MLB Player News

Bregman (elbow) will serve as the Astros' designated hitter and leadoff batter in Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Bregman will return to the lineup for the first time in a week, as he had been on the bench for each of the past five games while dealing with swelling on the back of his right elbow. General manager Dana Brown said earlier Wednesday that Bregman could play third base if needed, but the Astros will ease him back in a non-defensive role in his first game since Aug. 14. Bregman had typically served as the Astros' No. 2 hitter prior to suffering the injury, but he'll move into the leadoff spot Wednesday while normal table setter Jose Altuve gets a day off.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said in a radio appearance with SportsTalk 790 Houston that Bregman (elbow) is expected to be back in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Red Sox as the team's designated hitter.

Brown added that Brown could play "third base if we needed him," but the club will ease him back in at DH as he returns from swelling in his right elbow. Bregman has been out of the lineup for the past five contests while dealing with an elbow issue that popped up when he slept on it awkwardly.

Muncy went 1-for-2 with a solo homer, two walks and two runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Mariners.

Muncy has homered in both games since returning from a stint on the injured list with a right oblique strain, and he showcased his patient eye at the plate with two walks Tuesday night. The 33-year-old is hitting .228/.331/.510 with 11 homers, 31 RBI, 27 runs and a 23:51 BB:K in 175 plate appearances.

Machado went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's win over the Twins.

Machado's lone hit of the night was a big one, as he brought the Padres level in the seventh with a two-run blast and also forced Bailey Ober out of the game. He's now reached 20 home runs for a ninth consecutive season (not including the shortened pandemic season) and is six homers away from being the Padres' all-time leader in home runs. Machado is slashing .269/.319/.450 with 43 extra-base hits, 73 RBI, 61 runs, six steals and a 34:96 BB:K in 496 plate appearances this year.

Marte started at third base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Tuesday's 10-3 loss to Toronto.

Marte tied the game in the second inning after the Blue Jays jumped to an early lead. The third baseman returned to the lineup after sitting out the previous two games. The drop in playing time is the direct result of his struggles at the plate -- Marte entered the game batting .181 over 40 games -- but Jeimer Candelario's placement on the injured list with a toe injury seems likely to keep Marte in the regular lineup for the time being.

Espinal started at second base and went 1-for-4 in Tuesday's 10-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

Espinal, who made a third consecutive start, was part of a lineup shuffle resulting from first baseman/designated hitter Jeimer Candelario (toe) landing on the 10-day injured list. Jonathan India moved from second base to DH, while Espinal took over at the keystone. He started the previous two games at third base, where Noelvi Marte's been playing, but Marte is in a prolonged slump and Espinal has earned additional opportunities with a strong second half so far. The utility infielder is batting .417/.440/.625 over 16 games since the All-Star break.

Lee (shoulder) will work out Thursday with Triple-A St. Paul and could go on a rehab assignment over the weekend, MLB.com reports.

Lee has progressed in the past few days to throwing and hitting from both sides of the plate. Lee went on the injured list Aug. 9 with right biceps tendinitis, for which he received a cortisone shot. It sounds like he could be activated from the IL early next week.

Paredes (shoulder) will start at third base and bat fifth against the Tigers on Tuesday.

Right shoulder discomfort caused Paredes to be scratched from Chicago's lineup ahead of Sunday's contest, though he was able to make a pinch-hit appearance. After an extra day of rest Monday, the 25-year-old infielder now appears to be fine and will look to turn things around after going 0-for-12 across his last four games.

Bregman (elbow) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The third baseman will sit for the fifth consecutive game due to swelling in the back of his right elbow. Rome previously speculated Bregman may not rejoin the lineup until Thursday's series opener in Baltimore, but he hasn't been officially ruled out for Wednesday's series finale versus Boston.

Westburg (hand) has been cleared to field grounders and take one-handed swings, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

It's not much, but it's the beginning of a ramp-up for Westburg as he works his way back from a fractured right hand. The infielder will eventually need to undergo some additional imaging to see how his hand has healed before a clearer timetable for his return can be established. Westburg suffered the injury on July 31.