MLB Player News

Belt (illness) was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list Saturday.

Belt tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but he'll be eligible to return to action Saturday against the Cardinals after spending just over a week away from the team. The 34-year-old is slashing .242/.367/.470 with four homers, 10 runs and nine RBI this season.

Beer isn't starting Saturday's game against the Rockies.

Beer started in the last two games and went 0-for-7 with an RBI and two strikeouts, but he'll get a breather against southpaw Kyle Freeland on Saturday. Cooper Hummel will serve as the designated hitter and lead off.

Buxton went 1-for-2 with two walks and a solo home run in Friday's 2-1 win over the A's.

His fifth-inning blast to center field proved to be the winning run on the night. Buxton has homered in back-to-back games and hit safely in five straight, continuing a stellar start to the season that has seen him slash .290/.355/.754 with nine home runs, one steal, 17 runs and 17 RBI.

Soler is not in Friday's lineup against the Padres, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

He is hitting .132/.233/.316 with two home runs, 14 strikeouts and five walks in his last 10 games. Jon Berti draws the start in left field, hitting sixth.

Choi (elbow) will be activated from the injured list for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

He did well in an extended spring training game Friday and will fly to Seattle on Saturday to join the big-league club. With the Rays set to face righty Chris Flexen on Sunday, it's a good spot to get the lefty-hitting Choi back in the mix. He is hitting .357 with two home runs, a 20.8 BB% and a 32.1 K% in 15 games this season.

Torrens isn't starting Friday's game against the Rays.

Torrens will get a breather after he went 0-for-7 with a strikeout over the last two games. Tom Murphy will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Ramirez went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base Thursday against the Mariners.

Ramirez drew his third start in the last five games in the absence of Ji-Man Choi (elbow) and with Josh Lowe back in Triple-A. He led off the second inning with a single and proceeded to swipe second base -- his first steal of the campaign. Two frames later, he singled in a run and also came around to score. Ramirez has now collected at least one hit in three of his last four starts, though he has no extra-base hits in that span.

Reyes went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 6-5 win over the Blue Jays.

Reyes was ice cold to start the season, but he's starting to find a groove. He's gone 6-for-13 across his last three games while adding three RBI and three runs scored. The 26-year-old lifted his slash line to .184/.220/.253 with two home runs, eight RBI and seven runs scored in 21 contests. He's been hitting fifth or sixth in the order while he attempts to work through his slump.

Winker went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to Tampa Bay.

It's been a rough start to the season for Winker, but he snapped a season-long power drought with a 411-foot solo shot to center in the fifth inning. The veteran came into the contest with just three extra-base hits -- all doubles -- over his first 105 plate appearances. After a career-best .305/.394/.556 slash line last season, Winker has hit just .189/.321/.256 in his first 26 games as a Mariner.

Harper went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a double, two RBI and two runs scored Thursday against the Mets.

Harper recorded an RBI double in the first inning to open the scoring. He then went yard in the fourth inning to record his fifth homer of the season. Entering Thursday's game, Harper had recorded only one hit across his last 19 at-bats, though he's still managed a .343 wOBA and 122 wRC+ across his first 111 plate appearances of the season, including Thursday.