MLB Player News

Recently demoted Mariners infielder Nick Franklin will be getting a crash course all over the field at Triple-A Tacoma, as the team tries to make him a more versatile player. According t MLB.com, Franklin will be playing in the outfield as well as third base at Triple-A, two positions he has only played sporadically in his career. 

Yankees infielder Yangervis Solarte snapped out of a funk Thursday, with a big game in a 14-5 win over the Red Sox.

Solarte went 2 for 5 in the game and drove in a career-high four runs in the game. He brought two in with a second-inning double, and added a two-run single in the seventh. He also scored twice and waked once in the win.

Solarte has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees, batting .310/.395/.465 through the first 20 games of his big-league career.  

Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa went deep and enjoyed his second three-hit performance of the season on Thursday in extras against the Padres.

Espinosa took Eric Stults deep for a solo home run in the sixth inning. He added a pair of singles and finished 3 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI in a 4-3 loss. He is hitting .317 with two home runs and four RBI in 63 at-bats.

White Sox Gordon Beckham came off the disabled list Thursday after overcoming an oblique injury, and was in the starting lineup for that afternoon's game against the Tigers. He was hitless in four trips to the plate, including three strikeouts, as the White Sox fell 7-4.

After the game, manager Robin Ventura told MLB.com Beckham will be his starter at second base moving forward, despite solid play from Marcus Semien in his place.

"You don't lose that spot just because you're hurt," Ventura said. "So we expect [Beckham] to be in there."

What was expected is now offial: Mariners second baseman Nick Franklin has been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. The team has also promoted outfielder Cole Gillespie from the same team.

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham was activated from the disabled list Thursday and placed in the lineup for the afternoon game in Detroit. He had been sidelined with an oblique injury.

Beckham was not in the original lineup released by the team, but his availability precipitated a change.

White Sox infielder Marcus Semien went 1 for 4 with a crucial grand slam in his team's 6-4 win over the Tigers Wednesday.

Semien's third home run came with the bases loaded and his team down two in the seventh inning, and neither team was able to add any more runs in the game. He has hit .234/.280/.394 with three home runs, 13 RBI and two stolen bases in 94 at-bats.

The White Sox optioned Charlie Leesman to Triple-A Charlotte Wednesday.

Leesman was scheduled to make Sunday's start, so the team will have to come up with a new plan for that outing. He was moved off the 25-man roster to make room for Gordon Beckham, who is on his way back from the disabled list and is expected to be activated before Friday's game.

Mariners infielder Nick Franklin will likely be optioned to Triple-A Tacoma before Friday's game against the Rangers.

Franklin tweeted "Las Vegas here I come!" after Wednesday's win over the Astros, indicating that he's been informed that he'll join Tacoma in Las Vegas. He went 1 for 3 Wednesday and is 2 for 16 with two walks in 16 at-bats with the big-league club.

A mini-slump has Yankees third baseman Yangervis Solarte out of the lineup Wednesday night against Boston.

Solarte, who will be replaced at that position by Kelly Johnson, is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. But he still owns a .303 average and .387 on-base percentage.