MLB Player News

Farmer will start at shortstop and lead off in Wednesday's game at Atlanta.

With the Reds' normal table setter, Jonathan India, getting the day off Wednesday, Farmer will slot in atop the order for the first time all season. After largely struggling to provide an impact in an everyday role at shortstop for much of 2021, Farmer has settled into a groove at the plate since the All-Star break. Through 23 second-half contests, Farmer is slashing .380/.424/.609 with three home runs, 14 runs and 12 RBI.

Muncy went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Phillies.

Muncy's 23rd long ball of the season came in the ninth inning off reliever Mauricio Llovera and helped put an end to the Phillies' eight-game winning streak. He'll be back in the lineup for the middle game of the series Wednesday, manning first base and batting second, according to Eric Stephen of SBNation.com.

Sosa went 2-for-4 with a triple in a win over the Pirates on Tuesday.

Sosa is now 5-for-11 with Tuesday's triple and a home run over his last three starts. The 25-year-old's .254 average and .328 on-base percentage are serviceable, but the irregularity in his playing time helps cap his fantasy value overall.

Newman isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Newman will be out of the lineup for the third time in four games after he went 0-for-3 in Tuesday's loss. Hoy Park will shift to shortstop while Anthony Alford enters the lineup in left field, and Newman looks like he could be the odd man out while the Pirates remain interested in evaluating Park and Alford down the stretch.

Escobar went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Cubs in Game 2 of the doubleheader.

Escobar continues to have success with his new team, with two hits in both games of the doubleheader Tuesday. In Game 2, he drove in Willy Adames and scored on a Luis Urias single as part of a six-run fifth inning. The 32-year-old has 10 hits in his last six games, and he is batting .317 with three homers and seven RBI in 11 games with the Brewers. On the season, he is slashing .253/.309/.489 with 24 long balls, 72 RBI and 57 runs scored in 446 plate appearances.

Wisdom went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBI, a walk and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Brewers in Game 2 of the doubleheader.

Wisdom homered off John Curtiss in the fourth inning, giving the Cubs a one-run lead. He added a walk and a double that scored Matt Duffy. The 29-year-old was hitless in his last four games prior to the doubleheader Tuesday. He is slashing .267/.335/.564 with 17 home runs, 35 RBI, 35 runs and three steals in 215 plate appearances this season.

Longoria (shoulder) could be activated from the 10-day injured list as soon as Wednesday against Arizona, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Longoria has played in four games with Triple-A Sacramento since beginning a rehab assignment last Thursday. The club has yet to determine when the third baseman will be activated, and there's still a possibility he plays in more games with Sacramento before he returns to the active roster. That said, the club is at least considering reinstating Longoria in time for Wednesday's game. The 35-year-old could be in line for a reduced role when he returns from a two-month absence, as Kris Bryant will likely continue to get some of his starts at third base down the stretch.

Moustakas will remain on the bench Tuesday against Atlanta.

The Reds remain committed to platooning Moustakas and Eugenio Suarez at the hot corner. Suarez will get the start against lefty Drew Smyly on Tuesday, but Moustakas should return to the lineup Wednesday with righty Touki Toussaint lined up to start for Atlanta.

Castro will be on the bench for Tuesday's game against the Cardinals, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports.

Castro sits for just the second time in 14 games since he was called up in late July. He's shown power with five homers in his small sample of 63 plate appearances this season, but he hasn't shown much else, as his lopsided .207/.270/.483 slash line is good for a roughly average 99 wRC+. He's striking out at a perfectly acceptable 23.8 percent clip, however, so his batting average could be set to rise soon. Hoy Park will be the second baseman Tuesday.

Duffy is out of the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader with the Brewers.

Duffy had started each of the past three games at third base, going 3-for-12 with a walk, a run and a stolen base. The Cubs are deploying Frank Schwindel and Patrick Wisdom at first and third base, respectively, in the series opener with Milwaukee, and manager David Ross is expected to favor those two at the corner-infield spots for the time being. Duffy can play second base and left field, so there are other pathways to playing time.