MLB Player News

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe had a nice night at the plate in the 5-3 win over the Royals on Saturday. Plouffe just missed hitting for the cycle, as he went 3 for4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored.

Plouffe seems to be heating up at the plate again, as he is batting .316 with a home run and five RBI over his last 10 games.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado hit his 17th home run of the season on Saturday against the White Sox.

Machado went 1 for 3 with a two-run shot in the eighth inning that tied the game at 2-2.

Machado is hitting .364 with 24 hits, six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI over his last 16 games.

Matt Williams has admitted that neither Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman (foot) nor third baseman Anthony Rendon (quad) are running yet as they try to progress in their respective rehabs from injuries, per the Washington Times.

Zimmerman has been out for four weeks. Rendon is only nine days removed from his placement on the disabled list.

Williams added that both are making progress, but it appears neither is close to returning.

Blue Jays outfielder Danny Valencia went 2 for 4 on Thursday in the 12-6 loss to the Red Sox. Valencia launched his fifth home run of the season, but it was too little, too late. The home run came in the ninth inning with the game already well out of reach.

Valencia has hit two home runs in his last 11 plate-appearances.

Phillies left fielder Cody Asche hit his fourth home run of the season during Thursday's loss to the Brewers.

Asche went 3 for 5 with two RBI. He hit a two-run blast off Brewers starter Matt Garza in the second inning.

Over his last 12 games, Asche is hitting .381 with 16 hits, two home runs and five RBI.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura went 3 for 5 with two RBI in Thursday's win over the Phillies.

Segura singled to right field in the fifth inning, bringing two runners around to score.

The three-hit performance snapped a 0-for-14 streak at the plate for Segura over his last three games.

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu is getting a rest on Thursday, as he is being held out of the starting lineup against the Diamondbacks. LeMahieu had started 34 of the last 35 games for the Rockies, and he's been struggling lately.

Over his last 10 games, LeMahieu is batting a meager .132 (5 for 38). So he'll get a day off on Thursday, with Daniel Descalso getting the start at second base. 

Pirates designated hitter Pedro Alvarez hit his 11th home run of the season in Wednesday's game over the Tigers.

Alvarez went 2 for 5 with a RBI. His solo home run came in the eighth inning off Tigers relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain.

Alvarez is hitting .370 with 10 hits, three doubles, a home run and seven RBI over his last eight games.

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson totaled three hits, including his 20th double and 19th home run, in five at-bats during an 11-2 win Wednesday against the Red Sox. He finished with two runs, two RBI and one strikeout.

Both of his RBI came on a one-out home run off of Jonathan Aro in the eighth inning. It was his second home run in four games and his fourth home run since June 1.

Donaldson is batting .283 (15 for 53) with two home runs, five doubles, six RBI, eight runs, five walks and 17 strikeouts in his last 13 games.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was held out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Phillies. It was the first time in 15 games he did not start and just the second time since coming off the disabled list May 29.

Segura is hitless in his last three games (14 at-bats). He is batting just .119 in his last 15 games, which has dropped his season average from .289 to .249.