MLB Player News

Andrus went 0-for-4 at the dish in Monday's 3-1 loss to the Orioles.

After delivering a two-hit performance in his return from the paternity list prior to the All-Star break, Andrus hasn't been able to get much going at the plate over his last five contests, along with most other hitters in the Rangers lineup. He's recorded just two hits in his last 21 at-bats, resulting in a 13-point drop in his season batting average. Andrus has only struck out three times during that span, however, suggesting that he's at least seeing the ball well and could rebound once he enjoys some better luck on balls in play.

Polanco is out of the lineup Monday against the Yankees, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

Polanco is batting just .165 since the beginning of June and could be on the outs for an everyday role at shortstop. He'll cede duties at the position to Ehire Adrianza for the second straight contest, though Eduardo Escobar could also factor into the playing-time picture if Polanco settles into a reserve role on a more permanent basis.

Frazier is not in the lineup Monday against the Brewers.

Although Frazier has six hits in 12 at-bats since the All-Star break, he'll hit the bench for a night off Monday against left-hander Brent Suter, allowing Jose Osuna to man left field. Frazier's playing time is expected to dwindle a bit moving forward with Starling Marte (suspension) expected to return Tuesday, although the former's positional versatility should help him carve out a semi-regular role if he continues to swing a hot bat.

Frazier went 2-for-4 with a walkoff single against the Cardinals on Sunday.

Following a month-long scuffle, Frazier has six hits in 12 at-bats since the All-Star break. He'll lose most of his playing time in left field when Starling Marte (suspension) returns Tuesday, but Frazier could move back and forth between second base and third -- especially with Josh Harrison currently struggling -- now that it looks like he's once again found his hitting stroke.

Hernandez went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks in Sunday's win over the Marlins.

The super-utility man has fallen back into his usual platoon role after seeing a stretch of regular playing time filling in for injured starters in June. Hernandez owns a pedestrian .211/.309/.442 line this season, but his splits against southpaws (.244/.343/.593) make him an intriguing option in daily formats when a lefty starter is scheduled to take on the Dodgers.

Altuve went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a stolen base Sunday against the Twins.

Altuve continues to contribute across the board. Forty-three of his 121 hits have gone for extra bases, and the diminutive second baseman is on pace to top 30 steals for the sixth consecutive season with 19 in 89 games. Altuve also leads the league with a .350 batting average and is tied for sixth with 65 runs scored.

Franklin will start at second base and bat ninth Sunday against the Rays.

With the Angels announcing earlier Sunday that Danny Espinosa was designated for assignment, Franklin looks poised to assume at least the strong side of a platoon at second base with Cliff Pennington. While Franklin stands to see a surge in at-bats as a result, the 26-year-old is on his third team this season and is a fringe 40-man-roster player, so he probably won't have much leash on a regular role. He's recorded two hits in 15 at-bats since joining the Angels in late June.

Polanco is out of the lineup Sunday against the Astros, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Polanco has recorded just one hit in his last 22 at-bats, sinking his batting average to .222 for the season. He'll give way to Ehire Adrianza at shortstop Sunday and could begin losing out on at-bats to Eduardo Escobar or Adrianza on a more permanent basis if he fails to turn things around in the near future.

The Angels designated Espinosa for assignment Sunday.

With a .162/.237/.276 batting line over 254 plate appearances this season, Espinosa ranked among the worst-performing regulars in the league, and his nifty defensive work wasn't enough to make up for his empty offensive production. Espinosa's ability to play both middle-infield spots and occasionally hit for some pop could be enough to convince another team to take a flier on him via trade or waivers. However, if the 30-year-old goes unclaimed, he'll likely stick in the Angels organization and report to Triple-A Salt Lake. Barring further upgrades to the position leading up to the trade deadline, the Angels are set to go with a platoon at second base with Nick Franklin and Cliff Pennington.

Drury is out of the lineup Sunday against the Braves.

Drury will head to the bench for the first time in the second half, allowing Chris Owings to start at second while Ketel Marte gets the nod at shortstop. It's been an average month of July for the infielder, who is 8-for-31 at the plate with just two RBI.