MLB Player News

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 14th home run as part of a huge game in Tuesday's win over San Francisco.

Alvarez finished 3 for 3 with two runs and three RBI. The hulking third baseman has been hot for a solid 25 games now -- since he broke out of an 0-for-14 slump May 9, Alvarez owns a .277/.344/.639 line with nine home runs (a pace of 59 over 162 games).

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura stole two bases in the club's loss Tuesday against Miami.

Segura finished 2 for 4 with a pair of singles and a run scored. Segura is up to 19 stolen bases, good for second in the National League but still 10 behind league leader Everth Cabrera. If Segura can keep anything near his .373 OBP over the rest of the season, he'll get plenty of opportunities to keep stealing bases on a regular basis.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria struck out three times Tuesday during a win over the Red Sox. He also hit his 12th home run in the game.

Longoria went deep off Jon Lester in the fourth inning for a solo shot. He finished 1 for 4 with a walk and is batting .304.

Longoria has hit in four straight games and is 6 for 17 over that span with two homers and three RBI. He's homered in back-to-back games for the Rays.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe (calf) began a rehab assignment Monday night with Triple-A Rochester. Playing in a game against Toledo that featured Austin Jackson of the Tigers, Plouffe went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. 

Starting as the designated hitter, Plouffe also struck out as the No. 6 hitter. He has not played for the Twins since May 21 but hopes to rejoin the club when he's eligible June 13.

Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson has started all but one of 65 games this season. Manager Bob Melvin said it's been tough to take Donaldson out of the lineup.

"You can't give him a day off; he doesn't want one," Melvin said. "I keep going to him to ask if he needs a break, and he just says no."

Donaldson has earned the right to play every day by producing a .324/.521/.914 slash line through 64 games.

"I don't want days off and I don't need days off," Donaldson said. "Bob has come to me a few times now asked about me taking a day off, but I've said I'd rather not."

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria made his fourth start at DH Sunday against the Orioles, finishing 2 for 4 with one double. Longoria is batting .333 (4 for 12) with one RBI, three walks, three doubles and four runs as a DH this season.

Since having his career-best 16-game hit streak end May 24, Longoria is batting .227 (15 for 66) with one triple, one home run, four doubles and seven RBI in his last 16 games. His batting average has gone from .335 to .306 in that span.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe, on the disabled list with a calf injury, is scheduled to start his minor-league rehab assignment Monday with Triple-A Rochester, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Plouffe has not played since May 21 but hopes to rejoin the club once he's eligible June 13.

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon managed multiple hits for the second straight game during the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Twins and has hit safely in all three games since his recall from the minors. Rendon went 2 for 3 with one walk, one double and three RBI in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader.

He's batting .417 (5 for 12) with three doubles and three RBI in three games since his recall.

"He's been swinging the bat good since he's been up here," manager Davey Johnson said.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado won the game for his club with a walkoff solo home run in the ninth inning against the Padres.

Arenado also added an RBI single in the second inning and finished 2 for 5 with one run scored and two RBI in a 10-9 victory. He is hitting .471 (8 for 17) with a home run and two RBI in his last three games played. 

Athletics infielder Josh Donaldson only had one good swing Friday against the White Sox, but he made it count. Donaldson accounted for the entirety of the team's offense in a 4-3 win, with a sixth-inning grand slam.

Donaldson finished the game 1 for 4 with four RBI. He has 41 RBI in just 231 at-bats this season after putting up 33 in 274 at-bats a year ago.