MLB Player News

Smith isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against San Diego.

Smith will retreat to the bench to begin Thursday's series finale after going 0-for-8 through the first three games, which has dropped his OPS down to .428 for the season. Tim Tawa will pick up a start at first base and bat ninth while Smith sits.

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.

Mets interim manager Andy Green said Thursday that Vientos has been diagnosed with a fractured right hand and will be placed on the 10-day injured list, Chelsea Janes of SNY.tv reports.

Vientos was struck by a 92-mph sinker thrown by Michael Wacha in the second inning of Thursday's game versus the Royals, and imaging revealed the unfortunate news. Vientos will likely be sidelined until sometime in August, though the Mets have yet to divulge a timeline for the infielder. The 26-year-old has mainly been used in a short-side platoon at first base over the past five weeks.

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.

Vientos was removed from Thursday's game against Kansas City after getting hit on the hand by a pitch, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports.

Vientos ran for himself after taking a 92-mph sinker off his right hand in the bottom of the second inning, but he was replaced on defense when the Mets took the field in the third. He'll presumably be sent in for X-rays to determine whether he suffered a fracture, and an update on his status will likely come in the near future.

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.