MLB Player News

Longoria went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, three RBI and a strikeout Thursday against Minnesota.

Longoria drove three of the Rays' four runs in this game, and he's been quite productive of late. The 30-year-old third baseman is quietly riding a six-game hitting streak, and he's had multi-hit performances in each of the last three contests. He's gone 11-for-23 (.478) with two homers and nine RBI during the streak.

Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a home run and a strikeout Thursday against Boston.

Alvarez hasn't produced much this season and his average remains in the low .200s, but at the very least he will always hit for power. He isn't producing as he did with the Pirates a few seasons ago, so his fantasy value will remain limited until he can hit more consistently.

Machado went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer against Boston on Thursday.

Machado has hit safely in nine of the past 10 games, and he's posted a .358 average over that span. The recent streak pushed Machado's average over .300 for the season, and he remains one of Baltimore's most dangerous hitters this year due to his consistency, and his ability to hit for both average and power.

Moustakas (knee) underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL on Thursday and he is expected to be ready for the start of the 2017 season, Joel Goldberg of Fox Sports Kansas City reports.

Moustakas was ruled out for the season in late May after what was initially diagnosed as a knee contusion turned out to be a torn ACL. In his absence, the Royals have been turning to a mix of Chelsor Cuthbert and Whit Merrifield to take Moustakas' place at third base. Fortunately, Moustakas' surgery Thursday was deemed a success by Dr. James Andrews, so he figures to begin rehab in the near future with the goal of being ready for Opening Day in 2017.

Alvarez went 3-for-5 with a RBI and scored a run in Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.

Alvarez has failed to produce much in his first 36 games with Baltimore, slashing just .213/.306/.370 through 108 at-bats. He's never hit much for average (career .234 hitter), but the 29-year-old's power outage is a major concern. Many thought a move to the AL would ignite Alvarez, who was embarrassingly bad playing the field for the Pirates over the past six seasons, but he's actually performing worse than ever at the plate through the first two months of the 2016 campaign.

Valencia went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, three RBI and two runs in Tuesday's win against the Twins.

The third baseman's riding career-best marks in average, OBP and slugging, with his slash line sitting at .333/.370/.558. He's now played in a season-high 18 straight contests and seemingly has moved past the hamstring issue that sent him to the DL in late April.

Escobar is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the A's, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

He will sit for the second time in eight games since his return from a groin injury, as Eduardo Nunez takes over at shortstop. Escobar should continue to play regularly for Minnesota, but he's still without a home run through 34 games after launching 12 homers in 127 games a year ago.

Plouffe (knee) entered Monday's loss to Oakland as a pinch runner and later fouled out in his only at-bat.

Plouffe had missed three games with a sprained MCL, but it didn't appear to be an issue when he ran the bases or played third base. He's expected to return to the starting lineup Tuesday.

Plouffe (knee) is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the A's, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports.

Plouffe will sit out for the third day in a row due to the knee injury he suffered Friday. He is available off the bench Monday, however, so it seems he may not be sidelined much longer.

Valencia went 3-for-4 with two runs during Sunday's win against Detroit.

The 31-year-old has hit .256 over the past 10 games, but he went 6-for-8 over the weekend, pushing his average for the season to .325 with an .882 OPS. Valencia has been especially good against lefties, but he's proven capable of hitting righties, too, so his fantasy value remains on the rise due to his productivity coming from the cleanup spot.