MLB Player News

Mercedes remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

With no designated hitter available in Pittsburgh, Mercedes will remain on the bench for a second straight day. After a blazing first two months of the season, regression has come hard for Mercedes in June. Through 15 games this month, Mercedes is slashing .132/.179/.151 while striking out in a quarter of his plate appearances.

Cabrera (calf) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.

The Tigers are concluding their series with St. Louis with a day game after a night game, so Cabrera's absence comes as no surprise after he exited Tuesday's 8-2 win with right calf tightness. Detroit is labeling Cabrera's injury as a day-to-day concern, so he could be ready to play in Thursday's series opener against Houston. Eric Haase will step in as the designated hitter in place of Cabrera on Wednesday.

Martinez went 1-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Tuesday's 9-5 extra-innings win over the Rays.

Martinez's two-run double in the third inning extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The slugger has an .818 OPS during the streak with six extra-base hits, seven RBI and eight runs scored. His .913 OPS in 2021 has allayed any concerns that may have surfaced following a sub-par 2020 when he posted a .680 OPS.

Cabrera was removed from Tuesday's win over the Cardinals with right calf tightness, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

The veteran slugger went 1-for-3 before suffering the injury on a slide into second base. Cabrera should be considered day-to-day entering Wednesday's series finale versus St. Louis, and it's not believed to be a serious issue.

Ramirez is on the bench for Tuesday's game against the Cubs.

He receives a day off after going 4-for-12 in the last three games, with three of those hits being home runs. Ramirez has drawn just four walks on the season, but his .273 batting average has stood out in a struggling Cleveland offense. Josh Naylor will start in right field Tuesday.

Choi will sit Tuesday against the Red Sox, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Choi has only made three starts against southpaws all season, so it's no surprise to see him hit the bench against Eduardo Rodriguez. Yandy Diaz will handle first base in his absence.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said that the Twins have yet to determine whether Buxton will need surgery to address the fractured left hand he sustained in Monday's win over the Reds, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "I think we're actually looking into the best approaches for recovery," Baldelli said of Buxton, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday. "Like with any fracture, I think you have to ask those questions."

The Twins are expected to gain more clarity on the extent of Buxton's injury once he undergoes further testing in the coming days. If surgery is ultimately deemed necessary, Buxton would be in store for a longer absence, though he'll still likely miss multiple weeks even if he's able to treat the injury through rest and rehab. Minnesota recalled Gilberto Celestino from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move, and he should get the chance to pick up starts in center field while Buxton is on the shelf. Nick Gordon and Max Kepler are other options at the position, and Rob Refsnyder (hamstring) should also factor into the mix in center if he's able to make a speedy return from the IL.

The Twins placed Buxton (hand) on the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game against the Reds, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Minnesota called up Gilberto Celestino from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move; he and Nick Gordon will likely be called upon to serve as the Twins' primary options in center field while Buxton heads to the IL for the second time this season. After missing approximately six weeks with a hip strain, Buxton returned from the IL over the weekend and started three games for the Twins before exiting Monday's win with a fractured left hand. The club has yet to provide an estimated recovery timeline for Buxton, but he'll most likely need multiple weeks, if not months, for the hand to fully heal.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said after Monday's 7-5 win over the Reds in 12 innings that while the Twins don't yet have a concrete timeline for Buxton's (hand) return, "The thought of weeks or a month or two could probably be a way to think about it," Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

After he was struck by a pitch in the fourth inning, Buxton was initially diagnosed with a left hand contusion and was able to stay in the game. However, he ultimately exited in the sixth and later underwent imaging, which revealed a "boxer's fracture" -- an injury to the base of the pinkie finger -- on his left hand. This is a devastating setback for Buxton, who was playing in only his third game Monday since returning from a six-week absence due to a hip strain. A clearer timeline for his return should emerge in the coming days, but the comments from his skipper point to the 27-year-old potentially being sidelined until August, if not longer.

Texas manager Chris Woodward said Solak, who was replaced at second base by Andy Ibanez on Monday, will see action at first and third base, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

It's not certain whether Ibanez will be a permanent replacement for Solak at second base, but the recently recalled infielder hit a three-run homer Monday, capping off the Rangers' five-run first inning. If Ibanez does gain a larger share at second, Woodward still has plans for Solak at other infield spots. Nate Lowe is currently handling first base, while Brock Holt and Charlie Culberson have shared third base.