MLB Player News

Martinez isn't starting Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Martinez will get a day off after he slashed .333/.364/.762 with two home runs, three doubles, five runs and three RBI over the last five games. Xander Bogaerts is serving as the designated hitter and batting third.

Jimenez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 3-1 win over the Padres.

Jimenez tied the game when he took Yu Darvish deep in the fourth inning. Over his last 20 games, Jimenez has slugged seven of his 16 homers and added 20 of his 53 RBI for the season. The outfielder's batting average dipped below .300 for the first time since Sept. 6, but he's produced a strong .871 OPS through 81 contests this year.

Winker isn't starting Friday against the Athletics, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Winker will begin Friday's game in the dugout with southpaw Ken Waldichuk set to start for Oakland. While he rests, Sam Haggerty will start in left field and bat eighth.

O'Keefe's contract was selected from Triple-A Tacoma on Friday.

O'Keefe was a Rule 5 pick out of the Cardinals organization in 2019 and will join a major-league roster for the first time to provide catching depth while Curt Casali is on the paternity list. It seems unlikely that O'Keefe will see significant playing time since Cal Raleigh and Luis Torrens are also in the fold, and it's possible that O'Keefe heads back to the minors once Casali rejoins the Mariners.

Carpenter (foot) took batting practice on the field and hit in the cage Friday, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.

Carpenter has been working on weight-bearing activities on his fractured foot recently and hasn't had any issues. It's still possible that the 36-year-old rejoins the Yankees for their upcoming series against the Rangers to close out the regular season, but manager Aaron Boone also hinted Friday that Carpenter could ultimately head to Somerset to take live at-bats ahead of postseason play. Regardless of whether Carpenter is back in action during the final series of the regular season, it seems likely that he'll be in the mix for a postseason return.

Alvarez (ankle) is starting Friday against the Rays.

Alvarez sat out Wednesday's series finale against the Diamondbacks due to a left ankle injury, but he'll serve as the designated hitter and bat third a day later. The 25-year-old is riding a four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 5-for-11 with two RBI, a run, four walks and four strikeouts.

O'Keefe is expected to be called up by the Mariners on Friday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

O'Keefe slashed .253/.330/.449 with 13 homers, 42 runs, 40 RBI and a stolen base over 83 games at Triple-A Tacoma this season and should provide additional depth behind the dish in the coming days since Curt Casali is expected to be placed on the paternity list. O'Keefe was a Rule 5 pick out of the Cardinals organization in 2019 and hasn't yet made his major-league debut.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run and two runs scored Thursday against the Orioles.

Martinez took Dillon Tate deep in the eighth inning to provide the game-winning runs and his 14th homer of the season. He has a modest four-game hitting streak, though his production in that span is notable as he's smacked three doubles and two homers. Despite the recent hot stretch, Martinez has only a .169 ISO across 577 plate appearances this season -- his lowest mark since 2013.

Winker went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Thursday's 10-9 extra-innings win over the Rangers.

The 29-year-old drew a walk in the fourth inning and scored on a Jarred Kelenic home run. Later in the contest, Carlos Santana pinch hit for Winker. It's been a rough September for Winker, as he's gone just 8-for-47 (.170) with a 12:13 BB:K through 18 contests. He's at a .218/.343/.339 slash line with 13 homers, 50 RBI, 49 runs scored and 15 doubles through 134 games overall.

Ohtani (15-8) earned the win Thursday against the Athletics with eight shutout innings. He recorded 10 strikeouts while surrendering two hits and one walk.

Ohtani was masterful Thursday and came four outs away from recording his first career no-hitter before a base hit from Conner Capel spoiled the bid. His 10 strikeouts on the night were the highest he's recorded since July 28, and the win gives him five in his last six starts. He has a 2.35 ERA and 213 strikeouts on the season, and when considering his strong offensive season, he should challenge Aaron Judge for the AL MVP.