MLB Player News

Alvarez increased his pre-game workouts at first base over recent days, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Alvarez's typical pre-game routine involves taking groundballs at first base, but the level of the activity increased and he's nearing the point of playing there in a game. Houston manager Dusty Baker wanted to put him there in a game last week -- during last week's blowout 11-2 win over the Mariners -- but Alvarez felt he wasn't ready yet. "We feel he can do it, just in the future. He's been working there a lot," Baker said. First base is not foreign to Alvarez, who made 39 starts there in the minors.

Alvarez 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI, four runs and a walk in Monday's win over the Rangers.

The 24-year-old took Wes Benjamin deep in the second inning with Jose Altuve on base and then hit a solo blast in the seventh off of Hyeon-Jong Yang. Alvarez is now at 30 homers and 94 RBI on the season, both of which are career highs. The home runs were his first since August 29 and he had struggled to a .241 batting average with only two RBI over 10 games in the month of September prior to Monday.

Buxton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in the loss to the Yankees on Monday.

The outfielder launched a homer off of Luis Gil in the third inning and then notched a single in the fifth. It was his third consecutive multi-hit game and his fifth in his last eight contests. Buxton has gone deep four times in seven games, raising his season total to 14.

Martinez (back) is in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Martinez was held out of Sunday's series finale due to a back issue, but he's been given the green light to participate in Monday's contest. He'll serve as the DH and bat fifth.

Brantley (knee) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers.

He'll be on the bench for a second straight day while he contends with right knee discomfort. Jose Siri will pick up the start in left field in place of Brantley.

Stanton went 2-for-5 with a double, a two-run home run, an additional RBI and a strikeout in a 7-6 loss to the Mets on Sunday.

Stanton opened the game's scoring with a first-inning RBI double and tacked on a two-run shot in the seventh off Mets reliever Brad Hand to tie the game. The slugging outfielder has compiled a modest five-game hitting streak, going 8-for-21 during the stretch, though Sunday's hits were his first of the extra-base variety.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said that Rooker will be placed on the paternity list ahead of Monday's game against the Yankees, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Rooker will spend up to three days away from the team following the birth of his child. Rob Refsnyder and Nick Gordon will likely fill in while the 26-year-old is away from the club. Rooker went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI in Sunday's loss to the Royals.

Martinez (back) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

The slugger will miss a third straight game due to back spasms. Martinez should still be considered day-to-day, with a chance of returning for Monday's series opener in Seattle. Travis Shaw is batting seventh as the designated hitter Sunday.

Brantley (knee) is not starting Sunday's game against the Angels, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Right knee discomfort caused Brantley to exit Saturday's contest after one at-bat and will keep him out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale. It's unclear whether the veteran outfielder is available off the bench. Yordan Alvarez starts in left field and Aledmys Diaz fills in as the designated hitter.

Choi is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Jordan Luplow starts at first base while Choi, hitting .235 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBI in his last 10 games, gets the day off.