MLB Player News

Ohtani went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to Seattle.

Ohtani took Chris Flexen deep to right field in the third inning to give the Angels a short-lived 3-2 lead. The long ball was his eighth of the season, placing him just one homer behind J.D. Martinez for the league lead. Ohtani is off to a hot start at the plate this season, complementing his homer total with a .283/.320/.652 slash line, three steals, 18 runs and 19 RBI.

Brantley went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI in Friday's 9-2 win over the Rays.

All four hits were singles, as Brantley paced a 15-hit attack by the Astros. The veteran outfielder wraps up a strong April hitting .345 with two homers, five RBI and 17 runs through 22 games.

Martinez went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI in Friday's 6-1 win over Texas.

Martinez entered Friday in a mini 0-for-9 slump over his last three games but quickly put that behind him with a three-run blast in the first inning. He then cranked his second homer in the third, giving him nine long balls and 25 RBI through just 94 at-bats. The 33-year-old had seven home runs and 27 RBI in 211 at-bats during the 2020 season.

Choi (knee) will participate in a simulated game Sunday and subsequently join Triple-A Durham for a rehab assignment, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

The 29-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee at the end of March and is nearing the end of his recovery timeline, but he'll head to Durham for a rehab stint before joining the Rays. Assuming he avoids any setbacks. Choi could make his 2021 debut within the next couple weeks.

Martinez (illness) is batting third as the designated hitter Friday against the Rangers, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

The veteran slugger was expected to be out of Friday's starting nine after exiting Thursday's contest with migraine-related symptoms, but he won't end up being sidelined. Martinez is 0-for-9 with two walks and four strikeouts over the past three games.

Alvarez (undisclosed) was activated from the COVID-19 injured list and will start Friday at Tampa Bay, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

The 23-year-old missed the past two games while on the COVID-19 IL, but he'll return to the lineup for Friday's contest. Alvarez has a .309/.355/.529 slash line with two home runs, seven doubles, 14 RBI and 10 runs through 18 games this season, and he'll attempt to pick up where he left off following the brief absence.

Rooker was optioned to the alternate training site Friday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

The 26-year-old returned from a neck injury April 20 and had gone 2-for-18 with a solo homer since being activated from the injured list. Rooker should head to Triple-A St. Paul for the upcoming start of the minor-league campaign. Max Kepler and Kyle Garlick were activated from the COVID-19 injured list after clearing league protocols.

Stanton went 3-for-5 in Thursday's loss to the Orioles.

Stanton didn't register any counting stats or extra-base hits, but he did manage his third consecutive multi-hit effort. He is also riding a seven-game hitting streak, during which he's recorded three home runs, three RBI and six runs scored. For the season, Stanton has maintained a .250/.305/.477 line across 95 plate appearances.

Mercedes went 1-for-4 with a solo shot in Thursday's win over Tigers in the second leg of the doubleheader.

The 28-year-old rookie sensation hit a 449-foot home run off Alex Lange in the fifth inning. Mercedes' amazing rookie campaign continues, as he's hit safely in five straight games and is slashing .423/.464/.729 for the season.

Martinez (illness) will be sidelined Friday against the Rangers, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Martinez was removed from Thursday's game with "migraine-related symptoms." Manager Alex Cora did not offer further details on Martinez's condition, but he did already rule the star slugger out of Friday's lineup.