MLB Player News

Kim (foot) is batting eighth and playing shortstop Friday against Baltimore.

Kim fouled a ball off his left foot Sunday and was removed from the contest. However, X-rays came back clean, and he's been cleared to play in Tampa Bay's first game post-All-Star break. He's 5-for-22 (.227) in 2025.

Short went 1-for-3 with a solo home run during Sunday's 5-1 loss to Texas.

Short notched his first long ball with the Astros in his 10th game with the team, tagging Nathan Eovaldi for a solo shot in the sixth inning. The round tripper was Short's first in the big leagues since 2023, as he went homerless in 88 plate appearances with three different teams during 2024. He's slashing .286/.348/.524 since being called up July 2.

Neto went 1-for-2 with two walks, one stolen base and one run scored in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Neto enters the All-Star break hot -- he's 17-for-47 (.362) with six extra-base hits and four steals over his last 11 games. The shortstop has had a bit of a breakout this season, posting a .279/.326/.492 slash line over 77 contests after dealing with a couple of right shoulder injuries during the first half. He's added 15 homers, 33 RBI, 61 runs scored, 18 doubles, one triple and 17 steals, offering an enticing blend of power and speed for a middle infielder.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said after Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Red Sox that X-rays on Kim's left foot came back clean, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports. Kim went hitless in three at-bats during the contest.

In his seventh-inning plate appearance, Kim fouled a ball off his foot before ultimately striking out. He was then lifted from the game in the bottom of the inning, with Taylor Walls shifting over from second base to cover Kim's spot at shortstop. The Rays are viewing the infielder as day-to-day, and the hope is that he'll be ready to return to the lineup Friday against the Orioles in the team's first game out of the All-Star break.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that he doesn't expect Pena (ribs) to be activated from the injured list for the first game of the second half Friday in Seattle, but the shortstop's return shouldn't be far off, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Pena landed on the injured list in late June with a small rib fracture, but he recently resumed baseball activities by hitting in the batting cage and taking part in light on-field work. The big test for the shortstop will be throwing across the infield, but he's progressing well in his recovery thus far and could seemingly be back with the Astros before the end of July.

Caballero is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

After going 0-for-7 while picking up starts in right field and at second base over the past two days, Caballero will retreat to the bench. Though Brandon Lowe (oblique) was recently placed on the injured list, Taylor Walls could end up being prioritized at second base ahead of Caballero, who is regarded as an inferior defender and is slashing just .149/.267/.162 since the beginning of June. Despite his lack of a full-time role of late, Caballero still leads the majors with 31 stolen bases on the season.

Walls will start at second base and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

Though he looked like he would lose out on playing time when shortstop Ha-Seong Kim was reinstated from the injured list July 3, Walls has proceeded to start eight of the Rays' ensuing 10 games. He initially benefited from Kim missing three straight starts due to a calf issue, but Walls now has opportunities available at the keystone after Brandon Lowe (oblique) was placed on the IL on Friday. Tampa Bay values Walls primarily for his defense, but he hasn't been a total zero at the plate thus far in July. He'll head into Sunday's contest with a .267 batting average, one home run and two steals through his first 10 games of the month.

Correa (ankle) will start at shortstop and bat cleanup Sunday against the Pirates.

The veteran shortstop sat out Saturday's 12-4 win after being removed from Friday's 2-1 victory due to a mild right ankle sprain, but he's back in action Sunday for the final game before the All-Star break. Correa is hitting .281 (9-for-32) through nine games in July, though he has just two extra-base hits (both doubles) and a .344 slugging percentage.

Duran started at first base and went 0-for-4 in Saturday's 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Astros.

Duran struck out four times and has endured a tough stretch over the last three weeks, going 2-for-24 (.083) across 13 games (29.6 percent strikeout rate). He might normally start at third base against a lefty, but Duran was needed to cover first base for Jake Burger (quadriceps). Duran is batting .130 with a .395 OPS in 38 games for the Rangers.

Smith started at third base and went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Saturday's 5-4 loss to Houston.

Smith typically doesn't start against left-handers -- he has just 66 at-bats against them this season -- but Ezequiel Duran was needed to cover first base for Jake Burger (quadriceps). Smith was dropped from his usual leadoff spot to eighth in a rare start against a southpaw, against whom he has a .212/.274/.242 slash line in 2025. The steal was Smith's ninth of the season and first in 29 contests.