MLB Player News

Tellez, 22, is slashing .226/.298/.337 with six home runs, 55 RBI and six steals in 113 games for Triple-A Buffalo.

Tellez never got things going this season, struggling to hit for average while also failing to improve his power stroke. His ISO has plummeted from .233 last season to .112 in 2017. Tellez has been a bit unlucky as witnessed by his .268 BABIP, but no matter how the numbers are crunched, it has been a disappointing season for him. Still, at just 23 years of age he will return to Triple-A at the beginning of the 2018 campaign.

Stassi was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Thursday.

The Phillies needed to clear a roster spot for Juan Nicasio, and Stassi was the corresponding roster casualty. Stassi saw some time with the Phillies earlier in the season but struggled to a .167/.278/.295 line in 51 games. He'll now be subjected to waivers.

Olson went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 10-8 loss to the Angels.

Olson's 414-foot shot to center in the fourth with two on erased a 3-2 deficit and was his third homer in as many games. He's also hit safely in nine of his last 10 contests, but he has no other extra-base hits in August outside of the seven round trippers he's blasted.

Abreu is out of the lineup Thursday while he recovers from a minor tweak in his elbow, Dan Hayes of Comcast Sports reports.

Manager Rick Renteria stated that the first baseman should be back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against Tampa Bay after suffering the ailment during Wednesday's game. There doesn't seem to be much concern regarding the injury.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk and two RBI in Wednesday's 6-4 triumph over the Dodgers.

With his fourth long ball in five games, Goldschmidt is now up to 33 for the season, placing him in a tie for eighth in the majors. It's perhaps no surprise that Goldschmidt's offensive surge has corresponded with the Diamondbacks' own hot streak, as the team has reeled off six wins in a row. Goldschmidt's MVP-worthy campaign has the Diamondbacks trending toward their first postseason appearance since 2011.

Abreu is not in Thursday's lineup against the Twins.

Abreu will retreat to the bench following 86 straight starts, as Matt Davidson slides over to man first for the series finale. It appears as though this is just a typical day off, as Abreu will likely return to the lineup Friday against Tampa Bay.

Bell went 1-for-4 with his 23rd homer of the season Wednesday.

The switch-hitter is batting better from the left side (.276 batting average, .306 BABIP) than the right (.218, .198), but from a power standpoint there's not much difference. Bell has hit 16 homers in 344 at-bats as a lefty and seven homers in 110 at-bats right-handed. His lefty/righty ISO splits (.235/.218) illustrate that with more experience, the rookie figures to improve his overall approach (and numbers) as a right-handed hitter. The Pirates have pinch hit for Bell against southpaws on numerous occasions, but that figures to change in 2018.

Alonso went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs for Double-A Binghamton in Wednesday's win over Erie.

After going 0-for-4 in his first game at Double-A following a promotion, the 22-year-old has now put together a seven-game hitting streak and five-game extra-base hit streak, with Wednesday's homers being his first for Binghamton. Alonso, the Mets' No. 10 fantasy prospect, has now gone yard 18 times this season in just 90 games between High-A and Double-A, flashing the plus power that made him a second-round pick in 2016. With Dominic Smith -- who's six months younger than Alonso -- just beginning his tenure in the majors as the club's first baseman of the future, however, there's no clear path right now to a big-league starting job in Queens for the right-handed slugger.

Rizzo went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, two RBI and three runs against the Pirates on Wednesday.

Not that Rizzo ever seems to go cold, but he's been even hotter than usual over the last six games, racking up 12 hits -- including three homers and four doubles -- in 21 at-bats (a .571 average). It took him awhile to normalize his batting average, but he's now up to .282 on the season, and further BABIP normalization could result in him challenging the .300 mark by the time September's up.

Gurriel (knee) isn't expected to play Thursday's game after exiting Wednesday's contest with knee soreness, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

X-rays on Gurriel's knee came back negative, so he doesn't appear to be dealing with anything overly serious, but the Astros will still play it safe with him and rest him for Thursday's series finale with an off day on tap Friday. The hope is that he'll be ready for at least one game of Saturday's doubleheader after a couple days of rest. Marwin Gonzalez should see the bulk of time at first base in his absence.