MLB Player News

The hot streak that sent the numbers soaring for Braves second baseman Jace Peterson is decidedly over.

Peterson went on a 20-for-51 tear in late April and early May to catapult his average from .171 to .293 and increase his on-base percentage to .362. He has not gone into a slump, but he has certainly cooled off. Peterson has just five hits in 27 at-bats since.

His slash line is now at .269/.346/.328.

The Blue Jays got a home run each from Edwin Encarnacion and Danny Valencia in their 8-4 win over the Angels on Thursday. 

For Encarnacion, that's his 10th home run of the season. Encarnacion's shot was of the three-run variety and occurred in the bottom of the fifth inning. The homer also scored Steve Tolleson and Jose Bautista. 

This snapped a two-game hitless streak for Encarnacion. He finished the game 1 for 4 but struck out twice. He now holds a slash line of .231/.315/.455. 

Valencia hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot, which happened in the third inning. He finished 1 for 4 and is now hitting .339/.350/.508. Valencia has now recorded a hit in four consecutive games. 

After starting six straight games, Giants second baseman Joe Panik is being held out of Thursday's lineup against the Dodgers. Panik has been hitting well lately, batting .282 with two doubles and a triple over his last 10 games. 

But, with tough lefty Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers, Panik will cede the start at second base to Matt Duffy. 

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, who has started all but two games, will not be in the starting lineup against the Phillies on Thursday.

Arenado is 1 for 15 in his last four games, dropping his season line to .265/.308/.500.

Daniel Descalso, who has started everywhere on the infield this season except third base, will replace Arenado on Thursday.

Indians shortstop Jose Ramirez went 2 for 3 with two walks, two runs scored, one RBI and two stolen bases in his team's 4-3 win over the White Sox on Wednesday.

Ramirez hasn't been a force at the plate for much of the season but turned things on against the White Sox, going 5 for 10 with three walks and three stolen bases in the last three games. He broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the seventh inning and his team didn't relinquish the lead over the remainder of the game.

"He looks like he's starting to play with some confidence," manager Terry Francona said, per Northeast Ohio Media Group. "His energy rounding the bag at first ... he looks like the Jose we became really fond of last year. That's very welcome.

"His batting average (.198) is going to be low for a while, but if he starts playing like that it will give us a huge lift."

Ramirez has hit .198/.260/.261 with one home run, seven RBI and eight stolen bases in 111 at-bats.

Nationals Manager Matt Williams said infielder Anthony Rendon was able to field some grounders and take some swings in the batting cage on Wednesday, according to The Washington Post's Chelsea Janes. 

Though he was able to get some work in, Williams said he's not ready to resume rehab games just yet. 

Rendon had a setback in early May when an oblique injury occurred while rehabbing his knee. 

"His legs are in decent shape, it's not like you're not playing all winter, but nonetheless there's some start-over feel there because you have to get going again," Williams said. "There's nothing like playing games. There's nothing like getting out there in competition, so that process is underway, and we'll get him to the point where he can go out and start playing some games and see where he's at."

Rendon's absence was felt early on in the season. However, the Nationals have become scorching hot of late, winning 10 of their last 12 games. They're now in first place of the NL East.

This recent surge should allow the Nationals to exercise caution with Rendon's injuries. 

Making his third consecutive start at first base for the Athletics, Max Muncy launched a solo home run in Tuesday's loss to the Astros. The sixth-inning bomb was his second of the season and in the last three games.

Over the three game stretch, Muncy has brought his season average up from .227 to its current .286 clip. He will likely continue to get regular playing time for now with Ike Davis on the disabled list.

Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez hit a solo home run in the fourth inning of Tuesday's loss to Minnesota. 

Alvarez went 2 for 5, improving his average to .227. He homered for the seventh time and drove in his 17th run. 

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run home run in the second inning of Tuesday's win over Pittsburgh. 

Plouffe went 2 for 4 and went deep for his sixth homer of the year. He also hit his sixth double of the season and now has 20 RBI. 

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson went 1 for 3 at the plate in Toronto's 3-2 loss to the Angels on Tuesday. 

Donaldson led things off in the first with a solo home run off of Hector Santiago, his ninth of the season. He later brought home another run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Donaldson is now hitting .316 with 28 RBI in 158 at-bats this season.