MLB Player News

Kurtz was removed in the second inning of Wednesday's game against the Tigers due to illness, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com.

Per Gallegos, Kurtz appeared to jam his hand while attempting to field a throw in the first inning. However, the Athletics have announced that the first baseman's removal was due to an illness, which is an ongoing issue in the team's clubhouse, per Jason Burke of Roundtable.io. Jeff McNeil took over for Kurtz at first base.

Guerrero went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 10-0 win over the Giants.

The first baseman snapped a 17-game homer drought, launching just his fifth long ball of the season in the ninth inning off Ryan Walker. Guerrero's had a rough first half -- during that 17-game drought, he managed a weak .194/.250/.226 slash line with only two doubles and five RBI -- but Wednesday's blast could help take some of the pressure off just ahead of the All-Star break.

Schanuel is absent from Wednesday's lineup against Texas.

Schanuel has been in the lineup against southpaws this season, though he's slashing .197/.280/.303 with two home runs and 10 RBI across 75 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. He'll be on the bench for the beginning of Wednesday's contest while Vaughn Grissom starts at first base and bats third against Rangers southpaw Mackenzie Gore.

Gonzalez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.

Gonzalez will head to the bench along with fellow left-handed hitters Andrew Benintendi and Tristan Peters while the Red Sox send southpaw Jake Bennett to the bump. Miguel Vargas will move over from his usual spot at third base to cover first base in place of Gonzalez.

Pasquantino (hand) went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in a rehab game with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.

Pasquantino began his rehab assignment after undergoing surgery in mid-June to repair a fractured hamate bone in his right hand. The first baseman wasted little time making an impact, lining an RBI single in the first inning. Barring a setback over his next few appearances with Triple-A Omaha, Pasquantino is on track to return to the Royals immediately following the All-Star break.

Elko (knee) has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment with High-A Winston-Salem, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

Elko underwent surgery last October to repair a torn ACL in his right knee and is finally ready to test out his rebuilt knee in games. The 27-year-old should eventually be assigned to Triple-A Charlotte, where he will give the White Sox organizational depth at first base. Elko is no longer on Chicago's 40-man roster, having been non-tendered over the winter before re-signing on a minor-league contract.

Hoskins went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a loss to the Twins on Monday.

Hoskins kicked off the scoring in the contest with a 416-foot solo blast in the second inning. That ended up being Cleveland's only run of the game. The long ball was Hoskins' first since June 19, and he entered Tuesday having batted .167 with 16 strikeouts over 13 games since that homer. Hoskins was provided a touch of power with eight home runs across 254 plate appearances on the season, but it's otherwise been a tough time for the veteran first baseman, as he's slashing a meager .180/.319/.359 with a 31.5 percent strikeout rate.

Rice went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Rays.

Rice gave the Yankees an early lead with a three-run shot off Ian Seymour in the third inning. The first-time All-Star has been on fire, hitting safely in six of his past seven games while going deep four times during that stretch. For the year, he's slashing .273/.364/.577 with 60 RBI, 60 runs scored and two steals while already matching his home-run total from last season (26).

Rice went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during the Yankees' 5-1 win over the Rays on Monday.

The Yankees were limited to just three hits, but those came on two home runs from Jose Caballero and another deep ball from Rice, with the latter's blast coming in the eighth inning to give the Bronx Bombers an insurance run. Rice is up to 25 home runs and a .925 OPS, which rank fifth and eighth, respectively, in the majors this season.

Pasquantino (hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Pasquantino has been rehabbing at the Royals' spring training complex in Arizona and is now ready to test things out in games. The first baseman had surgery in mid-June to remove a fractured hamate bone in his right hand and is tracking toward a return to the active roster immediately following the All-Star break.