MLB Player News

With Kelly Johnson on the disabled list, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez opted to move Nick Markakis from the leadoff spot to the cleanup spot for Friday's contest against the Marlins, according to MLB.com. Jace Peterson was inserted to the top of the order.

Markakis is hitting .302 (38 for 126) with no homers and 10 RBI in 33 games this season.

Atlanta is an underdog (+119) at Miami, per VegasInsider.com.

After all the major roster changes Padres general manager A.J. Preller made this offseason, it will be interesting to see what, if any, mid-season moves he makes.

CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman is reporting that the Padres would be interested in Brewers shortstop Jean Segura if the team made him available, though that seems unlikely at this point. 

The Padres currently have Alexi Amarista installed as their regular shortstop, but he has not hit well this year and the team views him more as a utility-type player. And as we saw this past winter, with Preller, just about anything seems possible.

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon is on his way to Viera (Fla.) Thursday to begin baseball activities at the team's spring training facility, MLB.com reports.

Rendon will take it slowly after having to previously start and stop his rehab. He opened the season on the disabled list due to a knee injury then suffered an oblique strain during his previous rehab assignment. The infielder will start taking light grounders at Viera while also throwing and doing light work in the batting cage.

"In recent days, he has been doing strengthening with our physical therapist," manager Matt Williams said. "Now he is going to be off to Florida to start that progression with baseball. So it's a good sign. He feels good to get to the baseball part of it, which is really important stuff for him. It will be a slower process for him. At least he will get a chance to do some stuff."

The Brewers have placed shortstop Jean Segura on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 13, with a fractured pinky finger, the team announced Thursday. 

The team will call up infielder Luis Sardinas from Triple-A on Friday to take Segura's spot on the roster. 

It is not know how Segura fractured the finger or if he is expected to be out more longer than the minimum 15 days. 

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen is not in Thursday's lineup against the Phillies. More than likely, this is just a day off for the veteran. 

After a cold start in April, McCutchen has seen his batting average rise as he's recorded hits in seven of his last eight games. 

Outfielder Gregory Polanco is back in the lineup and hitting first. First baseman Pedro Alvarez is hitting fifth. Third baseman Jung Ho Kang is hitting sixth and catcher Chris Stewart is batting ninth. 

Brewers leadoff hitter and infielder Jean Segura was scratched with soreness in his right pinky finger on Wednesday against the White, per the team's official website. With Segura sidelined, manager Craig Counsell moved Elian Herrera to the leadoff spot. Scooter Gennett was also included in the lineup at the No. 8 spot.

Segura is hitting .262 (33 for 126) with two homers and 12 RBI this season.

Milwaukee is favored (-125) at home against Chicago, per VegasInsider.com.

Giants second baseman Joe Panik is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game aginst the Astros. With a left-hander on the mound for Houston, manager Bruce Bochy decided to give the lefty-swinging Panik a day off after starting 10 straight games.

Matt Duffy, who is riding a six-game hitting streak, is playing second base while batting second in the lineup. 

With a left-hander on the mound Wednesday, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has juggled his lineup for the matchup against the Phillies.

Left-handed batters Gregory Polanco and Pedro Alvarez are out of the lineup, while Corey Hart covers right field and Sean Rodriguez handles first base. Josh Harrison will move up to the leadoff spot in the order.

Second baseman Neil Walker is sliding down to the seventh spot in the lineup. This is the first time all season he has hit lower than sixth in the order.

Giants third baseman Matt Duffy provided the bulk of the offense at the plate during Tuesday's win over the Astros.

Duffy ripped a bases-clearing double in the third inning off Colin McHugh and singled in two runs in the fifth. He added another single and finished 3 for 4 with five RBI in an 8-1 victory. He is hitting .300 (21 for 70) with a home run, 15 RBI and a .333 on-base percentage this season.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that although he's starting Matt Duffy Tuesday at third base, Casey McGehee, the team's regular third baseman, has not been benched, reports MLB.com.

Casey McGehee has started 23 of the Giants' 32 games this year at third, including all three of their weekend seris against the Marlins.

Duffy has served as a utility infielder for the Giants this season, starting games at all four infield positions this year.

In 84 at-bats, McGehee is hitting .179 with two homers, three doubles and seven RBI.