MLB Player News

Bichette (shoulder) is starting Saturday against the Tigers.

Bichette wasn't in the lineup Friday due to left shoulder soreness, but he appeared off the bench and went 0-for-1 in the 4-2 loss. He'll be back in the starting nine a day later, starting at shortstop and batting cleanup.

Witt (hamstring) is starting Saturday against the Yankees, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Witt sat out the last five games due to a hamstring issue, but he ramped up the intensity of his workouts Friday and will return to the lineup a day later. Over three games since the All-Star break, he's gone 4-for-11 with a homer, a double, four RBI, three runs and three stolen bases. The 22-year-old is serving as the designated hitter and batting second Saturday.

Diaz went 3-for-5 with two solo home runs in an 11-1 win over the Mariners on Friday.

Diaz joined in on the Astros' hit parade with a couple of solo home runs and a single to help power his team to a victory over their surging division rivals. It was Diaz's first two-homer game of 2022. The utility player has put together a healthy .286/.351/.600 slash line in July and now has eight long balls in 64 games this season, matching his total from 84 contests in 2021.

Smith went 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Angels.

Smith opened the game on the bench against a left-handed starter, but he entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning for Charlie Culberson and finished out the game at third base. Even though Smith normally sits against southpaws, manager Chris Woodward is a firm believer in lefty-righty matchups and often brings in a lefty hitter against righty relievers. That's allowed Smith to appear in all nine games since the break, including three off the bench.

Anderson went 1-for-3 with a double and a strikeout in a 7-3 loss to the Athletics on Friday. He was ejected from the game for arguing balls and strikes.

With the White Sox trailing 5-3 in the seventh, Anderson took exception to a called first strike that caught the top inside corner of the zone. He stepped out of the batter's box and exchanged words with home plate umpire Nick Mahrley, who promptly threw Anderson out of the game. Anderson then encroached on Mahrley's personal space and the brim of Anderson's helmet made contact with Mahrley's head. Anderson had previously been suspended three games for making contact with an umpire in 2021, and he could be face another suspension for his actions in Friday night's game.

Smith is not in Friday's lineup against the Angels.

As is typically the case, Smith will head to the bench with a lefty (Patrick Sandoval) on the hill for the opposition. Ezequiel Duran will start at third base while Nick Solak starts at designated hitter.

Seager is not in Friday's lineup against the Angels and is officially listed as day-to-day with a right leg contusion, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

He exited Thursday's game after fouling a ball off his leg. It is fortunately just a bruise, so Seager should avoid a trip to the injured list. Marcus Semien and Charlie Culberson will start in the middle infield.

Story will get a second opinion on his hand injury in the coming days, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

The Red Sox don't think Story is dealing with any structural issues in his right hand, but he's still feeling discomfort and will be further evaluated as a result. The 29-year-old has been on the injured list since mid-July, and it's not yet clear when he'll be able to return to game action.

Witt isn't in Friday's lineup, but manager Mike Matheny is optimistic the rookie could return to the lineup sometime this weekend, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Witt pushed harder Friday in his workouts than he has in recent days, so it sounds like he is truly day-to-day. Maikel Garcia is starting at shortstop while Nicky Lopez starts at third base Friday.

Witt (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

It's the fifth straight game on the bench for Witt as he continues to manage soreness in his right hamstring. The 22-year-old was scheduled to go through a full pregame workout Thursday, though it's unclear exactly how he fared. The Royals opted to demote Emmanuel Rivera on Friday with Salvador Perez (thumb) returning from the injured list, which indicates the team isn't ready to place Witt on the shelf.