MLB Player News

Morel went 1-for-2 with a walk, a double and two RBI in Thursday's win over the Pirates.

Morel batted ninth but still delivered a big hit, driving in two on his second-inning double, helping the Cubs to a 3-2 victory. The rookie continues to produce solid stats, as he now has a .738 OPS and 41 RBI across 103 games to go along with 14 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Morel could be in for a breakout 2023 campaign if he's able to limit strikeouts and make more consistent contact, as he came into Thursday striking out 32.5 percent of the time this year.

Ramirez isn't starting Thursday against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Ramirez started the last five games and went 4-for-20 with two doubles and five strikeouts. Ji-Man Choi will take over at first base and bat eighth Thursday.

Torrens, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, hit a pinch-hit, solo home run in a loss to the Athletics on Wednesday.

The veteran was summoned to hit for Abraham Toro with two out in the eighth inning and put the Mariners' only run of the game on the board via a 376-foot solo shot to right field. Torrens hit well for the Rainiers after he was outrighted to the Triple-A club on Aug. 14, and Wednesday's homer pushed his major-league slash line this year to .220/.268/.280 across 142 plate appearances.

Ohtani isn't in the lineup Thursday against the Rangers, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani went 5-for-12 with a double, three runs and four strikeouts over the last three games and will get a day off prior to Friday's scheduled start in Minnesota as a pitcher. Mike Trout is resting his legs as the designated hitter and batting second.

Encarnacion-Strand finished the 2022 campaign with a .304/.368/.587 line, 32 home runs, eight steals and 114 RBI across 122 games in High-A and Double-A.

He wasn't quite as spectacular after being traded to Cincy as he had been in Minnesota's organization, but Encarnacion-Strand still hit .309/.351/.522 in 35 games for Double-A Chattanooga. Plate discipline remains the one main concern for the 22-year-old slugger, as he posted a fairly high 25.5 percent strikeout rate and an unimpressive 7.4 percent walk rate. Unless he makes some adjustments, Encarnacion-Strand may have a difficult time hitting .300 in the majors, but his impressive power gives him a strong chance to develop into an impactful middle-of-the-order bat.

Meneses went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk Wednesday against Atlanta.

Meneses took Jesse Chavez deep in the seventh inning to record his 10th home run of the season. After a slow stretch, Meneses now has three long balls across his last 10 starts, while also racking up seven RBI and six runs scored in that span. Meneses has had an impressive MLB debut, maintaining a .328/.364/.563 line across 187 plate appearances.

Solak (foot) was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.

The 27-year-old will miss the rest of the season after he suffered a fractured right foot last week, and the Rangers have moved him to the 60-day IL to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for Kevin Plawecki, who signed with Texas on Wednesday. Solak played in 35 big-league games this year and finished with a .207/.309/.329 slash line, three home runs and three stolen bases.

Torrens' contract was selected from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday.

Torrens was cast off the Mariners' 40-man roster in mid-August and slashed .279/.324/.508 with three home runs, five doubles, 15 RBI and seven runs over 16 games in the minors following his demotion. He'll provide additional catching depth for the Mariners since Cal Raleigh (thumb) is day-to-day.

Carpenter (foot) recently underwent an X-ray that revealed progress in his recovery, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Carpenter has been dealing with a fractured left foot since early August and has progressed well over the last few weeks. He's been cleared to take part in weight-bearing activities and is no longer in a walking boot. The 36-year-old will stand in on a bullpen session Wednesday, and he'll have a chance to rejoin at the Yankees at some point during the postseason if the team makes a run.

Martinez went 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple and two RBI in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Reds.

Martinez's slugging percentage (.423) for the season is still nearly 100 points lower than his 2021 mark (.518), but the 35-year-old is at least showing more pop as the campaign winds down. He's now recorded four extra-base hits in his last two starts, as he previously turned in a pair of doubles in Sunday's 13-3 win over the Royals. He'll be back in the lineup for the Red Sox's series finale in Cincinnati on Wednesday, serving as Boston's designated hitter and No. 5 batter, according to Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican.