MLB Player News

Escobar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Monday against the Athletics, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

With Escobar still recovering from the hamstring issue and Trevor Plouffe (ribs) landing on the DL, the Twins are starting to get a little thin on the left side of the infield. Fortunately, Escobar's injury is being viewed as a day-to-day concern, so there's optimism that he'll be able to return within a few days. In the meantime, the Twins may have to settle for some sub-optimal defense at third base, as Miguel Sano will man the position Monday afternoon.

Plouffe was diagnosed with a cracked rib and placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

The Twins made Plouffe a late scratch Sunday against the Rangers due to what was labeled a case of sore ribs, but a follow-up examination revealed the corner infielder was dealing with something a little more severe. There's been no timetable given yet for Plouffe's return, but the impending All-Star break at least means he won't miss as many actual games as a normal 15-day DL placement would entail. While Plouffe remains out, Eduardo Nunez could end up seeing some more time at third base, opening up more action at shortstop for Eduardo Escobar or Danny Santana.

Donaldson went 4-for-4 with two walks, four runs scored and an RBI in Sunday's 17-1 rout of the Indians.

The reigning AL MVP has a ton of momentum as the All-Star break approaches, racking up multi-hit performances in eight of his last 12 games to push his slash line on the season to .298/.410/.583. Donaldson may be slightly off his run-producing pace from last season, but his .993 OPS is actually 54 points higher than his mark from 2015.

Plouffe will undergo an evaluation on his sore ribs Monday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Sidelined both Saturday and Sunday due to a rib concern, Plouffe will be examined thoroughly to determine whether a DL stint is needed. He's contended with the occasional injury this season, but only an intercostal strain has forced a stay on the disabled list through the first three months. If he requires more time on the pine, Miguel Sano and Eduardo Nunez would be in line for additional work at the hot corner.

Duffy (Achilles) is out of his walking boot and now able to take groundballs, freelance writer Andrew Baggarly reports.

Duffy is not expected back until after the All-Star break, but it sounds like the third baseman is on the right track with his recovery. Chances are the 25-year-old will need a brief rehab assignment before returning to the Giants. Until then, Ruben Tejada and Conor Gillaspie will split reps at third base in San Francisco.

Alvarez will leave the team after Sunday's game against the Mariners and will be placed on the bereavement list, MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli reports.

Alvarez will serve as the Orioles' DH and bat seventh in the order Sunday before taking a flight to the Dominican Republic following a death in his family. The Orioles will be able to add a player to the roster while Alvarez is away, likely until Friday. With Alvarez expected to potentially miss out on a few starts this week, he's not a strong activation in most leagues.

Plouffe was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Rangers due to sore ribs, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Manager Paul Molitor was looking to give regular first baseman Joe Mauer a day off with lefty Cole Hamels starting for the Rangers, but those plans were thrown out the window when Plouffe acknowledged the injury shortly before first pitch. The Twins will likely take a day-to-day view with Plouffe's injury, making it uncertain if he'll be able to return to action in Monday's series opener with the Athletics.

Escobar (hamstring) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports.

A DL stint hasn't been ruled out for Escobar after he strained his hamstring during Saturday's game, but the Twins will wait and see how he responds to treatment before any decision is made on his status. Like Escobar, fellow reserve Danny Santana offers similar defensive versatility, so the Twins should have enough depth on hand to get by if Escobar remains unavailable for a few days.

Peterson now has a 13-game hitting streak after a 2-for-4 performance against Jose Fernandez and the Marlins in Saturday's 9-1 victory that consisted of a double, three-run homer and two runs.

Peterson has started July off with an even hotter bat than he finished June with, as he has three hits in seven at-bats over the first two games of the new month. All three of his round-trippers on the season have come during the current hitting streak, and Saturday's performance marked his sixth multi-hit effort over that span as well. Discounting one hitless outing against the Mets on June 18, Peterson has hit safely in every start since his June 10 return to the big league club from Triple-A Gwinnett.

Candelario will start at third base and bat sixth in the order Sunday against the Mets.

Called up earlier Sunday to provide some depth after Chris Coghlan (ribs) landed on the DL, Candelario will immediately slot into the lineup in what will mark his MLB debut. In order to accommodate Candelario, manager Joe Maddon will move Kris Bryant to right field, but it's uncertain if the Cubs will regularly go this route. Candelario made a compelling case for a promotion by slashing .347/.467/.625 across 90 plate appearances at Triple-A Iowa, but even with Coghlan out of the picture for playing time, the Cubs still have a wealth of options at every position. If Bryant ends up settling into right field more frequently, the team's top bench bat, Javier Baez, would probably be a more deserving candidate than Candelario to see action at third base.