MLB Player News

Dubon will start at second base and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Pirates.

Dubon will occupy the keystone for the third time in the Astros' last four matchups versus a right-handed pitcher and looks to have inched ahead of David Hensley -- who is on the bench for the second game in a row -- as the preferred option at the position while Jose Altuve (thumb) is sidelined. He's coming off a big weekend in Minnesota, during which he went 4-for-8 with two doubles, three runs and an RBI between his two starts.

Hensley is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.

Hensley has chipped in two stolen bases through Houston's first 10 games, but his .522 OPS is just over 200 points lower than Mauricio Dubon's mark (.724). He'll be on the bench for the second game in a row and looks like he'll have to settle for a utility role for the time being with Dubon seemingly establishing himself as the top option at the keystone while Jose Altuve (thumb) is on the shelf.

Drury went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in an extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday.

Drury hit one of the Angels' four long balls in the contest, going deep to center field in the eighth inning. The homer was his first of the campaign after he slugged a career-high 28 long balls last season. However, Drury also struck out three times Sunday, giving him 10 strikeouts (and no walks) through 31 plate appearances on the campaign.

The Pirates recalled Mathias from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday.

Mathias will give the Pirates another infielder, with Oneil Cruz (ankle) on the shelf for a while. The 28-year-old Mathias was acquired from the Rangers during spring training after a productive stretch for Texas last year over an abbreviated stretch. According to Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com, Mathias is expected to start at second base Monday against the Astros, and he'll also be an option at third base and in the corner outfield while he's up with the big club, though he won't necessarily fill Cruz's spot in the lineup on an everyday basis.

Frazier went 0-for-1 with a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Yankees.

Frazier has logged double-digit steals in each of the last two seasons, and with two through nine games in 2023, he could have a career year in that respect. The second baseman has been pretty solid so far, slashing .320/.414/.560 across 29 plate appearances. He's added a home run, three doubles, four RBI, six runs scored and a 4:2 BB:K.

Haggerty entered Sunday's extra-innings loss to the Guardians as a pinch hitter in the 11th inning, drawing a walk and recording a stolen base.

The versatile utility man made good use of his one plate appearance, reaching safely for the third straight game in the process. Haggerty has logged just 13 plate appearances overall in his first six games, but he's now swiped a pair of bases in that brief sample after recording a career-high 13 steals across 201 plate appearances in 2022.

Merrifield went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base in Sunday's extra-inning win over the Angels.

The 34-year-old put together his first multi-hit game of the season while also collecting his first steal. Merrifield's had a tepid start to the season, batting .241 (7-for-29) through eight games, but he stole 40 bases as recently as 2021 and could make a big impact in that category once he starts getting on base more consistently.

Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with a stolen base Sunday against the Pirates.

Gonzalez started against a right-handed pitcher for the first time this season while stepping into the lineup for Luis Robert to get a day of rest. He reached base on a single in the fifth inning and then swiped second base for his first stolen base of the season. Gonzalez has three hits in 13 at-bats this season, but he's not getting consistent playing time.

Rojas went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 11-6 win over the Dodgers.

Rojas set the tone early for the Diamondbacks, leading off with a single, stealing second base then coming home on Pavin Smith's double. This was Rojas' third three-hit game, and he extended a hit streak to four. If his defense holds up, Rojas should continue as the strongside of a platoon at third base.

Kim went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk and three RBI during Sunday's 10-2 victory in Atlanta.

Kim entered Sunday's contest in a 2-for-15 slump, but he busted out early with an RBI double during the second inning and then launched a two-run homer in the fifth. The 27-year-old has a .281/.343/.594 slash line with two home runs, four doubles, four RBI and four runs through nine games this year.