MLB Player News

Davis was called up from Triple-A Fresno on Friday.

As expected, Davis will join the big-league team after the Astros optioned Tyler White to the minors prior to the All-Star break. Davis will likely serve as Yulieski Gurriel's backup while also sprinkling in some time in left field. Across 15 games with Houston this year, Davis has hit .219/.375/.438 with two home runs and three RBI.

Duffy was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Marlins with back spasms, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Duffy was also a late scratch in the final game before the All-Star break, though that was due to an ankle injury. Daniel Robertson will slide over to third base, with Adeiny Hechavarria coming into the lineup as a shortstop.

Duffy (ankle) will start at third base and bat second against Miami on Friday, Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

It appears as though Duffy is fully healed from a right ankle injury that he suffered during Saturday's game against the Twins. Across 80 games this year, Duffy has slashed .317/.371/.413 with four home runs, 27 RBI and seven stolen bases.

Davis is likely to be called up to Houston on Friday, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic Houston reports.

The Astros sent Tyler White down before the break and will need to make a corresponding move before play resumes Friday. Davis has been out of the lineup for Triple-A Fresno since Tuesday, possibly in order to give him a break before joining the big-league club. In a pair of brief stints in the majors earlier this season, Davis has hit .200/.321/.267 in 17 games.

Paredes was promoted to Double-A Erie on Thursday.

Paredes had been in a constant groove with High-A Lakeland since the beginning of June, hitting .307 with a .915 OPS, eight home runs and 23 RBI over those 39 games. The 19-year-old shortstop will now get his first crack at the Double-A level. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, expect Paredes to finish out the 2018 campaign with Erie.

The Orioles and Dodgers are nearing an agreement to send Machado to the Dodgers, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Rosenthal reported earlier Tuesday that it was "increasingly likely" Machado would be dealt to the Dodgers, and the two sides seem to have gained ground in trade talks. The main return for the Orioles appears to be outfielder Yusniel Diaz -- currently at Double-A Tulsa -- but some question marks remain about additional players and potential cash involved. Nothing is official at this point, but the two sides will likely reach a deal before the second half of the season begins later this week.

It is "increasingly likely" that Machado will be traded to the Dodgers in the coming days, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

According to Rosenthal's report, Machado, who is starting at shortstop and hitting seventh in Tuesday's All-Star game, will be headed to Los Angeles, barring a last-minute snag in negotiations and/or medicals. The Orioles have had a top scout sitting on the Dodgers' affiliates in recent days, but it is unclear which prospects are likely to be headed back to Baltimore. For fantasy purposes, this would represent a major upgrade in lineup and a downgrade in home ballpark, and this possible swap would greatly impact AL-only and NL-only leagues, as Machado would be the season's top FAAB target in NL-only formats if this deal goes down.

Madrigal was promoted to Low-A Kannapolis on Monday.

While Madrigal didn't excel during his five-game stint in the Arizona League with a 2-for-13 showing at the dish, his outstanding production during his college career at Oregon State ensured it wouldn't be long before he moved up to a full-season affiliate. The fourth overall pick is being developed as a shortstop for now, though it's likely the 21-year-old will ultimately end up at the keystone due to his lack of a powerful arm.

Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run Sunday in the Indians' 5-2 win over the Yankees.

Ramirez enters the All-Star break with 29 home runs and 20 steals, clinching the first 20-20 campaign of his career. He became only the fifth player in MLB history to tally 25 homers and 20 stolen bases in the first half, joining a select group that includes Bobby Bonds, Eric Davis, Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano.

Chapman went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a run in a win over the Giants on Sunday.

The 25-year-old went hitless in his first two games after returning from a hand injury earlier this month, but he's hit .289 (11-for-38) with five doubles, three RBI, three walks and eight runs over the 43 plate appearances encompassing his subsequent 10 contests. From a seasonal perspective, Chapman hasn't been quite as productive in certain categories during the first half as he was in almost the same number of plate appearances in his rookie 2017 campaign. However, a near five-point reduction in strikeout rate (28.2 percent to 23.6 percent) has helped produce a 16-point boost in average to .250, along with a 29-point increase in on-base percentage to .342.