MLB Player News

The Pirates managed to score five runs on just five hits Wednesday against the Cubs, and they all came on solo home runs.

Third baseman Pedro Alvarez got the scoring started with his fifth-inning shot, and he followed that up with one more in the ninth. The Pirates also got a two home-run game out of catcher Russell Martin, while Travis Snider added his own longball in the 7-5 loss.

Alvarez now has four home runs on the season, while Snider and Martin both went deep for the first time in Wednesday's game. 

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu went 3 for 4 with two runs, three RBI and his first stolen base of the season in his team's 10-4 win over the White Sox Wednesday.

LeMahieu smacked an RBI double in the sixth inning and drove two more home with a single in the eighth. He has hit .286/.364/.321 with six RBI in 28 at-bats.

Phillies third baseman Cody Asche is not in Wednesday's starting lineup due to a minor hamstring injury, MLB.com reports.

Manager Ryne Sandberg says the injury isn't serious, so Asche should be ready to return to the lineup within a day or two. He has hit .273/.360/.455 with one home run and three RBI in 22 at-bats.

The Nationals got a boost from infielder Anthony Rendon Tuesday, who accounted for most of the team's offense in a 5-0 win over the Marlins.

Rendon drove in three runs in the game, though all ended up being just insurance runs late. He drove in one in the sixth inning on a single, and then brought two more around with a double in the eighth.

Rendon raised his batting average to .407 with his 2-for-4 performance, while upping his RBI total to eight through seven games.  

Even after a two-hit performance Monday at Minnesota, which included his first double, Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson expressed disappointment with his slow start. He's batting just .161 through seven games.

"I don’t feel good at the plate right now," Donaldson said after Monday's game, per Bay Area News. "I’m trying to battle through it. My problem right now is with my contact point. I’m catching the ball in front or too deep. It’s been a little frustrating. But so far we haven’t played a lot of games."

The good news is that Donaldson was batting just .120 through seven games last season and finished the year with a breakout campaign. Manager Bob Melvin said Donaldson's double to right-center Monday is a good sign.

"He’s at his best going to right-center like that," Melvin said.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is still not running the bases, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Machado was able to run on a treadmill in a pool Monday. He's coming off knee surgery. There's no timetable for Machado's return at this time. 

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria continued his recent success at the plate on Monday, recording three hits in a 4-2 loss to the Royals in Kansas City.

Longoria doubled in the second, singled in the sixth and reached on an infield single in the ninth. He finished 3 for 4, raising his batting average to .414 on the year. He has a hit in all but one of his eight games played.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (knee) will continue to go through baseball activities Sunday. If Machado checks out OK Monday, then he could progress to the next step in his rehab.

"His next step is hopefully running full speed," manager Buck Showalter said, per MLB.com. "The last thing he’s had yet to do is sprint. And to be able to do it the next day and the next day so to speak. I don’t know when that’s going to be."

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura was not in the team's starting lineup Sunday.

It's unclear whether it's a normal day of rest for Segura, or if the team is still giving him occasional off-days to rest his shoulder. Segura also had a brutal night defensively Saturday, and it's not known whether that played a role in the decision. He should return Monday.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado had a huge game Saturday, going 3 for 4 with a double, two home runs and three RBI in his team's 9-4 win over the Diamondbacks.

Arenado hit solo home runs off Arizona starter Brandon McCarthy in the fourth and sixth innings before adding a double during the two-run eighth inning. He entered play just 3 for 21 with no extra-base hits. Arenado has four more games at home before the Rockies hit the road again.