MLB Player News

By trading Gordon Beckham to the Angels Thursday, the White Sox created a big hole up the middle that, for now at least, they'll attempt to fill with some combination of Carlos Sanchez and Leury Garcia. But neither figures to make as much of an impact long-term as Marcus Semien, who Fantasy owners may remember for the splash he made back in April and May filling in for an injured Beckham and then an injured Conor Gillaspie.

His final numbers didn't look so hot, but he showed his potential with a couple nice weeks. When the White Sox finally shipped him to Triple-A Charlotte, he slumped so badly that he fell off the radar for a while, but he's rebounded in July and August, batting .288 (51 for 177) with six homers and 14 doubles. Most encouraging is his exceptional on-base percentage during that time thanks to a 35-to-30 strikeout to walk ratio. His plate discipline put him on the map as a prospect last year but hasn't been as evident during his time in the big leagues so far.

So why isn't he up yet? Good question, but MLB.com has reported he will be when rosters expand in September. My guess is he gets most of the at-bats then, and with an Ian Kinsler-like combination of power and speed, I could see him making an impact in Fantasy.

The Angels have acquired second baseman Gordon Beckham from the White Sox Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Beckham has hit .221/.263/.336 over 390 at-bats. In return, the White Sox will receive a player to be named later or cash. 

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve capitalized Sunday on a defensive mistake by Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, which led to his first career grand slam in an 8-1 win at Boston.

The Astros got a break when manager Bo Porter won a challenge after Bogaerts picked up Marwin Gonzalez's grounder, ran to second for what looked like a force and fired to first. The problem was he threw the ball about a step before he tagged the bag. 

The inning continued after the challenge. Joe Kelly then walked Robbie Grossman before Altuve parked a grand slam to put Boston up 6-0 in the second inning.

''That there's a big play,'' said Porter, who said he was first told by the umpires that the play wasn't reviewable. ''You look at that stage of the game and what proceeded to happen after that, Altuve with the big grand slam, one could say that was the biggest play of the game.''

Altuve finished Sunday's game with four hits. He is batting .338 with two home runs, three doubles, eight RBI and 11 runs in 15 August games.

Third baseman Yangervis Solarte is set to play Saturday for the Padres in St. Louis. He had been sidelined snce Wednesday with an oblique injury.

Solarte has raised all the numbers on his stat line since arriving to San Diego from the Yankees. He is now at .261/.345/.391.

Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte is out of the lineup yet again Friday against the Cardinals, as he continues to deal with an oblique injury. It is not clear if he is expected to be available off the bench this weekend.  

Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte was not in the team's starting lineup Thursday.

Solarte said his oblique injury is improving, and that he hopes to help off the bench soon. He left Wednesday's game due to the injury. Solarte is hitting .261/.345/.391 over 330 at-bats.

Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte was removed from Wednesday's game due to a mild left oblique strain, the team announced.

Solarte went 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored before exiting. He also committed a throwing error in the game. Solarte owns a .261/.345/.391 line with nine home runsa nd 42 RBI in 330 at-bats.

Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte went 1 for 4 with a two-run home run in his team's 4-3 win over the Rockies.

Solarte made the difference in the result for the Rockies, turning a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead with his seventh-inning home run. It was his third home run in 88 at-bats since joining the Padres via trade. Solarte has hit .263/.347/.396 with nine home runs and 42 RBI in 323 at-bats.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, who sat out Saturday's game with a neck problem, returned to the lineup Sunday as expected. Altuve is hitting .333 with 45 steals and 61 runs scored in 113 games.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve isn't in the starting lineup Saturday while dealing with a neck issue, but he expects to return to the lineup Sunday, MLB.com reports.

"They just told me to sit the bench today, and I’m going to be ready to pinch-hit and pinch-run," Altuve said Saturday.

Altuve left Friday's game with neck discomfort.