MLB Player News

Semien went 3-for-5 at the dish in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Angels.

The three hits were a season high for Semien and exceeded his combined output (two) from his previous nine games combined. Semien's lowly .173 batting average is destined to climb from here, but the 31-year-old has yet to show any signs of bouncing back in the power department. With his move to Texas this offseason, Semien was already expected to see a downturn from the career-best 45 home runs he delivered with Toronto in 2021, but his decline as a power hitter has been even more severe than anticipated. He has yet to leave the yard through 35 games and has only seven extra-base hits (all doubles) over his 153 plate appearances. Per Statcast, Semien sits in the bottom-10 percentile of all hitters in terms of average exit velocity, barrel rate, expected slugging percentage and hard-hit percentage, so it's tough to count on him staging a major turnaround as a power hitter.

Hoerner (ankle) has been cleared to resume baseball activities and is building up in his running progression, but he's without a clear timeline to return from the 10-day injured list, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

The fact that Hoerner hasn't been shut down from baseball activities since landing on the IL last weekend bodes well for his chances of avoiding an extended absence, but the Cubs may want to see him put in a few more workouts before mapping out a minor-league rehab assignment. Fellow middle infielder Nick Madrigal (back) is also on the mend from an injury of his own, and he and Hoerner could be battling for one spot in Chicago's everyday lineup once both players are healthy.

Marte (hand) is starting Thursday against the Cubs.

Marte missed the last two games due to left hand soreness, but he'll start at the keystone and bat third during Thursday's series opener at Wrigley Field. Over his last five games, he's gone 7-for-17 with three doubles, three runs and three RBI.

Lopez went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the White Sox.

Lopez has gone 5-for-11 with a double and a pair of stolen bases in the first four contests of a rare five-game series versus the Pale Hose. He's gotten off to a slow start in 2022, posting a .216/.304/.252 slash line with three RBI, 12 runs scored and three stolen bases in 36 games. His solid defense will keep him in the lineup at either second base or shortstop most days, but he'll often hit at the bottom of the order as he has for much of May.

Merrifield went 1-for-5 with an RBI and his sixth stolen base of the season in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the White Sox.

Merrifield's season-long batting average (.204) barely sits over the Mendoza Line, but after a brutal first month, he's at least started to settle in nicely at the plate. His base hit Wednesday extended his hitting streak to a 10 games, with the 33-year-old having slashed .372/.391/.558 with two home runs, two doubles, three stolen bases, 10 runs and 10 RBI over that stretch. He's since recaptured the leadoff job for Kansas City and once again finds himself atop the lineup for Thursday's series finale.

Guillorme will start at second base and bat eighth in Thursday's game against the Cardinals.

Guillorme will close out the homestand with a second consecutive start and his third in four games, but he'll likely see his playing time take a hit when the Mets begin a three-game series in Colorado on Friday. Starling Marte (personal) is on track to be activated from the bereavement list Friday, and his return will result in Jeff McNeil moving from the outfield back to an everyday role at second base.

Altuve went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against Boston.

Altuve led off the game with his eighth home run of the season, which was the only offense Houston mustered against Nick Pivetta. He's hit well since returning from a hamstring injury May 2, maintaining a .316 average with seven home runs, 10 RBI and 15 runs scored across 15 games. That stretch has helped him recover from a slow start, and he's now hitting .258/.343/.538 through 105 plate appearances on the season.

Marte said his sore left hand is feeling better, and he could play Thursday against the Cubs, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Marte sustained the injury during the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader while pinch hitting, and he was scratched for the nightcap and before sitting out Wednesday. Jake Hager replaced Marte at second base for both games.

Estrada went 3-for-3 with a walk, two doubles, a stolen base and a run scored Wednesday against the Rockies.

Estrada is fighting for continued playing time due to the return of Tommy La Stella (Achilles), and he's made a strong case by turning in multi-hit efforts in each of his last three starts. That has been aided by the hitting environment at Coors Field, though Estrada was only one of two Giants hitters to record multiple knocks Wednesday. Estrada also tallied his sixth stolen base of the campaign, and he has yet to be caught. Overall, Estrada maintains a .271/.306/.383 line with 20 RBI and 24 runs scored across 144 plate appearances.

Arraez went 3-for-5 with a walk, two doubles, a stolen base, four runs scored and two RBI on Wednesday against the Athletics.

Arraez turned in his third multi-hit game across his last seven starts. The highlight of his performance was his two extra-base hits, as he entered the game with only three doubles and a home run across 107 plate appearances on the campaign. Despite the lack of power, Arraez has a .425 on-base percentage and has regularly hit near the top of the Twins' order, so he should be a good source of runs.