MLB Player News

Elko went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a double Saturday in a 4-1 win against Kansas City.

Elko belted a two-run shot in the second inning to put Chicago in the lead for good. The 26-year-old appears to be settling into a full-time role at first base -- since his promotion from Triple-A on June 4, Elko has made four straight starts at the position, going 3-for-15 with three RBI. Meanwhile, Miguel Vargas, who had been playing first base regularly, has been slotting in at third while Josh Rojas has mostly moved to second base in the wake of Lenyn Sosa's placement on the IL due to a hip injury.

Busch went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Tigers.

The first baseman crushed a Keider Montero changeup 414 feet down the right-field line in the fifth inning, the first of three Chicago long balls off the Detroit right-hander and one of five Cubs homers on the day. Busch has gone yard four times in his last five starts while hitting safely in eight straight games, pushing his slash line on the season to .276/.377/.521 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 60 contests.

Encarnacion-Strand went 5-for-10 with two home runs and five RBI between wins over the Diamondbacks on Friday and Saturday.

Friday's game was suspended due to rain, and when it resumed Saturday, Encarnacion-Strand emerged as the hero after smacking the walk-off RBI double in the 10th. He carried over that momentum into Saturday's scheduled game, putting the Reds on the board in the first inning with a three-run shot to left field. Encarnacion-Strand had produced a .482 OPS across 59 plate appearances prior to suffering a back issue and landing on the injured list April 17, but the extended period on the shelf and subsequent rehab assignment may have helped the 25-year-old infielder figure things out at the plate. Expect the Reds to continue to find ways to keep his bat in the lineup now that he's looking healthy and productive.

Mayo is not in Saturday's lineup against the A's.

Mayo has been in the lineup for five of Baltimore's last six games since being recalled from the minors. He's gone 3-for-15 in that span but has struck out only three times. Ryan O'Hearn will take over at first base while Adley Rutschman will serve as the designated hitter Saturday.

Naylor (hand/shoulder) is serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup against the Reds on Saturday.

Naylor was pulled from Thursday's game against Atlanta due to lingering shoulder and hand injuries. He didn't play Friday versus Cincinnati, but he's back in the lineup for Saturday's contest. Naylor is slashing .289/.345/.448 with nine steals, seven home runs and 39 RBI in 255 plate appearances this season.

The Pirates placed Rodriguez (elbow) on the 10-day injured list Saturday.

Rodriguez injured his right elbow throwing a ball to second base while warming up for the second inning of Friday's game against the Phillies. Imaging revealed inflammation in his right elbow, and he will undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury and an approximate timeline for his return to the majors, per Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com. With Rodriguez and Joey Bart (concussion) both on the injured list, the Pirates promoted Brett Sullivan from Triple-A Indianapolis to serve as the backup catcher behind Henry Davis.

Santana is not in the Guardians' starting lineup against the Astros on Saturday.

Santana saw his 14-game hitting streak come to an end Friday when he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in a 4-2 loss to Houston. He'll be in the dugout for the beginning of Saturday's game while Kyle Manzardo shifts to first base and bats fourth.

The Phillies placed Harper on the 10-day injured list Saturday due to right wrist inflammation, Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Harper sat out Friday's matchup versus Pittsburgh due to what was deemed soreness in his right wrist, and he's now set for a longer absence with a diagnosis of inflammation. The move is retroactive to June 6, so Harper will be eligible to return for the first contest of a three-game set against Miami on June 16, though it's unclear at this point if he'll be ready to return then. Philadelphia recalled Otto Kemp from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move Saturday.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a 9-6 win against Boston on Friday.

Goldschmidt's long ball was a 346-foot shot to right field in the sixth inning. It was his first home run (and just his second hit) so far this month; the veteran slugger has gone 2-for-18 with seven strikeouts and a stolen base through five June games. Goldschmidt is still slashing a productive .320/.376/.478 on the campaign, and he's added seven homers, 29 RBI, 40 runs and five thefts across 62 contests.

Aranda went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored Friday against the Marlins.

Aranda has been hitting well over the last two weeks, with Friday's effort marking his sixth multi-hit performance in 12 games. He has only four extra-base hits in that span, but he has still managed 12 runs scored with 10 RBI. For the season, Aranda has maintained an excellent .324 batting average yet he still rarely starts against left-handed pitchers.