MLB Player News

Diaz went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a win over Atlanta on Sunday.

Diaz capped off a four-run surge for the Rays in the seventh inning by connecting on a 423-foot blast to center with Francisco Mejia aboard. The 29-year-old now has a modest three-game hitting streak that dates back to the final game of the first half of the season and includes a pair of multi-hit efforts.

Pratto was promoted to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday.

Pratto had a strong start to the season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas and slashed .279/.408/.586 with 15 home runs, 43 RBI, 43 runs and five stolen bases across 59 games. He'll now be rewarded with a promotion for the second half of the season, though it's not yet clear whether the 22-year-old could be in consideration for a major-league roster spot in 2021.

France went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run and two runs scored Sunday against the Angels.

France broke the game open with his three-run blast in the fifth inning, taking Los Angeles starter Patrick Sandoval deep to give the Mariners a 6-0 lead. It was the ninth homer of the year for France, who's hitting a crisp .351 over his last 15 contests, including a 7-of-for-12 (.583) clip across his last three.

Guerrero went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a 10-0 victory over Texas in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday.

Guerrero tagged Texas starter Mike Foltynewicz for a solo shot to ignite a four-run second inning, though he failed to add anything additional offensively. The homer brought Guerrero to within two of Shohei Ohtani's league-leading count and padded his leading RBI (78), slugging (.677) and OPS (1.107) marks.

Gittens will start at first base and bat fifth Sunday against the Red Sox.

While all of Luke Voit (knee), Gio Urshela (COVID-19) and Miguel Andujar (wrist) are on the shelf, Gittens should be in store for a full run of playing time at first base. He'll stick in the lineup for the third straight game after going 1-for-4 with a pair of walks between the first two contests of the series.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said prior to Sunday's game against the Yankees that Dalbec will primarily start against left-handed pitching moving forward, with Christian Arroyo filling the large side of a platoon at first base, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports.

With Dalbec having submitted a lowly .484 OPS in June and slashing a feeble .187/.246/.342 versus right-handed pitching for the season, the Red Sox's decision to pull the plug on him as the everyday first baseman isn't overly surprising. While Dalbec has been an above-average hitter against lefties (110 wRC+ on the season), the lack of regular reps will render him more of a streaming option rather than someone who can be relied upon in weekly leagues.

Lowe is out of the lineup for the second half of Sunday's doubleheader with the Blue Jays.

Andy Ibanez will fill in at first base for Lowe, who gets a breather after going 1-for-2 with a double and a walk in the Rangers' 5-0 loss in the first game of the day.

Mountcastle is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.

After heading into the All-Star break nursing a forearm injury, Mountcastle was cleared to start the Orioles' first two games of the second half. He went 1-for-8 with two RBI and a run scored between those contests, and more importantly, Mountcastle doesn't seem to have experienced a setback. His absence from the lineup Sunday is likely just a pre-planned maintenance day.

Abreu went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 10-1 win over the Astros.

Abreu's three-run blast in the sixth inning was the third of five on the day for the White Sox. It was his 214th home run as a member of the franchise, tying him for fourth on the organization's all-time list with Carlton Fisk. The first baseman has driven in 15 RBI over the last 12 games.

France went 2-for-3 with an RBI single in a win over the Angels on Friday.

France's timely third-inning single plated Mitch Haniger, snapping a 1-1 tie in the process. France has been trending upward for some time, as he now sports a .313/.352/.417 slash line and nine RBI over the 54 plate appearances covering his last 13 games.