MLB Player News

Duran is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies.

He'll bow out of the starting nine for the second time in three games with the Rangers opposing a right-handed starting pitcher (Kyle Gibson), and Duran's time as an everyday player could be over now that fellow rookie Josh H. Smith (shoulder) is back from the 10-day injured list. Since Smith hits from the left side of the plate, he could end up filling the strong side of a platoon at third base while Duran makes most of his starts at the position versus left-handed pitching. Duran has experience at second base and shortstop, too, but big-ticket offseason pickups Marcus Semien and Corey Seager won't get too many days off when both are healthy. Designated hitter doesn't look like a viable path to playing time either for Duran, as Mitch Garver (illness) was reinstated from the COVID-19-related injured list Tuesday and should be a fixture at that spot in the lineup moving forward.

The Rangers reinstated Smith (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday. He'll start at third base and bat eighth in the Rangers' series opener against the Phillies.

Smith was deactivated June 4 due to a sprained left shoulder, but he moved past the injury in relatively expedient fashion and was cleared to rejoin the roster after going 3-for-16 with a walk, an RBI and a run during his four-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock last week. The Rangers will immediately slot him back into the starting nine Tuesday, but it's unclear if Smith or fellow rookie Ezequiel Duran will end up settling in as the team's preferred third baseman moving forward. Smith also saw time in center field with Round Rock earlier in the campaign and could be an option at that position if the Rangers at some point decide to pull the plug on Leody Taveras in an everyday role.

Marte owns a .234/.329/.365 slash line with 17 extra-base hits and 23 RBI across 20 games at High-A Everett this season.

The precocious 20-year-old has hit a bit of a speed bump this season after an impressive showing over a modest eight-game stint with High-A Everett at the tail end of the 2021 minor-league campaign. Marte has seen a slight bump in strikeout rate to 25.5 percent from his 22.2 percent figure at Modesto last season, and Brent Stecker of 710 ESPN Seattle reports Marte's average has been under .250 since May 25.

Allen was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Allen will return to the big leagues after being sent down May 22. The shortstop has produced a .174 batting average with two doubles, two runs and a stolen base over 23 at-bats in two stints with the Athletics this season. He's been red hot in June with Las Vegas, producing a .365/.500/.538 slash line with a home run, six doubles and 11 RBI in 16 games. With the Athletics out of playoff contention, it's possible that the 24-year-old sticks around for a while.

Anderson went 2-for-5 with a run scored Monday against the Blue Jays.

Anderson was activated from the injured list Monday and immediately returned to his customary role as the White Sox's leadoff hitter. He singled in his first plate appearance and also came around to score, showing little rust. Anderson has been excellent this season, maintaining a .357/.393/.500 line with five home runs and eight stolen bases across 41 games.

Franco (quadriceps) is set to move his rehab assignment Wednesday to Triple-A Durham from the Rays' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Between games Saturday and Monday in the FCL, Franco went 3-for-7 with a pair of extra-base hits, an RBI and a run scored. Even though he ended up getting a tough test Monday with rehabbing Red Sox starter Chris Sale (rib cage) on the mound for Boston's FCL affiliate, Franco will have higher-level minor-league pitching in Durham, with whom he's expected to appear in games Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. He'll be re-evaluated thereafter and could be cleared to return from the 10-day injured list for the Rays' game Saturday versus the Pirates.

Velazquez went 1-for-2 with a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 6-2 loss to the Royals.

Velazquez has logged two steals over his last three games, though he's also struck out five times in that span. The shortstop is up to 10 thefts this season, and he's yet to get caught stealing. He's posted a lackluster .175/.219/.273 slash line with four home runs, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored and six doubles across 197 plate appearances, and it's expected he could see a challenge for playing time from utility man Tyler Wade going forward.

Anderson (groin) was activated off the injured list Monday and will lead off and play shortstop against the Blue Jays.

Anderson was given a three-week timetable when he hit the injured list with a strained right groin at the end of May, and he'll be back right on schedule after going 5-for-15 across four rehab games. He was having an excellent season prior to his injury, hitting .356/.393/.503 with five homers and eight steals in 40 games, so the White Sox will be counting on him to kickstart a stalled season. Yoan Moncada (hamstring) hit the injured list in a corresponding move.

The Red Sox recalled Downs from Triple-A Worcester on Monday.

Downs was a big enough prospect to be a key part of the return in the trade which sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers prior to the 2020 season, but he's had a difficult time at the plate for his new organization. After hitting .190/.272/.333 in 99 Triple-A games last season, he's managed a .180/.297/.397 line in 53 games at that level in 2022. His strikeout rate was north of 30 percent in both seasons. There's potential for an interesting power-speed combo here, as he homered 25 times and stole 29 bases in 152 games since the start of last year, but he'll need to make far more contact if he's to be a viable major-league regular.

Story went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run Sunday in the Red Sox's 6-4 win over the Cardinals.

Story's second-inning, two-out blast off St. Louis starter Andre Pallante ended a 20-game home-run drought, during which the 29-year-old contributed only six extra-base hits (all doubles). Aside from a one-week stretch in late May in which he slugged seven home runs and drove in 21, Story's first season in Boston has largely been a disappointment. He'll enter Monday's series opener against the Tigers with a .221/.304/.411 slash line and a 31.2 percent strikeout rate, his highest percentage since the 2017 campaign.