MLB Player News

Valencia was scratched from Saturday's lineup with a sore wrist, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports.

Taylor Motter will take over at first base and bat eighth in his stead. Valencia missed three games with a wrist injury earlier this season, and it seems to still be giving him some problems, though the team may simply be exercising precautionary measures. The veteran infielder has had a hot month at the plate, hitting .316 with 20 RBI over 79 at-bats.

Longoria went 2-for-4 with a solo homer Saturday against the Orioles.

Longoria connected on his 11th bomb of the year to tie the game at three in the third inning. Despite hitting in the middle of the Rays lineup, Longoria's .428 slugging percentage has made him a disappointing fantasy player this season.

Robinson was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday.

Robinson slashed .273/.380/.524 in 58 games with Triple-A Round Rock this season before being promoted. His stay could prove to be brief with Cole Hamels (oblique) expecting to come off the disabled list to start Monday's contest against the Indians.

Valencia went 4-for-5 with a two-run single and two runs in Friday's 13-3 win over the Astros.

The 32-year-old has reached safely in eight of his last nine plate appearances across the last two games, although all six of his hits over that span have been singles. However, the surge has helped push Valencia to his best monthly line of the season, as he's now slashing .316/.364/.456 with three home runs and an impressive 20 RBI in June. Since opening May with a .181 average, Valencia has produced a .311/.364/.458 line and a .352 wOBA across the subsequent 47 games.

Devers is expected to start at third base for Double-A Portland about five times per week, according to Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports.

The question of playing time became an issue after the Red Sox promoted third baseman Michael Chavis to Portland this week, but he'll spend the majority of his time at designated hitter for the time being. Devers will remain in Portland for now after Boston inked MLB veteran Jhonny Peralta to a minor-league deal. Peralta will play third base for Triple-A Pawtucket to serve as organizational depth at a position which Boston has been among the worst in MLB. Dombrowski admitted that it was "probably not an opportune time" to promote Devers. There's been speculation about Devers reaching Boston this season, but that's not imminent.

Longoria went 1-for-3 with four RBI from a two-run single, a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk in Friday's 15-5 win over the Orioles. He also walked and scored twice.

In what was a red-letter night for the Rays offense, Longoria tied Shane Peterson for the team lead in RBI. It was the veteran third baseman's second four-RBI effort of the season and represented a breakout effort in that department, considering he'd driven in only one run in the previous seven games. Longoria's current .250 average represents a notable drop from last season's .273 figure, but his 17 percent strikeout rate is actually his lowest since he posted a 16.2 percent figure in 2011.

Bregman went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in Friday's 13-3 loss to the Mariners.

The 2017 season has been a challenge for Bregman, who continually adjusts as pitchers develop a plan for him. As such, his batting average has fluctuated between .245 and .265 over the last two months. However, the young third baseman has made more of an impact with his bat since the middle of May. Bregman was homerless with eight RBI and a .716 OPS over the first 35 games. Since then, he's slugged eight home runs with 18 RBI and an .820 OPS over 36 games.

Donaldson (knee) will start at third base Friday against the Royals, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet reports.

Donaldson was scratched from Thursday's lineup with left knee soreness, but is seemingly good to go after getting a pass from the trainers Friday. The third baseman will be hitting third in the order for the series opener.

Chapman (knee) will spend one more night in the hospital before being discharged, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Chapman is making good progress from a knee infection but will not be eligible to return until the end of next week. Barring any setbacks, Chapman should continue to be a key name in A's lineup moving forward.

Manager Kevin Cash said Duffy underwent an operation to remove a calcium deposit from his injured heel this week, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Trainers believe this is what was causing Duffy's lingering heel pain, though only time will tell as to the effectiveness of the procedure. The veteran infielder was moved to the 60-day DL earlier this month, an indication he may not be back until after the All-Star break at the earliest. Taylor Featherston will continue seeing playing time in his absence.