MLB Player News

Hot-hitting Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon is grabbing some pine Wednesday against Arizona in favor of Kevin Frandsen.

Rendon has been productive and consistent since late May. He has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and owns a .276/.332/.461 stat line on the year.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado went 3 for 4 with a walk and a solo home run in his team's 7-4 loss to the Royals.

Arenado put his team ahead for the last time in the bottom of the fifth before the Royals scored six runs in the seventh and eighth innings. He's 9 for 16 with three walks and two home runs in his last four games. Arenado owns a .298/.340/.500 line with 13 home runs and 50 RBI in 342 at-bats.

Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez is unlikely to play third base again this season in anything but an emergency situation, MLB.com reports.

"Right now, I think we have a better option in Josh Harrison," manager Clint Hurdle said Tuesday. "This season, right now -- to put the best team that I can on the field every night, we have better options. We have to find [Alvarez] some at-bats. Is third base the optimum place to get them? No, it is not."

Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau (neck) and infielder DJ LeMahieu are both back in the lineup Tuesday against the Royals.

Morneau had missed the team's previous two games as a result of his injury, but is batting third and starting at first base for his return. LeMahieu had missed just the one game, and is batting eighth and playing second base Tuesday. 

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez will make his first start at first base Monday.

Alvarez has played the majority of his games at third this season. Alvarez has taken extra infield practice lately in expectation of the move. He's hitting .233/.314/.392 over 378 at-bats.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was back in the starting lineup Sunday against the Dodgers after missing one start due to a hand injury. Segura is batting .265 with one double, one RBI, one run and no stolen bases in his last 11 games.

Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau (neck) and infielder DJ LeMahieu (ankle) were held out of the starting lineup Sunday against the Reds. Morneau missed a second straight game, while LeMahieu sat out his first game.

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu is dealing with a sore ankle stemming from a takeout slide in Friday's game, MLB.com reports.

Saturday's game between the Rockies and Reds was postponed, but LeMahieu wasn't expected to play. He could miss both games of the doubleheader Sunday in order to give him three straight days to rest the injury. He has hit just .190 over the last four weeks while striking out 26 times in 91 at-bats.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was unable to return to the starting lineup Saturday.

Segura left Friday's game with a hand injury. He was considered questionable entering Saturday's game. Segura is hitting .234/.268/.318 over 415 at-bats. 

Phillies infielder Cody Asche led the charge as the Phillies mounted a come-from-behind win Friday over the Giants.

Asche tied the game late with his eighth-inning home run, a two-run shot. He got on base again in the 10th inning and ultimately came around to score the winning run, as the Phillies triumphed, 5-3. He finished the game 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two driven in.

Asche needed Friday's  game to break out of a slump, as he was just 2 for 23 over his previous seven games. He is hitting .245/.298/.384 in 302 at-bats overall.