MLB Player News

Valdez is not in the starting lineup against the Padres on Friday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Valdez is platooning at second base with Pablo Reyes right now, and Reyes will get the start against southpaw Blake Snell in the opener against San Diego on Friday.

Andrus (oblique) is hitting off a tee and taking grounders Friday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Andrus is eligible for activation from the injured list Tuesday, and it would seem he has a shot at a minimum IL stint as he's already resumed hitting. The veteran infielder has been sidelined since early May with a left oblique strain.

The Astros optioned Hensley to Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

With Jose Altuve (thumb) returning from the injured list, the struggling Hensley will serve as Houston's roster casualty. Through 86 plate appearances, he holds just a .403 OPS and has struck out 32 times (37.2 percent). The 27-year-old utility man slashed .298/.420/.478 in Triple-A last season, so perhaps he will be able to find his swing again in the minors.

Altuve is starting at second base and batting leadoff for the Astros in his season debut Friday against the Athletics, Mark Berman of FOX 26 reports.

We're exactly two months removed from Altuve suffering a fractured right thumb during World Baseball Classic play. He went just 2-for-22 during a rehab assignment and might be eased back into action with extra days off, but Altuve nonetheless should be re-inserted into fantasy lineups in most formats.

Caballero is starting at second base and batting ninth versus Atlanta on Friday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Caballero had been serving on the short side of a platoon at second base but has now made two straight starts versus right-handers, consigning Kolten Wong to the bench. The rookie infielder is batting .298/.393/.362 on the season.

Ortiz is starting at third base and batting ninth for the Orioles on Friday against the Blue Jays, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

It will be the first time he's played the hot corner during his brief time in the majors. Ortiz is 4-for-18 at the plate so far with the Orioles.

Altuve was activated from the 10-day injured list by the Astros on Friday.

Altuve appeared to still be searching for his timing while on his rehab assignment, as he went just 2-for-22 (both singles) in five games with Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land. However, the most important thing is his surgically repaired right thumb is a non-issue and he feels ready to rejoin his teammates. It's possible Altuve will receive some extra days off initially as he eases back into things, but fantasy managers certainly want to get him back into their lineups.

Rengifo went 3-for-4 with two runs, a walk and a stolen base in a 6-5 victory versus Baltimore on Thursday.

Rengifo reached four times in the contest, the first time this season he has accomplished that feat. The utility man also swiped his third bag of the campaign and scored two of the Angels' six runs. Rengifo's three hits Thursday matched the total he had produced over his previous 10 contests, a stretch during which he went 3-for-26 without an extra-base hit.

Caballero went 1-for-2 with an RBI infield single, two walks and a run in a loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday.

Caballero's fourth-inning knock finally put the Mariners on the board after they'd already incurred a 9-0 deficit, and he also came around to score Seattle's second run on a throwing error by Pablo Reyes in the sixth. The rookie has delivered consistently at the plate over his first 20 big-league games following a long minor-league career, with Wednesday's production pushing his average and on-base percentage to .298 and .393, respectively, across 56 plate appearances.

Haggerty entered Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and remained in the game at second base, going 1-for-1 with a double, a walk and a run.

It was a rare taste of both action and offensive success for Haggerty, who came into the night with only nine plate appearances since May 3. The 28-year-old's two-bagger was his first extra-base hit of the season, and he's still sitting on an abysmal .147/.237/.176 slash line across 38 plate appearances.