MLB Player News

Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe went 3 for 5 at the plate to help lead the Rays to a 6-1 win over the Nationals on Monday.

Forsythe also drove in two runs during the contest. Over his last 15 games, Forsythe is 12 for 52 with two home runs and nine RBI.

Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte is in the starting lineup for Monday's game. It's Solarte's second straight start

It's also the third game in a row that regular starter Will Middlebrooks has not been in the lineup at the position. 

The weekend absence of Astros second baseman Jose Altuve has now extended beyond the weekend. He is sidelined again Monday against Colorado with a hamstring problem.

Altuve, who sustained the injury Friday, has not played since. But he is available off the bench Monday and should return to action Tuesday, per MLB.com.

He was in a rare slump before going down with just three hits in his last 20 at-bats.

Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien's recent struggles at the plate continued during an 8-1 win Sunday against the Angels. Semien went hitless in five at-bats, which included three strikeouts.

Semien is batting just .184 (7 for 38) with one double, no RBI, four walks, one run and 12 strikeouts in 11 June games. 

Unfortunately, Semien's hitting woes have lasted nearly a month. In his last 25 games, he has just a .189/.247/.233/.481 slash line. He has one triple, two doubles and one RBI in that span.

The Padres have given Wil Myers the day off for Sunday's series-finale against the Dodgers. 

Myers came off of the disabled list on Thursday after recovering from a wrist injury and played the past three games. 

Yangervis Solarte will play Sunday and he's slated to hit second. Solarte will man third base in the infield. 

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is not starting for the second consecutive game due to a hamstring injury. 

Altuve sustained the tweak on Friday, though it's not a serious injury. Altuve is expected to be back in the Astros lineup this week. This season, Altuve is hitting .290 with 27 RBI. 

"He'll be day to day for the next couple days until he feels back to 100 percent," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday, via MLB.com. "But I know he and our trainer were encouraged by how he was evaluated today. We avoided a worse injury."

Nationals utility man Danny Espinosa made the first start of his career at first base Saturday and said he is willing to play anywhere the team needs him as they deal with a rash of injuries, per The Washington Post. 

Espinosa has played second base, shortstop, third base, left field and now first for the Nationals, and has provided solid defense and a surprising amount of offense. 

"I'm going to play where there's an opportunity to play right now," Espinosa said. "If that's first base or left field, I'll play. … To get in the lineup. It's why I've been working out in left and first, to get in the lineup. Be in there and try to help the team win."

Espinosa is hitting .253 on the season. 

As expected, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Mariners. Altuve left Friday's game after one inning due to discomfort in his left hamstring.

Though Altuve reported improvement in his hamstring on Saturday, manager A.J. Hinch was non-committal on whether Altuve would be available for the remainder of the weekend series.

"He'll be day to day for the next couple days until he feels back to 100 percent," Hinch said, per MLB.com "But I know he and our trainer were encouraged by how he was evaluated today. We avoided a worse injury."

For his part, Altuve does not mind having time off to completely heal.

"I'd rather lose one or two games than lose a month. I have to be smart about this and it's not going to be easy for me to sit on the bench, but I have to support my team from here," Altuve said.

Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa will start at first base on Saturday, for the first time in his professional career. 

Espinosa has never played the position in 548 career MLB games and 75 games in the minors. 

Espinosa slides over from second base. Anthony Rendon replaces him, starting his third straight game at second base. 

White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham will be in the starting lineup on Saturday against the Rays.

Beckham is hitting .236 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 110 at-bats this season.