MLB Player News

Duffy (back) was activated from the 60-day injured list and is starting at third base Friday versus Arizona.

Duffy has been sidelined since May 22 due to a strain in his lower back, and he'll slot into the fifth spot in the lineup in his return. Patrick Wisdom has taken over the regular role at third base with Kris Bryant shifting to left field, but Duffy should at least see semi-regular starts as a utility player.

Muncy will be placed on the paternity list Friday and miss this weekend's series against the Rockies, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Muncy's move to the paternity list was mentioned by manager Dave Roberts at the start of the week, though the slugger was able to play in four games against the Giants. The 30-year-old will be away from the Dodgers this weekend while spending time with his family, and he'll rejoin the team Tuesday in San Francisco after Monday's scheduled off day.

Arenado went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.

Arenado's third-inning blast would give St. Louis enough offense to get the win Thursday. It was the second homer in three games for the third baseman, who now has 19 long balls this year. He's posted a steady .258/.310/.493 slash line with 59 RBI, 45 runs scored and a stolen base through 393 plate appearances.

Longoria (shoulder) is working through a hitting progression and has begun other baseball activities, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports.

Longoria was transferred to the 60-day injured list in mid-July, which means he will be out until at least early August. An activation when first eligible appears to be a possibility, and he could begin a rehab assignment before the end of the month.

Chicago won't activate Duffy (back) from the 60-day injured list Thursday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Duffy looked on track to return from the IL for Thursday's series finale in St. Louis, and though he hasn't suffered any sort of setback, the Cubs will instead wait at least one more day to reinstate him. Rather than bringing back Duffy, the Cubs called up reliever Trevor Megill from Triple-A Iowa to fill the opening on the active roster created by infielder Sergio Alcantara's demotion. Once activated, Duffy will likely be relegated to a utility role in the infield, though he could settle into a near-everyday role in the event Kris Bryant's hamstring injury forces him to the IL.

Maton (finger) was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday.

Maton has been dealing with a laceration on his right middle finger for nearly a week, and he hasn't recorded any plate appearances since suffering the injury. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available for the minor-league club right away, but Odubel Herrera (ankle) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Segura went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and a walk Wednesday against the Yankees.

Segura led off the game by slugging his fifth home run of the season. It was his second homer in his last eight games, though prior to this stretch he had gone 29 games without a long ball. Even so, he's found other ways to be productive this season, most notably by maintaining a .312/.367/.446 line and also by chipping in six steals across 287 plate appearances.

Muncy (shoulder) is starting at second base and batting second Wednesday versus the Giants, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The 30-year-old exited Tuesday's contest with a bruised right shoulder, but the injury won't keep him out of the lineup Wednesday. Despite his return, Muncy's availability for the immediate future remains somewhat up in the air, as he could move to the paternity list any day now with his wife due to give birth to the couple's child.

Machado is out of the lineup for the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader with Atlanta.

After starting at third base and going 1-for-3 with a walk in the Padres' 3-2 win in the opening game of the day, Machado will receive a breather for the nightcap. Ha-Seong Kim checks in for Machado at the hot corner.

Hayes will start his third straight game Wednesday afternoon against the Diamondbacks.

The third baseman, who did not start two of four games in the last series, is slashing .349/.429/.512 with four doubles and a homer in his last 49 plate appearances. He has eight hits (all singles) in his last seven games, lifting his average 30 points -- from .245 to .275 -- since July 4.