MLB Player News

Frazier came within a homer of hitting for the cycle Thursday, going 3-for-5 with two RBI against the Tigers.

He's batting .407 in 59 at-bats since the All-Star break. Frazier's playing time has been complicated by the team's acquisition of Sean Rodriguez, but manager Clint Hurdle will continue to at least find him semi-regular plate appearances, especially while he's red-hot.

Andrus went 0-for-6 with two stolen bases and a run scored in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Mets.

After a blistering seven-game stretch in which he went 14-for-29 at the plate, Andrus has gone 1-for-10 over the past two contests, but the pair of steals he picked up Wednesday should lessen the sting of the minor skid. Both Andrus' batting average and on-base percentage are down from a season ago, but with the shortstop showcasing more power than ever and still remaining active on the bases, his overall fantasy value has risen to new heights in 2017.

Merrifield cranked out four singles in five at-bats with a stolen base and two runs against the Cardinals on Wednesday.

The big effort improved his average to an even .300 on the season, and it's almost surprising that he wasn't at that lofty height already, considering that he seems to get a hit in just about every game. Indeed, since the start of July, Merrifield has gone hitless just five times in 35 games, and he's been contributing both pop and speed steadily, establishing himself as one of the league's most surprising breakout stars. With an impressively low 13.2 percent strikeout rate, it should be no problem for him to keep hitting for average.

Rodgers (quad) was placed on the minor-league disabled list Thursday.

Rodgers, who is slashing .273/.333/.434 in 36 games for Double-A Hartford, exited a game over the weekend due to quadriceps tightness, and the issue is apparently serious enough to warrant a trip to the disabled list. The Rockies' top prospect will be eligible to return this Sunday, though he could be sidelined longer.

Forsythe is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Despite reaching base safely in all six games he's started this month, Forsythe will head to the bench for what appears to be a routine day off. Chase Utley is set to start at the keystone in his stead, batting sixth.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo confirmed Tuesday that Drury and Daniel Descalso would be deployed as a platoon at second base for the time being, Kevin Zimmerman of the ArizonaSports.com reports.

As the right-handed hitter of the duo, Drury will find himself on the short end of the platoon, which was apparent through his usage in recent contests, as he's been on the bench for four of the last six games. With a .273 average and nine home runs on the season, Drury possesses a higher fantasy ceiling than the light-hitting Descalso, but his inferior fielding coupled with his offensive struggles since late June will limit his at-bats, and by extension, his overall value.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo confirmed Tuesday that Marte would serve as the Diamondbacks' primary shortstop for the foreseeable future with Chris Owings (finger) expected to be sidelined until at least late September, Kevin Zimmerman of ArizonaSports.com reports.

After Marte started at shortstop in the last three games following his return from the bereavement list, it was fairly evident that he was viewed as the primary option, but it's nice to see his manager verify as much. The Diamondbacks addressed their dwindling middle-infield depth by acquiring Adam Rosales from the Athletics, but neither he nor Nick Ahmed (hand), who could be activated from the 60-day DL in late August, is likely to pose serious threats to Marte's starting role. On the heels of back-to-back two-hit performances, Marte is slashing a commendable .270/.337/.500 over 83 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks on the season.

Polanco made his sixth consecutive start at shortstop and went 1-for-3 in Tuesday's win over the Brewers. He's 9-for-17 in his last six games.

Polanco lost the starting shortstop job in late July after hitting just .148 with a .410 OPS in June and July. It looks like he's back to being the everyday shortstop, but manager Paul Molitor hasn't made an official announcement.

Solarte went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Tuesday's 7-3 win over the Reds.

The utility player has found his stroke at the plate after going 0-for-10 in his first three games off the DL last week, collecting eight hits (including two homers) in his last four starts. Despite missing over a month with an oblique strain, Solarte now has 12 home runs on the year, just three shy of last year's career high.

Urias (ankle) has returned to action for Double-A San Antonio.

He missed two weeks with a sprained ankle, but returned Sunday, going 0-for-3 with a walk. Urias, who turned 20 on June 3, is sixth in the Texas League with a .315 average and first in the league with a .413 on-base percentage. There will always be concerns about his ability to make enough impact on offense to be an above-average fantasy option, given his listed measurements of 5-foot-9, 160 pounds. However, there are few hitters in the minors with better hit tools, and he should have no problem earning everyday at-bats in San Diego when he is ready for the majors. At the very least, he should be an asset in runs and batting average while potentially qualifying at shortstop and second base.