MLB Player News

Since the second half began, Brewers shortstop Jean Segura is batting .242 (32 for 132), dropping his season average from .325 to .304. He also has just two RBI in his last 22 games and one home run in his last 54 games.

"I feel OK. I'm just struggling a little bit," Segura said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "At some point it's going to happen to every player in baseball. I feel OK. Just go out there and try to do the best I can. Now the team is doing well. I know it's going to come so I'll just keep grinding. I've never had a bad slump in a year. It's not easy hitting .300 in the big leagues, especially facing the same teams in our division. They've got good pitching. I'll just keep grinding and see how I finish."

Segura has appeared in 125 games and started 122 at shortstop. He also played 35 games in the Dominican Winter League and took 60 at-bats in spring training. Segura admits he's started to feel worn down.

"I could give him off days, but he doesn't really want them," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I try to give him some days here and there. He doesn't seem quite the same. I don't know if it's just fatigue. He was so hot early. I don't know, but we'll try to watch him."

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria went 3 for 4 with a double and his 27th home run in his team's 4-2 win over the Yankees Saturday. It was the second straight game in which Longoria has homered, and he's hit a total of five home runs in his last nine games.

Longoria owns a .274/.350/.521 line with 27 home runs and 69 RBI in 474 at-bats.

Some fun facts about the Orioles' Manny Machado ...

For the season, he ranks ninth at third base in Head-to-Head leagues and 10th in Rotisserie. Since July 1, however, he ranks 17th in Head-to-Head, behind Brett Wallace, a .255-hitting Pablo Sandoval and a hasn't-played-in-three-weeks David Wright, and 21st in Rotisserie, behind Juan Uribe, Donnie Murphy and Matt Dominguez. During that stretch, he's batting .240 with a .633 OPS. He has only 11 extra-base hits after having 44 previously.

No one is questioning his upside. No one would dare doubt the potential of a 21-year-old who has drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez. But I can't help but think Machado fooled Fantasy owners into believing he was closer to meeting that upside than he really was. His strong start to the season was mostly the product of a near record-setting doubles pace and a batting average too high for his poor plate discipline to sustain. Both numbers have since normalized.

I'm not saying I'd drop Machado, but I'd go with a hot-hand play like Brett Lawrie or Will Middlebrooks over him right now.

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon is not in the team's lineup against the Cubs Wednesday. 

Rendon will be replaced by Steve Lombardozzi. In 70 games, Rendon is hitting .262/.322/.403 over 263 at-bats. 

Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson connected for a two-run homer Tuesday against the Mariners. He finished 2 for 5.

Donaldson has managed two hits in three of his last four games and has at least one RBI in four straight games (seven total). He is batting .340 (16 for 47) with a .553 slugging percentage, .968 OPS, one triple, two doubles, two home runs, nine runs and 10 RBI in his last 13 games.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 31st home run Monday against the Padres.

Alvarez took Andrew Cashner deep for a solo shot in the sixth inning. He finished the game 2 for 4, with two runs and one RBI. He's hitting .234/.295/.482 in 427 at-bats. 

Orioles infielder Danny Valencia has been recalled Monday.

Valencia was sent down in early August, and didn't last long in the minors. Valencia is hitting .216/.256/.500 in 74 at-bats.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria homered in the first inning off Toronto starter Todd Redmond as Tampa Bay took on the Blue Jays Sunday. Longoria hit his 24th home run of the season.

The No. 3 hitter went deep for a solo shot with two outs in the first inning. Longoria added a double in the game and finished 2 for 3 with a walk and his 65th run driven in. Longoria is batting .272 on the season.

The 27-year-old has gone 8 for 18 in his last five games with four doubles, two homers and four RBI. Longoria has 10 extra-base hits in his last 11 games after he had just seven over his previous 33.

One of the majors best at notching multiple-hit games, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado had yet another Saturday in a win over the Rockies. Machado has three consecutive multi-hit games.

Machado has gone 7 for 15 (.467) over the three contests with a double, homer and four RBI. He went 2 for 5 in Saturday's game with his major-league leading 43rd double of the season. Machado enters Sunday third in the American League in hits with 156. He's just two behind Miguel Cabrera.

With an 0-for-3 performance Wednesday against the Padres, Rockies rookie third baseman Nolan Arenado's hitting streak came to an end at 10 games. Arenado hit .432 (16 for 37) with a .568 slugging percentage, 1.031 OPS, one triple, three doubles, five RBI and five runs during his hitting streak.

Arenado is off to a promising start in the second half. After batting .244 with a .395 slugging percentage and .678 OPS in 72 first-half games, Arenado is batting .341 with a .477 slugging percentage and .850 OPS in 25 second-half games.