MLB Player News

Royals infielder Danny Valencia underwent X-rays Monday after getting hit on the left hand by a pitch but the tests came back negative, the Kansas City Star reports.

Valencia went 1 for 2 and drove in the team's only run of the the game before being removed. He has hit .295/.342/.400 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 105 at-bats.

If you're planning to start Derek Norris, Michael Morse, Aaron Hill, Nolan Arenado, Brad Miller or Desmond Jennings in Fantasy Week 17 (July 21-27), you might want to read the latest Start and Sit Hitters.

All are considered "sits" for the upcoming scoring period.

In order to keep Arismendy Alcantara on the roster, the Cubs might be faced with a difficult decision to to demote outfielder Junior Lake or infielder Mike Olt, who are both struggling offensively, to Triple-A Iowa, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"I don’t want to speculate on any of that," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said Saturday. "They’ve been working hard. They stay positive, and they’ve been handling it extremely well. One of the things I try to talk to them about is not to focus so much on the results. I want them to focus on the at-bat."

The Phillies feel third baseman Cody Asche could make the switch to another position once prospect Maikel Franco is ready to take over at the hot corner. However, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the team isn't at that crossroad yet since they don't see Franco as being ready for the majors, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.

"He could," Amaro Jr. said of a position switch for Asche. "He's athletic enough. But there is not anyone pushing him right now. Maikel isn't pushing him."

Twins infielder Trevor Plouffe was the team's only batter to make an impact Friday, in a 6-2 loss to the Rays.

Plouffe had just one hit in the game, as he slugged a third-inning two-run home run post the team's first and only runs on the board. He finished the game 1 for 4 overall with a run scored and a strikeout.

Plouffe has seven home runs and 44 RBI on the season, while hitting .245/.317/.417 in 78 games.  

Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson didn't get his first hit until the ninth inning Friday, but made it count in a 5-4 win over the Orioles.

Donaldson went 1 for 4 in the game, but his lone hit won the game for the A's. He slugged a three-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning, erasing a two-run deficit with one swing.

Donaldson has 21 home runs in 93 games, and is just a few long balls away from his career-high mark of 24, set in 158 games a year ago. Donaldson is hitting .238/.316/.455 in 369 at-bats this season. 

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado continued his resurgence Friday, as he clubbed a late home run in a 5-4 loss to the Athletics.

Machado drove in two runs with his seventh-inning homer, to put the Orioles up, 4-2. Unfortunately, the bullpen could not make that lead stand up, as Machado's blast went to waste. He finished the game 2 for 4 with two runs driven in and one scored in the loss.

Machado has been red-hot in the month of July, hitting .486/.514/.829 with three home runs and five RBI in nine games since returning from a suspension. 

Rays infielder Evan Longoria drove in three runs Friday against the Twins.

With the bases loaded in the third inning, Longoria cleared the bases with a double to center. He also singled later in the game. Longoria finished 2 for 4, with no runs scored and three RBI. 

Brewers infielder Jean Segura is back in the starting lineup Friday against the Nationals, after he was reinstated from the bereavement list earlier in the day.  

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was reinstated from the bereavement list Friday, after he spent nearly a week away from the team dealing with a death in the family. The Brewers open a series against the Nationals Friday, though it is not yet clear if he will be in the lineup for that evening's game, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.