MLB Player News

Donaldson went 4-for-4 with two walks, four runs scored and an RBI in Sunday's 17-1 rout of the Indians.

The reigning AL MVP has a ton of momentum as the All-Star break approaches, racking up multi-hit performances in eight of his last 12 games to push his slash line on the season to .298/.410/.583. Donaldson may be slightly off his run-producing pace from last season, but his .993 OPS is actually 54 points higher than his mark from 2015.

Plouffe will undergo an evaluation on his sore ribs Monday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Sidelined both Saturday and Sunday due to a rib concern, Plouffe will be examined thoroughly to determine whether a DL stint is needed. He's contended with the occasional injury this season, but only an intercostal strain has forced a stay on the disabled list through the first three months. If he requires more time on the pine, Miguel Sano and Eduardo Nunez would be in line for additional work at the hot corner.

Alvarez will leave the team after Sunday's game against the Mariners and will be placed on the bereavement list, MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli reports.

Alvarez will serve as the Orioles' DH and bat seventh in the order Sunday before taking a flight to the Dominican Republic following a death in his family. The Orioles will be able to add a player to the roster while Alvarez is away, likely until Friday. With Alvarez expected to potentially miss out on a few starts this week, he's not a strong activation in most leagues.

Plouffe was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Rangers due to sore ribs, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Manager Paul Molitor was looking to give regular first baseman Joe Mauer a day off with lefty Cole Hamels starting for the Rangers, but those plans were thrown out the window when Plouffe acknowledged the injury shortly before first pitch. The Twins will likely take a day-to-day view with Plouffe's injury, making it uncertain if he'll be able to return to action in Monday's series opener with the Athletics.

Escobar (hamstring) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports.

A DL stint hasn't been ruled out for Escobar after he strained his hamstring during Saturday's game, but the Twins will wait and see how he responds to treatment before any decision is made on his status. Like Escobar, fellow reserve Danny Santana offers similar defensive versatility, so the Twins should have enough depth on hand to get by if Escobar remains unavailable for a few days.

Devers went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored for High-A Salem on Saturday.

That slow opening month, when Devers hit .138 in 21 April games, had us wondering about his status as a top prospect in the organization, but the third baseman overcame his first real test of adversity. He followed up, hitting .245 in May, then .313 in June. In his last 23 games, Devers has slashed .349/.398/.488 and bumped up his season average to .246.

Escobar suffered a hamstring strain in Saturday's game against Texas.

Escobar was dealt the injury when he slid at home plate early in the game, but he managed to return to the field for the bottom of the inning. In his next at-bat, it was apparent the injury was a bit more serious as he limped to first base during a flyout, prompting his exit from the game. Depending on the severity of the hamstring strain -- details of which will likely be released Saturday night or Sunday -- the 27-year-old could be sidelined for a couple days or could be headed for a DL stint.

Escobar left Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury, LaVelle Neal of the Star Tribune reports.

Escobar came up limping after sliding into home early in Saturday's contest, but he was able to come back onto the field to take up his post at shortstop. However, it was clear that something was wrong in his next at-bat, when he flew out and kept limping while running to first. Danny Santana took over at shortstop in place of Escobar. The Twins will likely have a further update on Escobar's injury late Saturday.

Plouffe is out of the lineup Saturday against the Rangers.

Miguel Sano, who is starting at third base and hitting third Saturday, played primarily at the hot corner during his rehab assignment, so it stands to reason that he'll spend a good chunk of time there over the rest of the season. The Twins' optimal lineup may be Sano at DH and Plouffe at third, but whenever they want to give someone else the nod at DH, Plouffe could wind up on the bench.

Plouffe went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer Friday against the Rangers.

Plouffe's seventh homer of the year off Martin Perez erased a 2-0 Twins' deficit in the seventh inning of a game they'd go on to lose in extra innings. He's left the yard four times since June 7 to raise his slugging percentage to.399 on the year.