MLB Player News

Estrada was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday and is starting at second base versus Milwaukee.

Estrada spent a few days in the majors before being sent back to Triple-A on Sunday, and he'll quickly rejoin the Giants with rosters expanding to 28 players. The 25-year-old has a .291/.358/.419 slash line in 36 games this season and should fill an infield utility role for San Francisco.

Rengifo was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.

Rengifo was sent to Triple-A at the start of August and will return to the majors with rosters expanding for the final month of the season. The 24-year-old has a .151/.189/.233 slash line in 91 plate appearances this season but could receive another look down the stretch.

Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that Hernandez's (illness) condition has improved dramatically since he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. Hernandez could be ready to return from the COVID-19 injured list at some point during the Red Sox's weekend series with Cleveland.

Hernandez is one of seven known Red Sox players who has tested positive for the virus within the past week, but he looks as though he could the first of the infected players to make his way back from the IL. Based on Cora's comments, Hernandez doesn't sound like he'll need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated, though the training staff may want to evaluate him in on-field workout beforehand. Once activated, Hernandez should immediately take over as Boston's everyday second baseman.

Lowe is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The newly recalled Taylor Walls will step in at the keystone for the lefty-hitting Lowe, who heads to the bench with a tough southpaw (Chris Sale) on the hill for Boston. The Rays will face another lefty (Eduardo Rodriguez) in Thursday's series finale, so Lowe won't be a lock to be included in the lineup for that contest, either.

Arraez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.

With southpaw Justin Steele on the hill for Chicago, the lefty-hitting Arraez will cede the start at third base to Josh Donaldson, who typically serves as Minnesota's designated hitter. Arraez broke out of an 0-for-16 skid over a stretch of five games in Tuesday's 3-1 loss, finishing the day with a double and a base hit over four at-bats.

Frazier isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Even though right-hander Luke Weaver is starting for Arizona on Wednesday, Frazier will take a seat after he went 1-for-6 with a run, an RBI, two walks and a strikeout across the last two games. Jurickson Profar will start at the keystone and bat eighth.

The White Sox officially selected Gonzalez's contract from Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday.

With top second baseman Cesar Hernandez having endured a brutal September and with Tim Anderson (hamstring) landing on the injured list Wednesday, Gonzalez could be in the mix for playing time in the middle infield following his first big-league call-up. Leury Garcia and Danny Mendick loom as his primary threats for reps, but Gonzalez's status as one of the organization's top prospects behooves the White Sox to at least give him a look as a part-time player while Anderson is on the shelf. After delivering modest production in his first two seasons of professional ball, Gonzalez turned heads between stops at Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham this season. In 378 plate appearances, the 24-year-old slashed a collective .275/.357/.525 with 23 home runs and 22 steals in 28 attempts.

Hernandez isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Rockies.

Hernandez drew starts in each of the last four games and went 4-for-14 with a double, two runs, an RBI, a stolen base and two walks. He'll get a day off since Charlie Culberson is starting at the hot corner and batting seventh.

Manager Brian Snitker said after Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Dodgers that he expects Albies (knee) to miss a couple games, but Atlanta is hopeful the second baseman will avoid a stint on the injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Albies went 0-for-2 on Tuesday before departing midway through his third plate appearance of the night in the fifth inning, when he fouled a pitch off his left knee. Though Albies fell to the ground in a heap and looked to be in immense pain as he was helped off the field with the assistance of team trainers, Atlanta was relieved to find that initial X-rays on his knee returned negative. Atlanta is labeling Albies as day-to-day for the time being, but even if he doesn't require a trip to the IL, the team may be inclined to call up one or both of Orlando Arcia and Johan Camargo from the minors when the roster expands from 26 to 28 men Wednesday to provide additional middle-infield depth. For now, Ehire Adrianza looks like the next man up at second base behind Albies.

The White Sox will select Gonzalez's contract from Triple-A Charlotte prior to Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

After Chicago dealt away the injured Nick Madrigal (hamstring) to the Cubs ahead of the trade deadline, Gonzalez became the potential heir apparent at second base heading into 2022, considering incumbent starter Cesar Hernandez isn't a lock to have his $6 million team option picked up. The White Sox's decision to bring Gonzalez aboard as a September call-up could even threaten Hernandez's perch atop the depth chart heading into the postseason, as the veteran finished August with a .190/.287/.280 slash line and slid down the batting order as a result. Gonzalez, meanwhile, has slugged 23 home runs and has stolen 22 bases while batting .275 between stops at Triple-A and Double-A Birmingham this season. He'll likely serve as a utility player initially, but he could get a longer look at the keystone if Hernandez continues to languish.