MLB Player News

Canha (back) will start in right field and bat fifth Sunday against the Mariners.

Canha was a late scratch ahead of Saturday's 6-3 loss after he complained of back tightness. As manager Bob Melvin insinuated, Canha's injury proved to be only a minor concern, so the 30-year-old will re-enter the starting nine for the Athletics' final game before the All-Star break.

Brantley (hamstring) will serve as the Astros' designated hitter and bat cleanup Sunday against the Angels, Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle reports.

After going 4-for-4 in the series opener Friday, Brantley received Saturday off while managing a sore right hamstring. The Astros' decision to include Brantley in the lineup in the final contest before the All-Star break implies that the team isn't concerned about the injury. Josh Reddick will bow out of the lineup to make room for Brantley.

Vogelbach went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in a 6-3 win over the Athletics on Saturday.

The Mariners' All-Star representative tied the game with the blast to ignite a four-run fourth inning. The 26-year-old slugger is hitting .242/.380/.513 with 21 homers, 51 RBI and 49 runs scored in 84 games this season. He's drawn 60 walks this year, which ranks sixth in the majors.

Canha was scratched from the lineup Saturday against the Mariners with back tightness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The injury appears to be minor as manager Bob Melvin indicated he hopes Canha returns to the lineup Sunday, per Slusser. Jurickson Profar enters the lineup in left field, with Chad Pinder sliding over to right.

Brantley is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels with a sore right hamstring, Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Manager AJ Hinch said Brantley may be available off the bench and could rejoin the lineup Sunday, so it doesn't appear to be a serious issue. Still, the Astros are likely to remain cautious with the All-Star break set to begin Monday. Josh Reddick is starting in left field Saturday in his place.

Brantley is out of the lineup against the Angels on Saturday.

Brantley will sit with lefty Andrew Heaney on the mound for the Angels. He sat against the last lefty the Astros faced as well but hasn't generally been platooned this season, so he likely won't be stuck on the bench for two straight games even with another lefty (Jose Suarez) scheduled to start Sunday. Josh Reddick will start in left field in his absence.

Ford was optioned to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, Coley Harvey of ESPN.com reports.

Ford was recalled to the majors Tuesday but had a short-lived stint with the team, as he is being demoted in favor of pitching depth for the remainder of the team's weekend series against the Rays. He drew a start at first base Thursday, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.

Martinez is not in the lineup against the Tigers on Saturday.

Martinez has started every game since June 9, so this appears to be a routine day off for him. He is currently hitting .300/.372/.537 across 353 plate appearances. Christian Vazquez will be the designated hitter and bat third in his place.

Alvarez returned to the lineup Friday after sitting two games while the Astros played in a National League city. He went 1-for-4 with a double in a 5-4 loss to the Angels.

Alvarez was held out of the lineup in Colorado as the Astros are not entirely comfortable with his work in the outfield. It should be clear sailing for Alvarez until the end of the month, when Houston travels to St. Louis for an inter-league series July 26 through July 28. Beyond that, there's a two-game set in Milwaukee at the beginning of September.

Brantley went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a solo home run and two additional runs scored in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Angels.

The 32-year-old went yard for the first time since June 19, but he remains on pace for a career-best campaign. Brantley is now slashing .318/.378/.508 with 12 homers, 45 runs and 46 RBI through 83 games, and he's been one of the few healthy constants in the Houston lineup -- a remarkable turnaround for a player who averaged only 95 games a year over his last four seasons in Cleveland.