MLB Player News

Pena (face) is starting at shortstop and hitting second Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.

Pena left Saturday's game with a facial abrasion but only ended up missing one game due to the issue. He is hitting .260/.288/.390 with three home runs and four steals over his last 25 games.

Franco (hand) is starting at shortstop and hitting third Tuesday against the Guardians, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

As expected, Franco is back in action after jamming his left hand in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays. He is hitting .328/.362/.422 with zero home runs and zero steals in 18 games since getting activated from the injured list earlier this month following a wrist injury.

Chang is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Chang went 1-for-8 with a double, a walk and a run while starting in three of the past four games, but he'll likely fill a short-side platoon role in the Boston infield as the season winds down.

Diaz went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored Sunday against the Orioles.

Diaz has started eight of 13 games since returning from the injured list Sept. 13. He hasn't had a consistent defensive home but has picked up starts at left field and every infield position besides catcher and first base. In those 13 games, Diaz has managed a .281 average with two homers, six RBI and four runs scored, and he could continue to get regular playing time to close the campaign.

Crawford went 1-for-4 with a two-run single, two walks and a run in a loss to the Royals on Sunday.

Crawford made plenty of noise out of the top of the order in the wild defeat, hitting safely for the third straight game since returning from a one-game absence due to some lower-body injuries. He has eight total bases and three RBI over that span while replacing the sidelined Julio Rodriguez (back) in the leadoff spot, where the veteran shortstop figures to remain for the balance of the regular season.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said that the jammed left hand that caused Franco's early exit in Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Blue Jays isn't anything worrisome and isn't expected to keep the 21-year-old from playing Tuesday in Cleveland, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. "He just got jammed a little bit," Cash said of Franco. "He's fine. He would have hit had the game been a little closer."

Franco's departure came in the bottom of the eighth inning, when he was lifted from a pinch hitter after initially jamming his hand in his fifth-inning plate appearance. Cash noted that the Rays' six-run deficit was the main reason Franco was removed from the contest, and the infielder was fortunate not to aggravate the right wrist he had surgically repaired earlier this season. Before exiting, Franco went 1-for-3 with a single to extend his hitting streak to a career-long 12 games.

Soto went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI, a run, a stolen base and a strikeout during Sunday's 10-3 win over Minnesota.

Soto capped off a productive series in Minnesota on Sunday, as he put up a third consecutive multi-hit performance during the blowout win. He also recorded his first career stolen base in the majors in the top of the sixth inning. Over nine games since making his big-league debut, the 22-year-old has hit .346 with a home run, two doubles, five runs, four RBI and a stolen base.

Franco was removed from Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays with a jammed left hand, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Franco was being examined by the training staff and was flexing his left hand in the dugout prior to being lifted for a pinch hitter during the eighth inning. Manager Kevin Cash indicated the young shortstop was removed as a precautionary measure since the Rays were already trailing 6-1. Tampa Bay has a scheduled day off Monday, so Franco will have an extra day to recover ahead of Tuesday's series opener in Cleveland.

Fletcher (hand) has been able to resume taking swings, per the Associated Press.

Fletcher went on the 10-day injured Sept. 17 despite a CT scan on his hand coming back negative. He was struggling to swing the bat before going on the IL, but he appears to be doing better. Should Fletcher continue to make progress, he could return as early as Tuesday for a home series against Oakland.

Allen is not in Sunday's lineup against the Mets, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Allen is hitting .233/.303/.233 with zero home runs and two steals over his last 10 games. Ernie Clement will start at shortstop and hit ninth.