MLB Player News

The Royals activated third baseman Danny Valencia (hand, wrist) from the 15-day disabled list, and he's in the lineup batting seventh Sunday against the Mariners and lefty Roenis Elias. Royals manager Ned Yost said Valencia will play against "most lefties."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said third baseman Trevor Plouffe (oblique) and left fielder Eduardo Nunez (hamstring) are healing well, reports the St. Paul Pioneer Press. They're on track to return from the disabled list early next month, during a seven-game homestand that starts June 30.

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon went 3 for 4 with two RBI in his team's 3-0 win over the Braves Saturday.

Rendon drove home the first run of the game in the third inning with a single, and then knocked in the final run of the game with a seventh-inning double. It was his third multihit performance in his last five games. Rendon has hit .274/.333/.473 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI and five stolen bases in 277 at-bats.

A five-game hitting streak heading into Friday night indicated that Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson had emerged from a long slump. His three-run homer in the first inning clinched it.

Donaldson gave his team a 3-0 lead with the blast. He added a walk later in the game, which he finished with a fine .490 slugging percentage.

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura hits occasional home runs, but he had never slugged two in one game. That is, until Friday night in homer-happy Coors Field.

Segura slammed one solo bomb in the second inning inning and another in the third, then added an RBI single in the sixth. His three-RBI game marked his first since April 23 as he sweetened his stat line to .250/.278/.348.

Twins infielder Trevor Plouffe's recovery from an oblique strain is going as well as expected so far, according to MLB.com.

Plouffe told reporters Friday he is already feeling better five days after being placed on the disabled list. He remains hopeful he can return from the disabled list as soon as the minimum 15 days pass. 

Shelved Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado received encouraging news when X-rays on his finger came back clean. He plans on hitting next week and hopes to return to the lineup in the next few weeks, per the Denver Post.

Arenado was tearing it up before the injury that landed him on the disabled list. He had compiled a .305/.333/.489 stat line in 190 at-bats with six home runs and 28 RBI.

The Phillies have wasted no time getting third baseman Cody Asche back in the lineup upon his activation from the disabled list. He is set to start Friday night in St. Louis.

Asche, who had been out for nearly a month, hopes to pick up where he left off. He had 10 hits in his last 24 at-bats before going down to sweeten his stat line to .258/.346/.425.

The Phillies have activated third baseman Cody Asche from the disabled list after recovering from a hamstring strain. He will replace on the roster Reid Brignac, who has been placed on the DL with a left ankle sprain.

Phillies third baseman Cody Asche will come off the disabled list Friday, manager Ryne Sandberg told CSNPhiladelphia.com Thursday.

Asche was initially expected to come off the DL Thursday, but the team opted to give him one extra day. He has been on rehab assignment at Lehigh Valley while recovering from a hamstring strain.