MLB Player News

Giants third baseman Matt Duffy showed some power in Friday's 5-4 win over the Phillies. In four trips to the plate, Duffy recorded two hits, including a solo home run in the second inning.

The longball was Duffy's fourth of the season and it brought the Giants to within one run of the Phillies at the time. Duffy also singled and scored twice as he raised his season average up to .277.

Braves second baseman Jace Peterson had his six-game hitting streak halted Wednesday. And he is out of the lineup Friday against Pittsburgh with discomfort between his left thumb and index finger, MLB.com has reported. He will definitely sit Saturday as well and could be sidelined beyond that.

Pedro Ciriaco is set to start instead.

Peterson, who has led off in every game since May 15, has started them all since May 8. He owns a slash line of .262/.335/.337.

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman is batting in the No. 2 hole Friday for the Nationals for just the second time this season as Washington juggles its lineup in search of offense. 

Zimmerman hit second on April 27 but has spent the majority of the season in the five-hole for the Nationals. He has just four hits in his last 37 at-bats. 

"I think the top of the lineup will help because he’ll get more turnaround and have more at-bats sooner and take the pressure off hitting behind Bryce and relax," hitting coach Rick Schu said, per The Washington Post.

Anthony Rendon, fresh off the disabled list, will hit fourth, while Wilson Ramos returns from a right thumb injury to bat fifth. 

After missing the first 53 games of the season due to a left knee sprain, Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon will make his return in Thursday's game against the Cubs, the team announced.

"You can't expect him to be the catalyst, but we are glad to have him back," manager Matt Williams said about Rendon, per MLB.com. "The fact that he is physically able to play is important to us and important to him as well. So he feels good. He got some at-bats, not the ideal amount of at-bats, but nonetheless he is like what we said [Wednesday], he is a quick study."

Rendon will bat second and play second base during the game. He will face Jake Arrieta, who he is 0 for 3 against in his career.

The Nationals are favored (-111) over the Cubs on Thursday.

The Nationals announced that they have reinstated infielder Anthony Rendon to the roster from the disabled list on Thursday.  

Rendon hasn't played a game this season as he's been recovering from a left knee sprain. He also experienced a setback during his first rehab assignment where he injured his oblique. In eight games with Double-A Harrisburg, Rendon hit .250 with three doubles and three RBI. 

A year ago, Rendon hit .287 with 21 homers. 

The Nationals also recalled pitcher A.J. Cole from Triple-A Syracuse. The corresponding roster moves were optioning pitcher Taylor Jordan to Triple-A Syracuse and infielder Wilmer Difo to Double-A Harrisburg.

Giants general manager Bobby Evans revealed that he'll continue to give Matt Duffy more opportunities at third base, while Casey McGehee works on climbing back to the majors.

Duffy has been the team's regular third baseman since May 17. He is hitting .238 (15 for 63) with two homers and seven RBI over that span.

"We've given Matt Duffy a long look there and we'll continue to," Evans said, per MLB Network Radio. "There's a chance [Casey] McGehee could be back up here soon as well.

"We'll continue to monitor that, but we have fallback options in that area." 

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon played both ends of a doubleheader for Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday.

Rendon, who is working his way back from knee and oblique issues, went 2 for 7 combined in the twinbill, serving as a designated hitter in the second game. He has five rehab games in the books since May 29.

"He's done everything fine. He's turned double plays. He made a diving play up the middle the other night and threw the guy out at first. So I think with regards to his health and him playing second, he's done well," manager Matt Williams said, per the Washington Post. "If we have opportunity for him to go back over to third, that's second nature anyway, at this point. But it was important that if he is gonna play second base he gets some reps there, too. Because he didn't do it all of last year."

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon is scheduled to play nine innings at second base with Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday, MASNSports.com reports.

"He's scheduled to play nine again," Williams said. "Came out of the last one fine. Depending on rain and how the weather is then, he's scheduled for that today."

Williams didn't have a timetable for Rendon's return to the active roster but said the second baseman is progressing.

"I think he's making good progress," Williams said. "The fact that he's played those games and had no issue. Had a really good work day, we were fortunate to get his work done yesterday before the rain came. Had no problem with it and was eager to get back is a good sign. The fact that he's feeling good is a positive for us."

Rendon has yet to make his season debut due to knee and oblique injuries.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado went 2 for 4 with a two-run home run in his team's 11-4 loss to the Dodgers on Monday.

Arenado slugged a homer to center field in the fourth inning off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw that was measured at 431 feet, per Statcast. It was his third straight game with a home run, and he's managed to rack up six homers in his last eight games.

"He's staying behind the ball better than he did the last couple of years," manager Walt Weiss said after the game, per MLB.com. "We'd see him out on his front side a lot, and that's something that he and [hitting coach] Blake [Doyle] have really worked on and talk about consistently."

With his recent power stretch, Arenado looks well on his way to topping his career-high 18 homers from last season. He has hit .289/.330/.578 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI in 180 at-bats.

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon (knee, oblique) was in Washington, DC on Monday to get in a workout at Nationals Park. However, he is not ready to be activated off the disabled list.

"[His timing is] still a little off," manager Matt Williams said, per MLB.com. "He still feels like he's a touch off. But he's only had a limited number of at-bats, so the more at-bats he has, he's a fairly quick study in that regard because there aren't a whole lot of moving parts and he's short. It comes quickly for him, but it's important for him to get at-bats and keep going with it, and so he'll get more of those in the days to come."

Rendon will return to Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday to resume a rehab assignment. He needs to get more at-bats and continue to work on his timing, according to MASNsports.com.

Rendon is 2 for 11 with one double, one walk and three strikeouts in three games since resuming his rehab assignment.