'll have a chance to rejoin Kansas City's lineup for the team's final series before the All-Star break.

Contreras (foot) is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the White Sox.

Contreras fouled a ball off his left foot in Wednesday's contest and eventually exited with a contusion. He is considered day-to-day. Brett Harris is up from Triple-A Worcester and starting at first base for the Red Sox in the series finale.

Alonso went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 9-7 loss to the Cubs.

The slugging first baseman gave Baltimore a brief lead in the fourth inning when he took Colin Rea deep. It was Alonso's first homer in July and his 20th of the season, and while he hasn't yet put together the kind of power surge with his new team that Mets fans grew accustomed to seeing, he's posted a .275/.382/.533 slash line with nine long balls and 26 RBI in 33 games since the beginning of June.

Grissom went 4-for-5 with a double, four RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 13-1 win over the Rangers.

Grissom made a big impact, knocking a pair of RBI singles and a two-run double in the contest. This was his second multi-hit effort in his last three games. Grissom is currently on the short side of a platoon at first base, though he can also push Oswald Peraza at second base and Denzer Guzman at third base since all of them are right-handed hitters. On the year, Grissom is batting .249 with a .703 OPS, four home runs, 34 RBI, 21 runs scored, 11 doubles and no stolen bases over 196 plate appearances.