MLB Player News

Plouffe (knee) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mariners, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

It's Plouffe's second straight absence due to the right knee injury. While he's said to be dealing with only a bruise, Plouffe isn't expected to require a stint on the DL, and may be ready to return to full-time duties at third base at some point during the Twins' series with the Athletics that begins Monday.

Valencia went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, walk and three runs scored in Saturday's 12-3 victory over the Tigers.

The 31-year-old launched a solo shot, his seventh, off Tigers starter Matt Boyd in the fourth, his first such clout since May 17. Valencia continues to punish left-handed pitching in particular, amassing a .371 average and five homers on the season against southpaws. He's hit well against all comers, however, as he's now slashing .311/.341/.521 on the season, while frequently operating out of the cleanup spot.

An MRI taken on Plouffe's right knee revealed only a bruise, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Plouffe's injury kept him out of Saturday's lineup and may prevent him from playing Sunday as well, but manager Paul Molitor does not believe he will require a stint on the disabled list, and indicated that Plouffe could return at some point during the Twins' upcoming series with the A's.

Longoria went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and four RBI against the Yankees on Saturday.

Longoria drove in a season-high mark in RBI in this game, and he looked locked in at the plate. The veteran third baseman has 12 extra-base hits during May, and he's slugging .511 over that span.

Plouffe (knee) is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mariners.

The third baseman exited Friday's contest with what was ultimately diagnosed as a sprained MCL. He'll sit out for Saturday's game, and his status heading into Sunday's matchup is uncertain. Eduardo Nunez will slide over to third base Saturday.

Machado was 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and one RBI as the Orioles defeated Cleveland on Friday night.

Just about a week ago, Machado was finishing off a mini-slump which had seen him go 2-for-24, but his bat won't stay silent for long. He's heating back up and is now hitting .323 on the season and has collected 29 RBIs.

Plouffe left Friday's game with a mild sprain of the MCL in his right knee, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

He was quietly lifted from the game in the fourth inning -- it was not obvious when he suffered the injury -- leading to speculation Plouffe may have been dealt from Minnesota. It turns out it was a knee injury that knocked Plouffe out, specifically a sprained MCL, but the "mild" classification lends some hope to Plouffe's chances of avoiding an extended absence.

Donaldson went off Friday night, going 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and five RBI as the Jays defeated Boston.

Last year's AL MVP is heating up and the Blue Jays' offense is collecting dividends. Donaldson put two in the seats, the second of which broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning, giving him 13 long ones and 29 RBI on the year. Toronto's lineup has been inconsistent over the first couple of months, but there is no question they can pile up runs in a hurry when they get hot.

Moustakas has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, Rustin Rodd of the Kansas City Star reports.

The Royals will turn to Cheslor Cuthbert and Whit Merrifield in the short term, but they might be forced to seek for a trade in the long run. Moustakas' loss is a big one for Kansas City, as the third baseman was expected to be a key part of the Royals' offense, and he hit .240 with seven homers in 104 at-bats. Outfielder Brett Eibner was recalled from Triple-A as a corresponding roster move.

Alvarez is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports.

Mark Trumbo will get the start at DH and Hyun-soo Kim will man left field, bumping Alvarez to the bench in this one. The 29-year-old is hitting just .194 with three home runs and 11 RBI on the season.