MLB Player News

Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar pinched hit Saturday and stayed in the game for another at-bat, striking out both times. 

Escobar was left out Saturday's starting lineup after taking a pitch off his big toe in Friday's game.

Josh Donaldson's solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning broke a 5-5 tie and gave the Blue Jays a walk-off win over the Braves on Saturday.

That is Donaldson's fourth walk-off home run over the last two seasons -- more than 23 teams have in that span.

'"As a baseball player, as any competitor, you enjoy moments where you can win the game for your team," Donaldson said.

"Not everybody can do that," manager John Gibbons said after Donaldson crushed a 1-0 changeup from Braves reliever Sugar Ray Marimon. "Donaldson is one of those guys. He's so focused, he's not just up there swinging ... He has a plan."

The Twins gave Trevor Plouffe the afternoon off after his heroic performance the previous night, per MLB.com. Plouffe belted a walkoff home run in the 11th inning to take down the Indians, 3-2. Utility man Eduardo Nunez will get the start and hit eighth for Minnesota against Danny Salazar.

Friday's home run was Plouffe's fifth hit of the season. He is hitting .143/.231/.343 with two homers and two RBI over 39 plate appearances.

Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar was not included in Saturday's lineup against the Indians. per MLB.com.

Escobar took a Corey Kluber pitch off his left big toe in the eighth inning of Friday's 3-2 over Cleveland. Although he was spotted limping at the clubhouse on Saturday, he told reporters he's healthy enough to play, per the St. Paul Pioneer-Press.

"I'm fine. I can play," Escobar said.

The Blue Jays moved Josh Donaldson to designated hitter and included Danny Valencia and Steve Tolleson in the lineup Saturday afternoon against Braves left-hander Alex Wood, according to the Toronto Star. Donaldson remained in his normal No. 2 hole, while Valencia will bat fifth and Tolleson eighth.

Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar was hit by a pitch on his foot, which forced him to leave Friday's win over Indians, reports MLB.com.

Escobar was hit by Corey Kluber during the eight inning of the game and he was replaced by pinch-runner Shane Robinson.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe broke a 3-all tie in the bottom of the 11th inning Friday with a walk-off home run to sink the Indians.

The game had been tied at 3 since the sixth inning.

Evan Longoria is in the Rays' lineup against the Yankees as a designated hitter, according to the Tampa Bay Tribune. 

Longoria was hit by a pitch in Thursday night's 4-2 win against the Blue Jays. He was forced to leave the game after a pitch from Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada plunked him in the left hip. Following the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash said Longoria would be day-to-day. 

Longoria said he feels fine and could return to third base on Saturday. 

Logan Forsythe will fill in defensively for Longoria at third base. 

When the Twins and Indians open a three-game series Friday, Cleveland will be sending ace Corey Kluber to the mound. Twins DH Kennys Vargas and third baseman Trevor Plouffe have fairly good history against the 2014 AL Cy Young award winner.

Vargas went 4 for 11 (.364) with one double, one home run and two RBI against Kluber last season, while Plouffe is batting .360 (9 for 25) with one double, two home runs and seven RBI in his career against Kluber.

Kluber is 4-2 with a 4.01 ERA in 10 career starts against the Twins. He went 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts against the AL Central foe last season and is 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA in five starts at Target Field.

Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia was given a day of rest against Royals left-hander Jason Vargas on Thursday. Arcia is a .221 lifetime hitter against southpaws and has just one hit in his first eight at-bats against left-handed pitching.

Manager Paul Molitor inserted switch-hitter Eduardo Escobar to play left field and bat seventh in the order. Molitor wants to see more consistency out of Arcia before he starts facing more lefties, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

"I'd like to see his at-bats pick up in terms of consistency, and I think the best chance to do that right now is against right-handers in the short term," Molitor said.