MLB Player News

Stanton (shoulder) remains limited to soft toss and tee work, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Stanton could be cleared to hit off a machine soon if he experiences no setbacks in the coming days. The veteran slugger is taking baby steps in his recovery from a shoulder injury that he suffered while rehabbing a biceps strain. An updated timetable for Stanton's return likely won't emerge until he's further along in his rehab.

Soler went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and two runs Tuesday in the Royals' 12-2 win over the Astros.

Soler was one of three Royals to leave the yard, with his second-inning solo shot getting the scoring started on the night. The 26-year-old looks locked in at the plate, as he's gone 12-for-29 with five extra-base knocks over his last seven starts.

Ohtani (elbow) went 0-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Tigers.

As anticipated, Ohtani was cleared to make his season debut for the start of the Angels' road trip and immediately claimed a prominent spot in the lineup. Despite the Tigers bringing a lefty starter (Daniel Norris) to the hill, Ohtani slotted third in the order, right between superstar Mike Trout and shortstop Andrelton Simmons. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year didn't make a major impact and struck out twice, but he plated a run on a groundout in his second at-bat and chewed up 25 pitches across his five plate appearances. General manager Billy Eppler said prior to the contest that Ohtani's throwing program won't impact his availability to serve as a designated hitter until around September or October, so the 24-year-old looks poised to fill a near-everyday role for the balance of the season.

Choi is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

With a lefty (Robbie Ray) on the hill for Arizona, Choi will sit after a stretch of four consecutive starts. Yandy Diaz will shift over to first base while Nate Lowe serves as the Rays' designated hitter in the series finale.

Beer went 2-for-4 with a solo home run for High-A Fayetteville on Tuesday.

Beer, the Astros' first-round pick in 2018, leads the Carolina League with 28 RBI and is near the top in all other major hitting categories. The left-handed-hitting outfielder is currently riding a six-game hitting streak, during which he's slashing .400/.444/.880 with three home runs, three doubles and seven RBI. He started at first base Tuesday, the 13th time in 29 games he's played there. There are no second thoughts about Beer's ability to slug, but the ultimate question is where he lands defensively or if he's a DH-only prospect.

Martinez went 1-for-2 with a home run, two runs scored, three RBI and two walks in Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Orioles.

Martinez provided the Red Sox with a first-inning 2-0 lead as he hit a 416-foot blast off Orioles starter David Hess. The homer ended a streak of 15 games without a long ball, though he did still have a .283 average and .353 on-base in that stretch. Overall, the 31-year-old is slashing .323/.399/.496 with five home runs and 21 RBI in 133 at-bats.

Jimenez (ankle) resumed running Sunday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Jimenez has been taking batting practice and is now running, though he's yet to run the bases. The young outfielder is expected to head out on a rehab assignment soon.

Ohtani's recovery from Tommy John surgery as a pitcher won't require him to miss days as a hitter until at least September, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani couldn't be the everyday designated hitter last season as he had to take days off to throw, but that won't be a problem this season as his arm isn't ready for that level of pitching work. Expect Ohtani to play nearly every game this season as long as his surgically repaired elbow handles the workload, forcing Albert Pujols and Justin Bour to split time at first base.

Ohtani will bat third and serve as the designated hitter in his first game back from Tommy John surgery.

Ohtani will slot in between Mike Trout and Andrelton Simmons. He'll be limited to DH duties this season as his arm is still not ready for pitching. The 24-year-old will look to improve on his excellent .285/.361/.564 line from his rookie season as he focuses on just one side of the ball.

Ohtani (elbow) has been activated from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game against the Tigers.

Ohtani was scheduled to be evaluated again Tuesday to determine his status moving forward, and he's evidently passed his examination with flying colors. The Angels have yet to release their starting lineup, but it's likely that Ohtani will make his return in the series opener out of the designated hitter slot.