MLB Player News

Athletics first baseman Josh Donaldson went 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBI in his team's 10-0 win over the Tigers Monday.

Donaldson went back-to-back on solo home runs with cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes in the third inning, and his shot was one of five home runs in the win. He has hit .276/.370/.523 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 199 at-bats after homering in each of his last two games.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe hit a 443-foot solo homer in the first inning of Monday's 7-2 loss to the Rangers. It was Plouffe's fourth homer, giving him 30 RBI.

He's hitting .249/.333/.422 in 185 at-bats.

Royals third baseman Danny Valencia was out of the lineup Monday for a second straight game after spraining his hand Saturday. Valencia is hitting .279 with a homer and seven RBI in 61 at-bats.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado went 1 for 2 with two walks and a solo home run in his team's 4-2 win over the Indians Sunday.

Machado broke a 2-2 tie with a home run in the fifth inning, and teammate Nelson Cruz would add his league-leading 16th home run later in the inning. The third baseman has hit .235/.290/.318 with two home runs and four RBI in 85 at-bats.

Royals third baseman Danny Valencia did not suffer a broken hand during Saturday's game against the Angels, per The Kansas City Star. He suffered a sprain and is day to day.

Valencia feared he suffered a fractured hamate bone as the led off the top of the 13th inning Saturday with a double. He was immediately lifted from the game for pinch runner Jarrod Dyson. Jimmy Paredes started at third base Sunday in Valencia's absence.

The Phillies placed third baseman Cody Asche on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a hamstring strain, the team announced. The move is retroactive to May 23.

Asche tested his hamstring with light jogging Sunday, and the team obviously didn't like the results after he showed no improvement. Asche has hit .258/.346/.425 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 120 at-bats.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, who's been bothered by a groin injury, was back in the lineup Sunday against the Indians. He's hitting .229 with a homer and three RBI in 83 at-bats.

Phillies third baseman Cody Asche is not in the lineup Sunday for the third straight day, and the team will discuss whether he needs a trip to the disabled list, MLB.com reports.

"We have to talk about it," manager Ryne Sandberg said Sunday. "That’s three days. That’ll be a discussion. We do have six bench guys. As we go forward, we’ll probably add an arm out there (in the bullpen). We need to discuss that."

Asche tested the injured hamstring with light jogging Sunday morning but didn't feel any improvement. He said Saturday that he had played through the discomfort for six or seven games with the athletic staff treating the injury, but he did not like the way things were headed, so he and the team are hoping rest will cure the issue.

Phillies third baseman Cody Asche is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.

Asche was held out of action Saturday due to lingering tendinitis in his hamstring, and he'll get another day to rest the injury. He has hit .258/.346/.425 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 120 at-bats.

Rockies infielder Nolan Arenado didn’t need X-rays to tell him he broke his finger Friday; he knew it when it happened.

"When I slid into the bag, I kind of knew I broke it. I knew right away," Arenado told MLB.com Saturday. "It didn't feel good. As I was on the base, it started tightening up, so I just had a bad feeling about it."

Arenado was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, but will likely need much more time than that before he is able to return. He will miss at least a month of a mallet fracture in his left middle finger, and might end up having to undergo surgery. He will see a surgeon in Cleveland Friday to  determine the proper course of action

"I've heard the surgery can speed up the recovery, so obviously I'm all for whatever's going to help get me out there a lot quicker," Arenado said. "So if that's going to be the key, I'm all for it. But I just want to do what I've got to do to rehab and make sure I'm 100 percent so when I come back, I'm ready to go."