MLB Player News

Witt went 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored in Thursday's loss to Detroit.

Witt turned in one of his strongest personal performances of the young season, recording his first three-hit game and first multi-XBH effort of the year. Thursday's showing raised the star shortstop's OPS to .708, though he has yet to homer. His numbers have been trending upward, as Witt is slashing .313/.371/.469 over his past eight games with five doubles, five RBI, three runs and a stolen base, leaving little cause for concern with the 25-year-old.

Holliday (wrist) will resume a rehab assignment with High-A Frederick this weekend, his father -- former big leaguer Matt Holliday -- said Thursday on Cardinal Territory.

Holliday had been at Triple-A Norfolk earlier this week but got pulled off his rehab stint due to soreness in his surgically repaired right wrist. Matt revealed that the soreness was on the opposite side of the wrist from where his son had hamate surgery and was likely a result of overcompensating. It is not viewed as a significant setback, and Holliday could return to Norfolk as soon as Tuesday as he ramps up his rehab.

Brito went 0-for-3 with a walk in Thursday's 4-2 win over Baltimore.

Brito swung a hot stick upon his call-up from Triple-A Columbus, going 5-for-12 with a pair of doubles in his first three games in the wake of Gabriel Arias' hamstring injury, which will keep him sidelined until mid-May at the earliest. Brito has moved in the other direction lately, going 1-for-18 with two walks and eight strikeouts over his last six contests.

Duran started at shortstop and went 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 9-6 win over the Athletics.

Duran gave the Rangers a cushion with a two-run single in the ninth inning. His name popped up in the starting lineup for a fifth consecutive game, this time as a replacement for the resting Corey Seager. His previous starts came at third base for a banged up Josh Jung and in the outfield for the then-injured Wyatt Langford, both of whom have returned and were in the lineup Thursday. The steal was the third in the last four games for Duran, who stole 11 bags in a part-time role last season.

Muncy is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers.

Muncy suffered a bruised hand earlier in the series when he was hit by a pitch, and the Athletics are wrapping up their four-game set versus Texas with a day game after a night game, so manager Mark Kotsay will elect to give the young infielder a breather. Darell Hernaiz will check in at third base in place of Muncy, who started in each of the Athletics' first 18 games of the season while slashing .288/.338/.485 with two home runs, two steals, 13 runs and five RBI.

Arias is hitting .542 with two home runs, one steal, a 12.9 percent walk rate and a 6.5 percent strikeout rate in 31 plate appearances for Double-A Portland.

His first homer of the season April 14 was a majestic shot to center-right field -- an impressive feat for a righty-hitting 20-year-old who is the third-youngest hitter at Double-A, behind Jesus Made and Leo De Vries. His second homer of the season April 15 was hammered to the pull side and he also stole his first base in that game. Arias' hit tool has long been one of the more advanced in the minors, and he seems to be heading for a power breakout in the upper levels.

Seager is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.

Seager will receive his first day off of the season after he started each of the Rangers' first 18 contests. Ezequiel Duran will fill in at shortstop for Seager, who is batting just .152 through 13 games in April but has contributed three home runs, eight RBI, seven runs and one stolen base.

Barger (ankles) resumed baseball activity at the Blue Jays' complex in Florida this week and is expected to begin swinging the bat Friday or Saturday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Barger has played catch the last two days, and returning to hitting and running are the next steps in his recovery from sprained left and right ankles. Barger is expected to resume running Tuesday or Wednesday of next week and will go from there. While eligible to come off the injured list Friday, that doesn't appear to be a realistic target for Barger. Perhaps he'll be back with the Blue Jays for the start of their next homestand against the Guardians on Friday, April 24.

Montgomery is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rays.

Montgomery wore the golden sombrero in Wednesday's loss to the Rays and sports a 33.8 percent strikeout rate on the season, so he'll take a day Thursday to regroup. Tanner Murray is at shortstop and batting sixth as the White Sox try to avoid being swept.

Seager went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and a second run scored in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Athletics.

Seager has just three hits over his last eight games (3-for-27), but all of those knocks have gone for extra bases. He's also drawn a walk in six of those contests, but he's added 10 strikeouts in that span. The contact has been good for the shortstop when he connects, but he's struggling with the second part of that equation. He's batting .203 with a .774 OPS, five homers, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored, a double and one stolen base over 18 contests.