MLB Player News

Ohtani will be available off the bench for Saturday's game against the Dodgers.

Ohtani pinch hit in the 10th inning Friday, only to be intentionally walked. It's unclear if the two-way star will be in the starting nine Sunday, or if he'll just get some additional rest before the Angels return home to face Toronto.

Choi will sit Saturday against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Choi's days off typically come against lefties, but he'll sit Saturday even with the Rays facing a righty in Spenser Watkins. Yandy Diaz will start at first base, with Joey Wendle starting at third.

Lewis (knee) has continued to participate in baseball activities but remains without a return timetable, the Associated Press reports.

The Mariners are unsurprisingly being cautious with their talented outfielder, but the encouraging aspect of his recovery is he's apparently remained free of setbacks for the last several weeks. Lewis is very likely to need a fairly robust rehab assignment given the length of his absence.

Martinez was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Saturday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Martinez wasn't feeling well Friday night or Saturday morning, so he'll be away from the team as a precautionary measure. He'll miss extended time if he tests positive for the virus, but the 33-year-old will be eligible to return as soon as he clears the league's health and safety protocols if he tests negative.

Martinez went 1-for-4 in Friday's 12-4 loss to Toronto.

Martinez had a seventh-inning single, a couple of frames after it was needed. The slugger left the bases loaded with an inning-ending pop out in the fifth. At the time, the Red Sox were up 2-0 and threatening. Martinez is one of several members of the Red Sox stuck in a slump; he's 9-for-60 (.150) with one home run and four RBI over the last 15 games.

Jimenez started in left field and went 1-for-3 in Friday's 8-6 win over the Cubs.

The White Sox brought Jimenez gently back from a groin injury that forced him to miss four games. Friday's contest, his fourth appearance since the injury, was the first time in the field.

Alvarez went 3-for-5 with an RBI single in Friday's 5-4 extra-innings loss to Minnesota.

The slugger is on a five-game hitting streak, going 7-for-19 (.368) in that span. Alvarez kept Houston's chances alive in the 10th inning with an RBI single as his third hit of the game, after which he was replaced by pinch runner Jake Meyers. Through 392 plate appearances, Alvarez is slashing .284/.349/.520 with 21 home runs, 72 RBI, 64 runs scored and a stolen base. He's been limited mainly to designated hitter duties, but there's a chance he could eventually draw starts at first base to cover for the absence of Yuli Gurriel (neck).

Reyes will sit Friday against the Tigers.

Reyes hits the bench after starting nine straight games, a stretch in which he hit .343 with three homers. Jose Ramirez will rest his legs as the designated hitter in his absence, with Ernie Clement covering for Ramirez at third base.

Jimenez started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double and an RBI in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Royals.

Jimenez, who hasn't played the field since returning from a groin injury that cost him four games, swatted his first hit since returning when he plated the White Sox's second run with an eighth-inning double. The hit snapped an 0-for-13 skid, which includes plate appearances before the injury. Andrew Vaughn and Leury Garcia have started in left field while Jimenez has served as the DH.

Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 5-3 defeat by the Twins.

Alvarez took Minnesota reliever Danny Coulombe deep for a two-run dinger in the ninth to halve Houston's deficit, but the blast proved to be too little, too late. The 24-year-old slugger is on track to surpass the career high 27 long balls he smacked in 2019 with 21 through 94 games thus far.