MLB Player News

Rays second baseman Nick Franklin went 2 for 5 with a double and two runs scored in his season debut on Sunday as his team rolled over the Twins, 11-3.

Franklin is getting a late start to the season after suffering an oblique injury.

"I’m excited to play," Franklin said, per the Tampa Tribune. "When I found out what the MRI showed (after the injury), I prepared myself. It’s been a month and a half — plenty of season left."

Manager Kevin Cash said that Franklin's versatility and switch-hitting ability will be important, but that infielder Logan Forsythe has earned a big role with the team.

"Nick can play second base or shortstop and give some guys an extra day of rest," Cash said. "Logan’s been outstanding, but at the same time, we have to be smart about the workload of some of these guys. Logan’s a big part of what we’re doing."

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa went 1 for 3 at the plate in Washington's 10-5 win over the Padres on Sunday.

Espinosa did his damage in the fifth when he crushed an 0-1 pitch from Ian Kennedy over the right field wall for a three-run shot, his fifth of the season.

"I got a good pitch to hit," Espinosa said to MLB.com. "I was trying to look for something I could drive. I got over-aggressive on the first pitch and I told myself to just be patient."

Manager Matt Williams likes the progress he's seen from Espinosa.

"All I know is last year," Williams said. "Last year his head was getting out in front of his body. This year, he is sitting down at the plate a little bit more and he is letting the ball come to him. Anytime you can do that, you have a better chance of having a little bit of success. He loves to play. I love to put him in there. He delivered again today for us."

Espinosa is hitting .275 with 13 RBI in 102 at-bats this season.

Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien has become the main factor of Oakland's defensive issues this season. He added two more errors to his total, putting him at 13, the most in the league. It's something he's trying to fix, according to MLB.com.

"I don't focus on the number of errors," Semien said. "I focus on fixing them, making the play, making the next play. If I see the number of errors building up, it's not going to affect me. That's what shows up in the box score. That can't bother you as an infielder, as a defensive player."

Manager Bob Melvin is still looking for answers to his team's defensive miscues, racking up a total of 42 errors in 39 games.

"Just snowballing on us right now," Melvin said, "to where I think guys are thinking about it quite a bit -- don't make an error -- and we ended up doing it. We're not playing clean games at this point. They're ugly-looking games. It affects how you play. It affects your confidence."

A day after being activated from the disabled list, Rays infielder Nick Franklin is back in the starting lineup on Sunday, playing second base and batting eighth. 

Franklin had been on the disabled list with an oblique injury.

Franklin's return moved Logan Forsythe to designated hitter. It's his second start at DH this seaosn.  

Rays right-hander Andrew Bellatti received praise from Kevin Cash after pitching three scoreless innings in his major league debut Monday.

He has not pitched since. And on Saturday, he was optioned out to make room for veteran utility infielder Nick Franklin, the Tampa Bay Times has reported.

Franklin has been activated after spending time on the disabled list with an oblique strain. He has been out all season.

For just the third time this season, Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson is not in the starting lineup. Pederson has been slumping lately at the plate, hitting just .154 with seven punchouts in his last seven games. So manager Don Mattingly has decided to give the youngster a rest for Saturday's matchup with the Rockies.

Enrique Hernandez will fill in at center field and bat leadoff on Saturday. 

Rangers manager Jeff Banister dropped shortstop Elvis Andrus down to the No. 6 spot in the batting order on Saturday against the Indians, per MLB.com. Andrus started 25 of Texas' 36 games in the No. 2. Delino DeShields will take over that role on Saturday.

"Let's see if Delino can carry what he's been doing in the nine hole up to the two slot," manager Jeff Banister said to the Dallas Morning News. "Against right-handers, that's been a bit of a challenge for us."

Andrus is hitting .190 (4 for 21) over his last six games, lowering his batting average from .230 to .224 on the year.

Texas is an underdog (+124) at home against the Indians.

With second baseman Dilson Herrera (finger) officially placed on the 15-day disabled list, the Mets have recalled infielder Eric Campbell , reports Mets 101.com, and will start him at third base on Saturday against the Brewers, moving Daniel Murphy back to second.

Herrera suffered a broken right middle finger while taking ground balls in practice Friday.

Campbell has been back and forth between the Mets and the minors this season, as he was sent down from the big club to Triple-A May 5.

Overall for the Mets this season, Campbell is 10 for 50 (.200) with a homer and five RBI.

Rays manager Kevin Cash moved James Loney as a designated hitter for Saturday's contest against Minnesota.

Cash told reporters he planned to give his regular first baseman a DH day at some point over the weekend, and felt Saturday was the best day to do so, per the Tampa Bay Times. Logan Forsythe moved to first base, with David DeJesus in left field.

Loney is hitting .241 (19 for 79) with three doubles, two homers and seven RBI this season.

Tampa Bay is favored (-110) at Minnesota, per VegasInsider.com.

Jose Altuve knocked a three-run homer Friday in the Astros' victory over the Blue Jays.

Jose Altuve's home run was his fifth of the season. 

"He's certainly hunting for the opportunities to do damage," manager A.J. Hinch said to the Houston Chronicle. "There's a powerful swing in there. He's going to some big parts of the ballpark. That's big-man territory when he hits the ball on the barrel."

The second baseman hit seven homers all of last year during his batting-title winning season (.341).