MLB Player News

Vargas started in left field for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, broadcaster Alex Freedman reports. He went 1-for-3 with a walk in the loss to Round Rock.

Vargas was back at third base for Thursday's contest, but his stint in left field Wednesday was notable in that it was his first start at the position in his professional career. It may not be a coincidence that the 22-year-old's first foray in the outfield came four days after Mookie Betts was place on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right rib, though Los Angeles has since traded for Trayce Thompson to add outfield depth. Regardless, adding a new position to his skill set can only help Vargas in his quest for his first call-up, and he looked good in left field Wednesday, notching three putouts -- including a nice running catch on a deep drive with two runners on base and two outs in the seventh inning -- and making no miscues. It wouldn't be surprising to see Vargas called up to the majors at some point this season, as he's stood out in 67 games with Oklahoma City, slashing .282/.379/.485 with 11 home runs, 50 RBI, 57 runs and eight stolen bases on nine attempts.

Altuve went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and a hit by pitch in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Yankees.

Altuve was plunked to start the game, and he would come around to score on an Alex Bregman home run. The second baseman added a single and another run in the third after a Yordan Alvarez blast. With six runs scored in his last four games, Altuve is doing a good job of setting the table atop the Astros' order. The 32-year-old is slashing .278/.354/.524 with 13 homers, 24 RBI, 37 runs scored, three stolen bases and 13 doubles in 54 contests this year.

Hoerner went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's extra-inning loss to the Pirates.

Hoerner's counting stats don't jump off the page, with just three home runs and 20 RBI this season, though he does consistently rack up hits. The 25-year-old is now batting .280 this year, which comes on the heels of batting .302 in 44 games with the Cubs in 2021. Hoerner has established himself as the team's top shortstop, and he has some fantasy value despite being limited in terms of power production.

Sosa isn't included in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Orioles.

Fresh off his promotion from Double-A Birmingham earlier Thursday, Sosa could be eased into the majors as a reserve option. The 22-year-old is an intriguing prospect who looks ready for a stiffer test after turning in a .933 OPS in 289 plate appearances at Birmingham, but he may have to settle for a utility role initially while manager Tony La Russa turns to a combination of Josh Harrison, Leury Garcia and Jake Burger to handle reps at second base and third base. Neither Harrison (.611 OPS) nor Garcia (.456 OPS) have been especially impressive, however, so Sosa may not have to wait long to get an opportunity.

Sosa's contract was selected from Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday.

Sosa has been in the midst of a breakout campaign in Birmingham to begin the season, as he slashed .331/.384/.549 with 14 home runs, 48 RBI and 47 runs over 62 games at the Double-A level. Although the 22-year-old has never played above Double-A, he'll be rewarded with a big-league promotion to provide infield depth for the White Sox after Danny Mendick (knee) was placed on the injured list Thursday.

Mendick was placed on the 10-day injured list with a torn right ACL on Thursday.

Mendick sustained a knee injury in a collision during Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, and he'll be forced to miss the remainder of the season after an MRI revealed a torn ACL. The 28-year-old will presumably undergo surgery and get moved to the 60-day IL at some point, while Lenyn Sosa's contract was selected from Double-A Birmingham to provide depth in the infield. It's not yet clear whether Mendick will be ready for the start of the 2023 regular season. He'll wrap up his fourth year in the majors with a .289/.343/.443 slash line to go with three home runs, 22 runs, 15 RBI and a stolen base across 106 plate appearances.

Estrada went 0-for-4 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Atlanta.

Estrada is now batting .215 in June after Wednesday's hitless performance, but he's also picked up four of his 10 stolen bases for the season. The infielder has a .262/.315/.389 slash line with five home runs, 28 RBI and 37 runs scored in 65 contests overall.

Kemp isn't starting Thursday's game against the Mariners.

Kemp has started mainly against right-handed pitchers this season, and he'll get a breather with southpaw Robbie Ray on the mound for Seattle on Thursday. Jonah Bride is shifting to second base while Sheldon Neuse starts at the hot corner.

The White Sox will call Sosa up from Double-A Binghamton prior to Thursday's game against the Orioles, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Sosa is one of the top breakout prospects in baseball, as he slashed .214/.240/.282 in 33 games at Double-A last year and slashed .331/.384/.549 with 14 home runs and a 13.8 percent strikeout rate in 62 games with Birmingham this year. The 22-year-old spent time at shortstop, third base and second base while at Double-A and could see steady playing time in the short term with Leury Garcia (side) and Danny Mendick (knee) banged up and Yoan Moncada (hamstring) on the injured list.

Brujan went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in a loss to the Yankees on Wednesday.

Brujan slugged a two-run homer off Jordan Montgomery in the second inning and knocked in another run on a groundout in the fourth. This was the first multi-RBI game of his career. Brujan has posted a brutal .165/.210/.261 slash line on the season but has been a bit better in June, hitting .197 (12-for-61) with his only two homers of the season, 10 RBI and a stolen base over 17 games.