MLB Player News

Escobar played the ninth inning of Monday's loss to Seattle at catcher. He started at DH and went 2-for-4.

He's been Minnesota's emergency catcher, but it was his first career appearance in a game. He may qualify at catcher in some formats as a result. It's unlikely he'll get more time at the position this season, however. Escobar is a utility infielder, but has nine starts at DH this season thanks to his .985 OPS against left-handed pitching.

Segura (ankle) agreed Wednesday with the Mariners on a five-year, $70 million contract extension, Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.com reports.

The Mariners dealt away two prized young assets in pitcher Taijuan Walker and infielder Ketel Marte to the Diamondbacks in the offseason in order to upgrade the shortstop spot with the addition of Segura, and he's certainly proven that his career-best 2016 campaign wasn't a fluke. He was slashing .341/.391/.462 with seven stolen bases across 197 plate appearances before suffering a high-ankle sprain earlier this month that could keep him sidelined until the end of June. With the confidence that the ankle issue won't be anything that dampens Segura's long-term outlook, the Mariners elected to lock in the 27-year-old through the 2022 season, buying out his final year of arbitration in the process.

Moustakas had a huge game against the Astros on Tuesday, going 4-for-5 with a double, a homer, three RBI and two runs.

His 15th long ball of the year ended the game in the bottom of the ninth and put a cap on a brilliant day for Moustakas, who's hit safely in six straight games, going 11-for-24 with two homers and three doubles in that span. His batting average is now up to a respectable .275, which complements his power output quite nicely. If Moustakas finds his way to a new team with a better lineup prior to the trade deadline, his fantasy value could really take off.

Segura (ankle) and the Mariners are working on a multi-year contract extension, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Acquired in what has been a considerably rewarding offseason trade with the D-Backs that also netted Mitch Haniger (oblique), Segura has quickly made a lasting impression in Seattle. The shortstop's .341 average is tops in the AL despite the fact he's been on the disabled list since June 3, and he's also sporting team highs in OBP (.391) and hits (62). Terms of the potential deal, which was first reported by MLB Network's Jon Morosi, have not been disclosed.

Plouffe is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Blue Jays, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Plouffe is hitless in his last 18 at-bats, so he'll get a night off to clear his head. Ryon Healy will move to the hot corner to spell him Tuesday evening.

Escobar (undisclosed) is starting at designated hitter and hitting eighth Tuesday against the Marlins, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

He suffered an injury during a stolen-base attempt in Sunday's game, but is healthy enough to get three or four at-bats against lefty James Paxton. Escobar is hitting .225/.253/.352 with two home runs in 71 at-bats since the start of May. His primary value comes from his defensive versatility, which does little for fantasy owners.

Bregman is out of the lineup Monday against the Royals, Julia Morales of Root Sports Southwest reports.

Bregman looked as though he had righted the ship after a trio of two-hit performances during the Astros' series sweep of the Twins, but he backslid over the weekend against the Rangers, going 0-for-10 over the three games. Astros manager A.J. Hinch will give Bregman Monday's game off to refocus, allowing Marwin Gonzalez to pick up another start at the hot corner.

The Royals are ready to field offers for Moustakas as the summer's trade deadline comes into focus, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports.

It was only a matter of time before the team folded its hand in 2017. With a rebuild in store, Moustakas holds solid trade value for the flailing club. His .255 batting average may not be appealing, but the third baseman has stroked his way to a career-high .510 slugging percentage through 49 games. Packing up and moving out of the Royals' lackluster lineup would likely improve Moustakas' fantasy value.

Duffy (heel) has been working out without restrictions at Tropicana Field in recent days, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The infielder's latest setback involved a ball he fouled off his big toe in early May, which had caused bruising and yet another pause in his rehab. However, Duffy has apparently been fielding grounders, running and hitting without any limitations for multiple days. Although he's yet to resume playing in rehab games with High-A Charlotte, that could well be imminent given his recent activity level.

Machado went 2-for-3 (two doubles) with a walk, one run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's loss to Boston.

It's been a rough start to 2017 for Machado, but the weekend series against Boston offered reason for optimism. He went 6-for-15 with two homers and a pair of doubles. Furthermore, after failing to steal a single base last season, his Sunday swipe puts him on pace to approach double digits in that category this year.