MLB Player News

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon is expected to play in a simulated game on Monday and play 3-4 innings, according to MLB.com.

Rendon, who is currently on the 15-day DL with knee and oblique injuries, was able to participate in batting practice on Saturday. He has taken part in baseball activities, but this will be his first game action since suffering the injuries. Rendon is yet to play this season after posting a .287 average with 21 home runs and 83 RBI in 2014.

After playing both games of Saturday's doubleheader, Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is getting the day off on Sunday against the Giants. 

Brandon Barnes will fill in for Gonzalez and bat sixth. 

Infielder DJ LeMahieu is also getting the day off. Daniel Descalso will play second base instead. Ben Paulsen is filling in for Wilin Rosario, who also has the day off. 

Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki was out of the starting lineup on Sunday. Suzuki was replaced by Chris Herrmann, who gets his ninth start behind the plate. 

Shortstop Danny Santana also misses a start. He's replaced by Eduardo Escobar for the fifth time this season. 

Right fielder Torii Hunter also gets a day away from the field, starting at DH.

Athletics third baseman Brett Lawrie is out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. 

Lawrie has missed the time due to overall soreness. He's replaced at third by Max Muncy, who gets his fourth time this year. 

Blue Jays DH Jose Bautista received a cortisone shot in his shoulder, per Toronto's 590 AM. Bautista is out of the lineup Sunday and will likely miss Monday as well. 

Edwin Encarnacion moves to DH from first base to replace Bautista, with Justin Smoak getting the start at first. 

Munenori Kawasaki also gets his second start of the year second base, replacing Steve Tolleson. 

Danny Valencia also gets a rest. Chris Colabello moves over from right field to left to replace him. Ezequiel Carrera replaces Colabello in right. 

First baseman Pedro Alvarez and second baseman Neil Walker are both out of the Pirates' Sunday lineup. 

Alvarez is replaced by Sean Rodriguez, who gets his second start of the year at first base. Rodriguez will hit sixth.

Walker's absence requires shifts at all other infield positions. Josh Harrison moves over from third place to replace Walker at second. Jung Ho Kang moves to third from shortstop, and Jordy Mercer returns to the lineup at short, for just the second time in eight games. 

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura is expected to be activated from the disabled list by this Friday's game against the Diamondbacks, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. 

Segura, who has a broken finger, has an MRI scheduled for Monday to determine whether his injury has healed or not. The expectation is that he'll be good to go. It hasn't been decided whether Segura will have a brief minor-league rehab assignment or not. 

"I think we're down to days with them," said manager Craig Counsell. "I'm optimistic. They're taking big steps at this point, which is what you want to see. You kind of see the light here with both of those guys."

In 34 games, Segura is slashing .262/.306/.373. 

Two regulars are not in the starting lineup for the Indians' game on Sunday. 

Center fielder Michael Bourn gets a rest after five straight starts in center. He's replaced by Michael Brantley, who gets his sixth start in center. 

Jose Ramirez sits after 12 straight starts at shortstop. Mike Aviles replaces him, batting ninth. 

Braves second baseman Jace Peterson went 2 for 6 at the plate in Atlanta's 3-2 win over the Brewers on Saturday in 11 innings. 

Peterson was just 1 for 5 before stepping to the plate in the 11th with runners on second and third. He ripped the first pitch he saw from Brandon Kintzler into left center field to score the game-winning run for Atlanta. 

"[Peterson] had a great at-bat," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez to MLB.com. "First pitch, got him. Base hit. When you play that long, especially at home, it's nice to win those games."

Peterson is now hitting .264 with 18 RBI in 129 at-bats this season.

"I was trying to be aggressive," Peterson said. "Trying to get a fastball, and he threw it first pitch, so I was just trying to get a base hit and trying to get the run in."

Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez launched his eighth home run of the season in the 8-2 victory over the Mets on Saturday. Alvarez, who also had an RBI-double on the afternoon, hit his solo home run in the bottom of the first off Matt Harvey, giving his club an early 3-0 lead. 

This was his third home run over his last 10 games, but is still sporting a low .233 batting average on the season. 

“It’s always good when Pedro drives in a couple runs in a game,” manager Clint Hurdle said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Usually works out well for us.”