MLB Player News

Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien sat for just the fourth time in 56 games Thursday against the Tigers. Eric Sogard made his third start at shortstop this season for Oakland in Semien's absence.

Semien is mired in a hitting slump. He is batting just .167 in his last 13 games, dropping his season average from .309 to .277 in that span.

Rays infielder Nick Franklin has been working with bench coach Tom Foley and taking reps at first base recently, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Franklin, who is hitting only .091 on the year, could emerge as an option against right-handers while the Rays continue to look for patches to fill the void of James Loney, who is sidelined with a broken finger. 

Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella went 2 for 4 with a two-run home run in his team's 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Rays on Wednesday.

Giavotella was able to increase his team's lead to 4-0 with his two-run shot in the fourth inning, but the Rays stormed back with five runs in the sixth. The second baseman has recorded a hit in five straight games, going 8 for 18 during that stretch. He has hit .285/.337/.382 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 165 at-bats.

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud and second baseman Dilson Herrera have been slated for Class A games with St. Lucie, according to ESPN New York. 

Herrera was placed on the disabled list on with an injury to his middle finger. D'Arnaud was moved to the DL after suffering an injury to his pinky, though he then experienced a setback by suffering a bone bruise to his hand. 

The two teammates are scheduled to play together on Thursday. 

Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe got the scoring started in Tuesday's 6-1 victory over the Angels. Forsythe blasted a two-run home run in the top of the first inning off C.J. Wilson to put the Rays up 2-0 early. It was Forsythe's sixth home run of the season.

Forsythe, who also walked and scored in the game, has been seeing regular playing this season and is enjoying it. Over his last 10 games, he's batting .265 (9 for 34) with two home runs and six RBI. 

Rays infielder Logan Forsythe homered during a 6-1 win Tuesday against the Angels. He also walked twice and totaled two runs.

Forsythe wasted little time connecting for his sixth home run, as he parked a two-out, two-run homer off C.J. Wilson in the first inning. He has hit four home runs in his last 21 games.

Since April 28, Forsythe has a .302/.500/.879 slash line in 32 games. He also has one triple, four home runs, nine doubles and 14 RBI in that span.

Starting at second base for the Dodgers' second game of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Rockies, Enrique Hernandez had two hits including his second home run of the season. The solo shot came with one out in the top of the first inning to give the Dodgers the early lead. They would need it, as they wound up winning by a score of 9-8.

Hernandez also started the first game and managed one hit in three at-bats. The 23-year-old utility player has now started each of the last three games as manager Don Mattingly tries to get him into the lineup as best as possible.

In those three contests, while playing left field, shortstop and second base, Hernandez has four hits in 11 at-bats 

Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rockies. Rollins had started each of the last 10 games for Los Angeles, hitting .250 (10 for 40) with a pair of home runs in that span. 

Rollins will be replaced by Enrique Hernandez, who starts at shortstop and bats seventh in Game 1. With no injury being reported, Rollins is likely just getting rest and should be back in there for the second game on Tuesday.

After getting two hits in his season debut May 17, the hits dried up for Rays infielder Nick Franklin, who entered play Monday mired in a 0-for-24 slump. Although the Rays lost 7-3 to the Angels, Franklin had some personal success, ending his slide with a two-run homer.

"It was a big hit for him, it was a big hit for us at the time, especially against [Garrett Richards]," Rays manager Kevin Cash said, per MLB.com.

Franklin said after the game he has been working on fixing his swing, particularly with his hand placement.

"I've been working on it the last two days, I just made that adjustment," Franklin said. "As of right now, I think it's working. I like where I'm at with it. And I'm just going to continue doing it.

"It takes about two weeks to break a bad habit. You know it's early for me, personally. ... Technically, I just really started with the ABs. I think it's just going to take a little time and I'll get it."

Rays infielder Nick Franklin took his third hit of the season for a home run in Monday night's 7-3 loss to the Angels. 

Franklin hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning for his first homer of the season. Franklin, appearing in just his 12th game of the year, is hitting just .091 this season. He hadn't recorded a hit since May 17.