MLB Player News

The Brewers are throwing a skeleton lineup at the host Cubs on Thursday afternoon. Standouts Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Jean Segura are all out of the lineup.

Braun has been slumping with just five hits in his last 34 at-bats and no home runs since July 24. Segura has also struggled recently to the tune of a 3-for-18 slide and no extra-base hits since Aug. 2. Ramirez is batting .200 in his last five games.

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu went 2 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 5-3 loss to the Padres Wednesday.

LeMahieu was 0 for 10 in his last three games before breaking through Wednesday. His last extra-base hit came back on July 25, while his last home run was all the way back on July 1. LeMahieu has hit .264/.318/.339 with four home runs, 30 RBI and eight stolen bases in 375 at-bats.

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon hit his 16th home run Tuesday against the Mets.

Rendon struck in the sixth inning. He worked a six-pitch at-bat, homering on a 79 mph slider. It was his only hit of the game. Rendon finished 1 for 5, with one run scored and one RBI. 

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado went 2 for 3 with a double, a home run and three RBI in his team's 14-4 loss to the Diamondbacks Saturday.

Arenado doubled in a run in the top of the first inning to put his team on the board, and he added another RBI on a third-inning sacrifice fly to give the Rockies a 3-1 lead. The game got away from Colorado after that, but the third baseman still managed to deliver an eighth-inning solo home run. Arenado has hit .288/.322/.489 with 11 home runs and 46 RBI in 309 at-bats.

The Pirates will experiment with playing Pedro Alvarez at first base for the remainder of the season, manager Clint Hurdle told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Saturday.

Alvarez has been taking grounders at first base, and has agreed to the experiment. He could see time at third base as well, though Gaby Sanchez has also begun taking grounders at third to increase the team's overall versatility.

Alvarez has never appeared at first base in his major-league career, but is making the move to first after racking up a career-high 23 throwing errors in just 105 games. 

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon got his team back in a game Friday night in Atlanta that it eventually lost.

Rendon ripped a three-run homer in the sixth inning to close the gap to 7-4. He has nine hits in his last 31 at-bats with two homers and eight RBI.

The Giants recalled infielder Matthew Duffy Friday after placing Brandon Belt on the seven-day disabled list.

Duffy was optioned to the minors Thursday, but he'll come right back to the active roster in the wake of the Belt injury. He is 1 for 10 in three games with the big-league club.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez took some grounders at first base before Friday's game, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Alvarez has ben supplanted as the starter at third base, but he may be able to see some time at first if he can handle the position defensively. Ike Davis, the primary option at first base, is also a left-handed batter, however, so it's unlikely Alvarez would play at first base in a strict platoon role.

Brewers second baseman Jean Segura will not get a chance to maintain his hot streak Friday night against the Dodgers. He's out of the lineup in favor of Elian Herrera.

Segura has 10 hits in his last 28 at-bats, but with only one run scored and one RBI during that stretch.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has been activated off the bereavement list. He will return as the backup to Josh Harrison.

Alvarez has not had a multi-hit game since June 29 and has struggled mightily in the field as well, particularly with his throwing accuracy.