MLB Player News

Alvarez was recalled from Double-A Frisco on Monday.

This comes as a bit of a surprise, as the 23-year-old hasn't seen any time above the Double-A level in his career. Alvarez's stats with the RoughRiders this season are also less than stellar, as he's hitting just .196 with 35 strikeouts in 107 at-bats. He'll likely fill a reserve role in the big leagues. Drew Robinson (hip) was placed on the disabled list to clear a spot on the active roster for him.

Ngoepe cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo.

Ngoepe was available for any team to claim, but a 28-year-old utility infielder with a career .181/.272/.236 line doesn't make for a particularly appealing player. He'll head back to the minors and could be back up as needed throughout the season, though he shouldn't be expected to have much fantasy relevance if and when he does return.

Urias went 4-for-5 with a home run, a pair of doubles, a walk and four runs for Triple-A El Paso in its 14-12 loss to Albuquerque on Sunday.

Multi-hit performances are nothing too out of the ordinary for Urias, who boasts arguably the best hit tool of any prospect in the minors, but the increased power he has displayed upon moving to the Pacific Coast League this season has been a pleasant surprise. After adding three extra-base knocks to his ledger Sunday, Urias' slugging percentage is now up .463, which is 83 points above the mark he posted in 2017 at Double-A San Antonio. Though the non-contending Padres don't have much urgency to push their top prospects through the system this season, Urias has earned a promotion based on merit and shouldn't have to wait too much longer to get a look in the big leagues with the trio of Jose Pirela, Freddy Galvis and Carlos Asuaje offering little impact at the middle-infield spots.

Rodgers went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, five RBI and three runs for Double-A Hartford in its 12-4 win over Portland on Sunday.

Rodgers' season line was sitting at a middling .143/.167/.343 as of April 14, but the shortstop has since gone on an offensive tear to remind everyone why he's regarded as one of the top prospects in the Eastern League. He has recorded hits in 16 of his subsequent 18 starts for Hartford, contributing a 1.024 OPS over that span. The two long balls Sunday upped his season total to six, placing him in a tie for third in the league.

Dodgers manger Dave Roberts confirmed Sunday that Forsythe (shoulder) would begin a rehab assignment this week, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Roberts didn't specify where or when the rehab assignment will begin, but it's an indication nonetheless that Forsythe's right shoulder hasn't presented any issues since he resumed a throwing program last week. Since Forsythe hasn't played since April 14 due to the injury, he'll likely need to appear in more than one rehab game before the Dodgers are comfortable with bringing him aboard the active roster. Forsythe's eventual return will likely spell an end to the third-base platoon of Max Muncy and Kyle Farmer, which has offered little production to date.

Barreto went 3-for-4 with five RBI from a pair of home runs in Triple-A Nashville's win over Memphis on Sunday.

Barreto has been positively tearing the cover off the ball for the Sounds over the last two weeks. The versatile prospect has six multi-hit efforts during that span, including nine extra-base hits (five doubles, four homers) and nine RBI. His season line at Triple-A is up to an impressive .304/.388/.609, and it's hard to argue he needs further work in the minors at this point. He should get a promotion to the majors whenever the A's can find a way to get him regular playing time, but Jed Lowrie's bat and Marcus Semien's glove are currently standing in the way.

Altuve went 1-for-4 with a triple in Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Altuve completed his season cycle, hitting his first triple of 2018. His power numbers are down through the first five weeks of the season. He entered Sunday's contest with a .417 slugging percentage, down 130 points from where finished last season, and a .093 ISO (.201 in 2017).

Frazier went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Sunday against the Brewers.

Frazier has seen consistent playing time since Josh Harrison (hand) went down but has mostly struggled. His home run Sunday was his first extra-base hit since April 26 and first home run since April 12. He has frequently manned the leadoff spot for the Pirates, but that hasn't led to useful numbers as he has scored only 11 runs and is 0-for-2 in stolen base attempts. Fantasy owners have to hope that his past two games are an indication of a turnaround: He has four hits in his last six at-bats with a walk.

Merrifield went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three stolen bases Sunday against the Tigers.

Merrifield nearly doubled his stolen base total in one game, as he now has seven for the season. All three of his swipes came against Matthew Boyd, including two that came on one plate appearance. His stolen base production will be key to his value going forward, as the poor Royals lineup surrounding him will likely limit his runs and RBI.

Dubon strained his left knee during Saturday's assignment for Triple-A Colorado Springs and is headed to Milwaukee for further examination, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Dubon injured his knee during Saturday night's minor-league game after getting caught in a rundown. He'll be reevaluated in Milwaukee to determine if he'll be required to miss an extended period of time. The 23-year-old shortstop has been tearing it up at Colorado Springs through 26 games this season, putting together a solid .337/.343/.567 line.