MLB Player News

Ramirez is not in Thursday's lineup versus the Royals.

The 27-year-old takes a seat after starting the last two contests, going 2-for-8 in those games. Since Sept. 14, Ramirez has notched four multi-hit efforts over 10 games, batting .313 with five RBI. He will be replaced in left field by Oscar Mercado, who will bat ninth.

Cabrera isn't starting Thursday's game against the Twins.

Cabrera had started each of the last six games and hit .333 with two doubles, four RBI and a run. Jeimer Candelario will serve as the designated hitter while Harold Castro enters the lineup at second base.

Ohtani went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases and a run Wednesday in the Angels' 7-2 win over the Rangers.

Ohtani made his last start of the season as a pitcher Sunday, but he's still expected to bring plenty of value to fantasy managers over the final week of campaign as a designated hitter. Though he's endured a power drought of late with only two home runs in September, Ohtani has reached base at a prolific .406 clip this month while driving in 22, scoring 12 runs and stealing four bags.

Brantley served as the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 in Wednesday's 7-0 loss to the Rays.

Brantley was reinstated off the injured list Wednesday after missing two-plus weeks due to a knee injury. The progress he made while rehabbing slowed, but Brantley is available to DH for now. His return should give a boost to Houston, which has lost five of its last six while scoring just 12 runs in the process.

Choi went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in a 7-0 win over the Astros on Wednesday.

The first baseman broke the game open in the fifth inning, launching a three-run shot to right field to extend the Rays' lead from 3-0 to 6-0. Choi entered the game having gone 1-for-22 over his previous eight contests, so he'll look to use the big blast as momentum to turn things around as the regular season winds down. The 30-year-old has struggled through an injury-plagued campaign during which he is batting only .230 with 11 homers and 45 RBI through 80 games.

Martinez went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 6-0 win over Baltimore.

The designated hitter opened the scoring with a solo shot in the second inning, and he extended Boston's lead to 3-0 with a two-run double in the sixth. Martinez entered Wednesday just 2-for-13 in his last four games. The three-hit effort lifted his slash line to .287/.349/.522 with 28 homers, 99 RBI, 90 runs scored and 41 doubles through 619 plate appearances.

Buxton went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base Wednesday against the Tigers. He also reached after being hit by a pitch.

Buxton singled in the first inning and came around to score on Jorge Polanco's three-run homer. He reached base again in the eighth after being plunked by Detroit reliever Joe Jimenez, then he stole second base and scored on Max Kepler's single. Buxton has swiped a bag in three of his last four games, giving him nine thefts in 10 attempts this season. He's hitting .292 with a .946 OPS in 235 plate appearances on the year.

Solak is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels.

Solak went 5-for-18 with three walks and a stolen base while starting in six of the last eight games, but he'll head to the bench Wednesday while Andy Ibanez gets a turn at the keystone.

Manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday that Ohtani won't make another turn through the starting rotation but will continue to serve as the designated hitter for the final five games of the season, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani allowed one run over seven innings while recording 10 strikeouts in his last start Sunday versus the Mariners, and he won't end up taking the mound again after initially lining up to pitch the final game of the regular season. It's not exactly surprising the Angels will be extra cautious with the 27-year-old heading into the offseason, so he'll finish his 2021 pitching campaign with a 9-2 record, 3.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 156:44 K:BB across 130.1 innings (23 starts). The frontrunner for AL MVP, Ohtani will bat leadoff as the DH at Texas on Wednesday and is slated to remain in the lineup through the rest of the week.

The Astros reinstated Brantley (knee) from the 10-day injured list ahead of Wednesday's game against the Rays, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Reliever Josh James was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land to clear a spot on the active roster for Brantley, who has been on the shelf since Sept. 15 with right knee soreness. Since Houston has essentially locked up the American League West title and is well positioned to finish as the league's No. 2 seed in the playoffs, Brantley may sit out a couple times during the Astros' final five games of the regular season, but he should be ready for a full-time role during the postseason.