MLB Player News

Gimenez is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rangers.

Gimenez went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk during Game 1, and he'll take a seat for the nightcap since lefty Taylor Hearn is on the mound for Texas. Ernie Clement will man the keystone in Game 2.

Mendick will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Mendick will get a second consecutive look out of the leadoff spot while he starts at shortstop for the sixth time in the last seven games. He's gotten on bace at an excellent .444 clip since taking hold of a regular role May 31, so Mendick looks poised to hold down everyday at-bats until the White Sox get Tim Anderson (groin) back from the injured list.

Torres is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Twins.

With Josh Donaldson and Giancarlo Stanton returning from the injured list over the weekend to bring the Yankees lineup back to full strength, Torres no longer has a direct path to an everyday role at second base after he had occupied the position in 13 of the team's last 14 games. Though absences from the lineup should come slightly more frequently for Torres, he should still play on a near-everyday basis while manager Aaron Boone rotates rest days for some of the team's other regulars.

Biggio is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Royals.

Biggio logged eight starts in nine games following his promotion from Triple-A Buffalo on May 26, but he'll be taking a seat Tuesday for the third contest in a row. With Vladimir Guerrero and Matt Chapman established as the everyday starters at the two corner-infield spots and with Santiago Espinal having rebuilt some job security as the Blue Jays' primary second baseman by homering in back-to-back games, Biggio doesn't have a clear path to regular at-bats at any spot.

Castro will start at third base and bat ninth in Tuesday's game against the Pirates.

With Jeimer Candelario (shoulder) moving to the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Castro looks like he'll get the first crack to replace him as the everyday third baseman. The versatile Castro had already picked up work at three different positions (left field, first base and shortstop) while staring in five of the Tigers' previous six games, but Candelario's absence creates a more permanent pathway to playing time.

Espinal went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Monday's 8-0 win over the Royals.

Espinal has now turned in three consecutive two-hit games and has homered on back-to-back days while driving in five runs between the contests. After his production had slowed down in May, Espinal has opened June with a bang to help solidify himself as the everyday second baseman ahead of Cavan Biggio, who has been performing well since his late-May call-up from Triple-A Buffalo.

The Astros promoted Valdez from Double-A Corpus Christi to Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The 23-year-old has been a breakout performer at Corpus Christi this season, compiling 27 extra-base hits while getting on base at a .463 clip over 205 plate appearances. He'll now get a stiffer test at Sugar Land, and the Astros are likely to continue exposing him to multiple positions at the Triple-A level to create more potential avenues to playing time in the big leagues. Valdez had already logged starts at second base, third base, left field and right field during his time at Corpus Christi.

The Rangers recalled Ibanez from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday. He'll start at third base and bat ninth in the first game of the Rangers' doubleheader with the Guardians.

To open up a spot on the 26-man active roster for Ibanez, the Rangers placed reliever Brett Martin on the COVID-19-related injured list. Though Ibanez is receiving a start in his first game back with the Rangers, he's expected to handle a backup role at third base while Texas gives prospect Ezequiel Duran a look at the hot corner.

Frazier went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and two runs in a win over the Astros on Monday.

Frazier laced his 12th two-bagger of the season off Cristian Javier and also crossed the plate on both of Cal Raleigh's hits, a three-run home run in the second inning and a fourth-inning single. Frazier's double snapped a 19-plate-appearance hitless stretch that had encompassed his previous five games, and despite the productive night, he's still carrying an uninspiring .238/.305./.332 slash line for the season.

Sosa has a .342/.392/.566 line with 11 homers, 39 RBI and a 14:32 BB:K through 49 games for Double-A Birmingham.

He came into the season known as a free swinger with modest pop, but Sosa's muscled up, hitting as many homers already this year as he did in 115 games last season. He's also brought his walk rate up a bit (6.2 percent) while striking out at his lowest rate (14.1 percent) since rookie ball, so all signs are pointing up for Sosa in his second Double-A go-'round. Sosa had been pigeonholed as a future utility guy, but if he keeps hitting this consistently (his longest hitless streak this season is two games), the White Sox will likely give him a chance to strut his stuff by next season -- and maybe sooner. With Tim Anderson in the fold and Sosa not known for his defense at shortstop, the 22-year-old will probably play second base when he gets to the big leagues.