MLB Player News

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is expected to have a hearing Wednesday to appeal his five-game suspension, a source told The Baltimore Sun. Machado could know if his suspension gets reduced before Friday's doubleheader.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he expects third baseman Trevor Plouffe (left rib inflammation) and infielder Eduardo Nunez (hamstring) to be ready to come off the 15-day disabled list after the team finishes a six-game road trip June 29, per MLB.com.

"I don't know if they're even going to need rehab," Gardenhire said. "When we get back from this trip, they should be both ready. Whether they're going to rehab or not, we're not decided yet."

The Royals activated third baseman Danny Valencia (hand, wrist) from the 15-day disabled list, and he's in the lineup batting seventh Sunday against the Mariners and lefty Roenis Elias. Royals manager Ned Yost said Valencia will play against "most lefties."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said third baseman Trevor Plouffe (oblique) and left fielder Eduardo Nunez (hamstring) are healing well, reports the St. Paul Pioneer Press. They're on track to return from the disabled list early next month, during a seven-game homestand that starts June 30.

A five-game hitting streak heading into Friday night indicated that Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson had emerged from a long slump. His three-run homer in the first inning clinched it.

Donaldson gave his team a 3-0 lead with the blast. He added a walk later in the game, which he finished with a fine .490 slugging percentage.

Twins infielder Trevor Plouffe's recovery from an oblique strain is going as well as expected so far, according to MLB.com.

Plouffe told reporters Friday he is already feeling better five days after being placed on the disabled list. He remains hopeful he can return from the disabled list as soon as the minimum 15 days pass. 

Royals infielder Danny Valencia began his minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Omaha, as he works his way back from a hand injury.

Valencia started at third base for the Storm Chasers, going 2 for 4 at the plate. He added a walk and drove in one run on a solo home run in his return to action. 

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado will stay with the team through the weekend, as he continues to wait on an appeal hearing for his suspension.

According to MASNSports.com, Machado's hearing will come after the team's upcoming series in New York. That means he will not begin serving his suspension until at least Monday against the White Sox, when the Orioles return from a road trip. 

Even with a slow start to his season, Evan Longoria ranks seventh among third basemen in standard Head-to-Head leagues and ninth in Rotisserie leagues. Among a relatively weak crop of third basemen, those rankings are not so impressive, but Longoria appears to be well on his way to re-establishing himself as an elite at the position.

Longoria has been missing power for most of this season, as he is slugging just .401, but as his flyball rate has increased in recent weeks, so has his rate of extra-base hits. He has hit a home run and two doubles over his last three games, and over his last 21 games, Longoria has posted a .275/.363/.475 slash line.

The one area where Longoria may not improve much is run production, as the Rays' lineup as a whole has struggled. That could prevent him from scoring or driving in more than 80 runs, and for that reason, I have dropped him from second to fourth in my third baseman rankings.

Stil, with improved plate discipline and no erosion in his contact rate, all Longoria needed was more power to approach his prior form and value. His year-to-date stats are still mediocre, so now is a good time to try to buy Longoria at a discount, before his numbers start to reflect his rebound.

The Athletics dropped slumping third baseman Josh Donaldson to sixth in the batting order Sunday. He's mired in a 2-for-40 skid.

"It's just a little bit of a change of scenery, which you do from time to time just to mix things up," manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com. "I talked to him about it [Saturday] night so he was aware. But he hits two, three and four for us, and it won't be long before he's back."

It was Donaldson's first time batting sixth since Aug. 19, 2013. He went 1 for 4 with an RBI, and is hitting .250 with 17 homers and 51 RBI.