MLB Player News

 White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham homered in his second straight game Wednesday, an 8-3 win over the Cubs.

Beckham, who went 11 games before hitting his first, clubbed his second in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game. He drove in three runs in the game, while finishing 1 for 5 in the win.

Beckham is hitting just .231/.273/.385, but had been below .200 prior to Tuesday's four-hit effort. 

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham broke a 1-all tie in the eighth inning Monday against the Cubs with a solo home run off Neil Ramirez, which propelled Chicago to a 5-1 win. Beckham had a season-high four hits in five at-bats and scored twice.

Beckham entered play Tuesday sporting a .167 average (7 for 42) in his first 11 games. He also homered for the first time this season in the win.

"Great night, completely blessed to have it and definitely comes at a good time. Good win," Beckham said, per MLB.com. "I got a better feel today. I mean, it was bound to happen. I was bound to get more than, do better than like 1-for-6 or so. It was one of those things. I've kind of been here before, so just had a good game. Glad I happened to do it."

White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham has struggled to find his way since returning from the disabled list, and he admitted Tuesday the lingering effects of the injury are still being felt.

"Obviously, it has affected my swing a little bit as I've come back and not hit much at all," Beckham said. "It's just a matter of time before I start getting the feel of bringing my hands through more than my body."

Beckham said that before Tuesday's game against the Cubs. He went 3 for 3 in his first three trips to the plate Tuesday, proving his comments prophetic. He is still looking for his first home run of the season, however. 

White Sox infielder Marcus Semien went 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the 12th inning to break a 1-1 tie in his team's 3-1 win over the Cubs Monday.

Semien entered the game 0 for 11 in his last three appearances and without driving in a run in his last four games, but he posted a solid performance in what was a difficult day for White Sox batters, who had six hits in all in the 12-inning game. He owns a .220/.275/.356 line with three home runs and 16 RBI in 132 at-bats.

Mired in a 4-for-46 slump in his last 12 games, Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus was dropped from second to ninth in the batting order Sunday against the Angels. The last time Andrus hit ninth was 2012, and he hasn't hit ninth regularly since 2009.

"It’s not the first time it’s happened," Andrus said. "As long as I’m in the lineup somewhere, I’m happy. I know I’m scuffling a little bit right now. If [manager Ron Washington] thinks somebody else hitting second for now will help the team until I get my timing back, then that is what is best for the team."

A spate of strikeouts likely entered into the decision by Robin Ventura to slide White Sox second baseman Marcus Semien down from second to ninth in the lineup.

Semien is tied for second in the majors with 38 strikeouts in 120 at-bats. But he has otherwise been productive with 19 runs, 15 RBI and three stolen bases. He has scored 10 runs in the last 11 games, but has avoided at least one strikeout in only four games this season.

Yankees third baseman Yangervis Solarte returned to the starting lineup Tuesday against the Mariners after sitting out Sunday's game with a sore right shoulder. Solarte is batting .136 (3 for 22) with four RBI in his last six games.

Yankees infielder Yangervis Solarte was scratched from the starting lineup Sunday against the Angels with a sore right shoulder, the team announced. Brian Roberts took his place in the lineup and at second base.

Solarte is hitting .301 with one home run and 13 RBI in 73 at-bats. His status remains uncertain for Tuesday's series opener against Seattle.

Recently demoted Mariners infielder Nick Franklin will be getting a crash course all over the field at Triple-A Tacoma, as the team tries to make him a more versatile player. According t MLB.com, Franklin will be playing in the outfield as well as third base at Triple-A, two positions he has only played sporadically in his career. 

Yankees infielder Yangervis Solarte snapped out of a funk Thursday, with a big game in a 14-5 win over the Red Sox.

Solarte went 2 for 5 in the game and drove in a career-high four runs in the game. He brought two in with a second-inning double, and added a two-run single in the seventh. He also scored twice and waked once in the win.

Solarte has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees, batting .310/.395/.465 through the first 20 games of his big-league career.