MLB Player News

LeMahieu isn't starting Thursday against the Royals.

LeMahieu is getting a breather after he hit .273 with a double, three runs, two RBI, three walks and three strikeouts over the last five games. Anthony Rizzo is starting at first base while Aaron Hicks starts in center field.

Bride went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run in a win over the Astros on Wednesday.

Two games into his return from the injured list, Bride stole his first base of the season and contributed a second consecutive 1-for-3, one-run effort in the process. The rookie never recorded more than three stolen bases at any minor-league stop, however, so fantasy managers should keep expectations tempered in that regard.

Garcia was called up from Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Thursday.

Garcia will once again jump past Triple-A to join the Royals roster for the second time this year. During his previous abbreviated stint with the big club shortly before the All-Star break, Garcia appeared in only one game and struck out in his lone at-bat. Though the 22-year-old infielder is regarded as one of the Royals' top prospects, he's unlikely to see much playing time while he's up with the big club and looks to be little more than an insurance option behind fellow rookie Bobby Witt, who is day-to-day with a hamstring injury.

Mead left a game for Triple-A Durham on July 23 with an undisclosed injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

He has not been placed on the injured list, so perhaps it is a day-to-day issue. Mead, one of the best hitters in all the minors, is slashing .293/.387/.534 with 13 home runs, a 17.9 K% and a 10.9 BB% in 72 games as a 21-year-old at Double-A and Triple-A.

Candelario went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Padres.

Candelario has been locked in lately, as he's now batting .394 across his last 10 games with four home runs and 10 RBI. It looked like the 28-year-old was losing his grip on everyday duties at third base heading into the All-Star break, but he's started off the second half strongly and has likely enhanced his job security moving forward.

Devers (hamstring) took some swings in the batting cage at Fenway Park on Wednesday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Devers didn't appear to be hindered at the plate by his inflamed right hamstring, but his ability to run the bases and move laterally at third base will offer better gauges of his health once he's cleared for full baseball activities. The 25-year-old All-Star is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list as soon as Tuesday in Houston.

Burger (hand) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Burger was expected to begin a rehab assignment in mid-July but was delayed by a week and a half due to an illness. The 26-year-old has been on the injured list since July 6 due to a bone bruise in his right hand, but he seems to be on track to be activated this weekend or sometime next week.

Bride (shoulder), reinstated from the injured list earlier in the day, went 1-for-3 with a run in a win over the Astros on Tuesday.

Bride jumped right back into the starting nine in his return from the injured list, slotting in at the keystone. The rookie has a serviceable .244 average over his last 12 games, a span during which he's struck out an impressively modest 9.1 percent clip.

Jung (shoulder) is scheduled to begin playing in rehab games Thursday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League as a designated hitter, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Jung has been on the shelf since late February after requiring surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, but he's cleared a major hurdle in the recovery process over the past week by resuming live batting practice. Even though Jung's procedure was for his non-throwing shoulder, the 24-year-old still hasn't been cleared for defensive work, so he'll be limited strictly to DH duty for the start of his rehab assignment. Grant relays that the Rangers will re-evaluate Jung in the next 10 days or so before determining if he's ready to see some action in the field. Once he's activated from the minor-league 60-day injured list, Jung is eventually expected to settle back into a regular role at third base for Triple-A Round Rock.

Bregman is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Athletics.

Bregman will get a breather Wednesday after he went 2-for-17 with a double, run scored and four strikeouts over the last four games. Aledmys Diaz will start at the hot corner and bat fourth in the series finale.