MLB Player News

Ramirez went 3-for-6 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI in the Indians' 15-3 rout of Oakland on Sunday.

After launching his 24th long ball of the season on Saturday, Ramirez followed up with yet another stellar performance with this three-hit effort to help the Indians to the mammoth victory. He's been spectacular again in 2018 coming off his breakout campaign of last season, as Ramirez now sports a truly elite .295/.399/.607 slash line through 308 at-bats. He's also been running wild on the basepaths recently, with six steals in his last 12 games to give him 14 on the season -- a trait that solidifies his status as one of the most valuable assets in fantasy.

Duffy went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a strikeout in Sunday's victory over the Astros.

Duffy drove in a pair on a two-RBI single in the seventh inning, handing the Rays a 2-1 lead. He's now recorded a base hit in 10 straight games and has three RBI and two doubles over that span. Duffy is batting .321 with four homers and six stolen bases through 67 games this season.

Machado went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's series finale against the Angels.

Machado went deep in the fourth inning against Deck McGuire as he spotted the Orioles with an early 2-1 lead. Machado has hit safely in each of his last five games, totaling two homers and four RBI over that span. Machado will look to keep it rolling at the plate as Baltimore travels to Philadelphia for a two-game set starting Tuesday.

Asuaje was recalled from Triple-A El Paso and will start at second base and bat sixth Sunday against the Pirates.

Asuaje assumed the active roster spot of outfielder Matt Szczur, who was designated for assignment. After losing out on his starting role at the keystone and being banished to the minors in late May, Asuaje caught fire at the plate, slashing .338/.408/.492 across 149 plate appearances with El Paso. Though he'll receive the starting nod Sunday, Asuaje may have to settle for a backup role behind Jose Pirela on most occasions.

Muncy will start at second base and bat second in Sunday's game against the Rockies. Manager Dave Roberts relayed that Muncy will serve as the Dodgers' primary option at the keystone against right-handed pitching, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Muncy has seen most of his action at the corner-infield spots this season, but Roberts believes that having Cody Bellinger at first base and Justin Turner at third base is the optimal setup for the Dodgers. That won't result in Muncy being phased out of the lineup, however, as the 27-year-old's unexpected excellence at the plate this season will allow him to retain a regular role at second base, a position where he possesses limited familiarity. Roberts is apparently willing to live with Muncy's lackluster defense due to the significant offensive upgrade he'll provide over Logan Forsythe, who projects to man the keystone primarily against left-handed pitching. The third man on the depth chart, Chase Utley, is only expected to garner one start per week at the position.

Chapman (hand) will make a rehab appearance at High-A Stockton on Monday and is expected to be activated from the 10-day disabled list ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the Padres, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Chapman was able to complete batting practice Sunday without incident, so he'll test himself in a more competitive setting Monday. If all goes well, Chapman should be cleared to rejoin the Athletics and take back his start as the team's everyday third baseman, resulting in Franklin Barreto losing out on a regular spot in the lineup while Jed Lowrie shifts back to the keystone. Chapman, who has been sidelined for just over two weeks with the sore right hand, was hitting .250 with 10 home runs across 280 plate appearances prior to being shut down.

Duffy went 3-for-4 with two runs in a win over the Astros on Saturday.

Duffy capped a terrific June with his 10th multi-hit effort of the month. The infielder slashed .340/.394/.490 over 109 plate appearances while compiling 10 extra-base hits (seven doubles, one triple, two home runs). The 27-year-old continues to put up a career-best slash line and remains one of the Rays' most consistent offensive forces.

Valencia is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels.

Valencia gets a breather after going hitless in 10 at-bats over his past three starts. Jace Peterson gets the nod in right field and will bat ninth against Angels right-hander Deck McGuire.

Moncada was thrown out at home plate in the first inning Saturday during a play on which manager Rick Renteria feels the infielder didn't go all-out, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "If you're asking me if he gave his best effort, no he did not," Renteria said.

The White Sox have had a few incidents this season where a player's hustle has been questioned, but Renteria chose not to punish Moncada by removing him from the game as he had done previously with others. Still, it's another reminder of the young player's worse-than-expected performance (.692 OPS, 35.6 K%, .955 fielding percentage) in 2018.

Asuaje will be recalled from the minors prior to Sunday's series finale against the Pirates, MLB.com's AJ Cassavell reports.

Asuaje earned the callup after slashing .338/.408/.492 over 35 games with Triple-A El Paso. The 26-year-old added third-base eligibility to his resume in the minors, and he figures to serve in a backup role at the keystone and the hot corner once he joins the big club. Matt Szczur will be designated for assignment in order to make room for Asuaje on the 25-man roster.