MLB Player News

Bichette went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in Monday's loss to the Astros.

The 25-year-old shortstop continues to tear the cover off the ball. In 33 games since the beginning of May, Bichette has 16 multi-hit performances while slashing .348/.378/.532 with six doubles, six homers and all three of his steals on the year. After he pilfered 38 bags on 47 attempts over the prior two years, it stands to reason that he'll continue being more successful on the basepaths the rest of the way in 2023.

Witt went 1-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 9-6 loss to the Marlins.

Witt has hit safely in seven of his last 11 games, and he's made the most of his trips on base with six steals in that span. The shortstop is up to 19 thefts in 23 attempts this season, putting him on track to breeze past the 30 steals he recorded as a rookie in 2022. He's batting just .233 with a .687 OPS, 10 home runs, 27 RBI and 37 runs scored as a near-everyday presence in the top half of the Royals' order.

Kessinger had his contract selected from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.

Kessinger is set to make his major-league debut after he produced a .284 average with six homers, 32 RBI, 37 runs and two stolen bases over 176 at-bats in 52 games with Sugar Land this season. Although he's not in the starting lineup Monday, he could draw a start during the Astros' four-game series with Toronto as Jose Altuve (oblique) continues to remain out of the lineup.

Duran (tightness) will start in left field and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Cardinals.

Though the Rangers attributed Duran's absence from the lineup for Sunday's 12-3 win over the Mariners to unspecified tightness, the expectation was that the 24-year-old was receiving more of a maintenance day after he returned from the injured list to start in left field in Saturday's win. Now that he's healthy again following a brief stint on the IL, Duran should take back a near-everyday role in either left field or at designated hitter, given that he's produced an impressive .872 OPS in 147 plate appearances this season.

Diaz is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Pittsburgh.

Diaz had started in five of the past six games, going hitless in 16 at-bats over that stretch to drop his season-long batting average down to .179. Though he's one of the highest-paid players on the Athletics in the first season of a two-year, $14.5 million deal, Diaz may nonetheless find himself on the bench more frequently in the near future given his wretched start to his tenure in Oakland.

Volpe went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 4-1 victory versus the Dodgers.

Volpe provided some critical breathing room for New York with his two-run blast in the ninth inning. The rookie also singled in the fifth, and he finished with his first multi-hit performance since May 14. Volpe has struggled mightily since that date, slashing .138/.186/.308 with a 34.3 percent strikeout rate over 19 contests. Two of his past three hits have left the park, but they've been part of a 3-for-20 stretch that has included seven strikeouts and no walks.

Franco (hamstring) will start at shortstop and bat second in Monday's game in Boston, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rays lost Brandon Lowe (back) to the injured list Monday, but they'll get the other half of their usual double-play combination back in action with Franco returning to action after a two-game absence. Though Vidal Brujan is getting the nod at second base Monday, the Rays will likely rely mostly on Taylor Walls or Isaac Paredes to work in tandem with Franco in the middle infield while Lowe is sidelined.

Neto (foot) went 0-for-3 with a run scored in his return to the lineup Sunday against the Astros.

Neto did not play Saturday due to a bruised left foot after he was hit by a pitch. The 22-year-old was back in the lineup Sunday and slotted in as the team's ninth hitter. He reached via a fielder's choice in the eighth and wound up scoring the winning run after Shohei Ohtani doubled to bring him home. Neto has shown flashes of potential at the plate as a youngster, but he has cooled off lately, slashing just .111/.242/.148 with one RBI and a run scored over his last nine games.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that Story (elbow) could be activated from the 60-day injured list to serve as a designated hitter before he's ready to play the field, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Though the outcome still appears somewhat unlikely, it's notable that Cora didn't outright dismiss the possibility of Story returning to action in a non-defensive role. Now just under five months removed from undergoing an internal bracing procedure on his right elbow, Story has been cleared to resume throwing from 105 feet out at the Red Sox's spring training complex in Florida, and he's also been taking batting practice in the cage. He'll rejoin the Red Sox next week as the organization maps out the next steps in his rehab program.

The Astros plan to promote Kessinger from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, Mark Berman of Fox 26 reports.

Kessinger was a second-round pick in 2019 and will be in line to make his major-league debut in the coming days. The 25-year-old began the 2023 campaign at Triple-A Sugar Land and slashed .284/.400/.443 with six homers, 37 runs, 32 RBI and two stolen bases. Kessinger's playing time will likely depend on whether Jose Altuve (oblique) is available for the start of the Astros' upcoming series in Toronto.