MLB Player News

Witt went 2-for-6 with three walks, a double, a solo home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Monday's doubleheader sweep of the Guardians.

The AL MVP candidate took Hunter Gaddis deep in the eighth inning of the matinee to break a 3-3 tie and set the Royals on their way to winning both games. Witt has hit safely in 14 of the last 15 games, slashing .351/.448/.737 over that stretch with five homers, two steals, 10 RBI and 14 runs, and the 24-year-old is closing in on his second straight 30-30 campaign with 27 home runs and 27 stolen bases through 132 contests.

Caballero went 0-for-3 with two stolen bases in a Monday's loss to the Mariners.

Caballero didn't get a hit in the contest, but he was still able to do what he does best, stealing second and third base after reaching on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning. The speedy utility man is up to 37 thefts on the campaign, most in the American League and tied for third in the majors. Caballero has produced modest fantasy stats otherwise, though, slashing .232/.291/.374 with nine homers, 37 RBI and 50 runs over 111 games.

Tovar, who was given the day off Monday while dealing with a sports hernia, is expected to be in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Marlins, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.

The Rockies failed to disclose much about Tovar's issue prior to this point, which could be one of the causes for his struggles at the dish so far in August. However, the issue shouldn't force the 23-year-old shortstop to miss additional time assuming he feels ready to play ahead of Tuesday's matchup.

Swanson went 1-for-3 with a walk, a grand slam and an additional run scored in Monday's 18-8 win over the Pirates.

Swanson's grand slam in the sixth inning was part of an eight-run frame for the Cubs as the team broke things open. The shortstop is now up to 11 long balls this season, including two in his last seven contests. Swanson hit at least 20 homers in each of the last three years, so he'll need to really heat up down the stretch to reach that plateau once again.

Volpe went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and two runs in Monday's 5-2 win against the Nationals.

Volpe got his eighth three-hit game of the season on Monday, and his second in the month of August. Volpe's 24th stolen base tied his total from last season, doing it in 28 fewer games this season. The 23-year-old has been successful as of late on the bases, with four swipes in his last seven games, and he's not been caught stealing since July 22.

Rivas will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Monday's game against the Giants.

Rivas will stick in the lineup for the sixth game in a row after after producing seven hits and drawing a walk over his last five starts. He seems to have displaced Dylan Moore as the Mariners' preferred option at shortstop at the moment, but Rivas' run of regular playing time will likely come to an end soon. J.P. Crawford (finger) kicked off a rehab assignment Saturday and should be ready to return from the injured list later this week to reclaim everyday duties at shortstop.

Moore is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rays.

Though he initially picked up most of the starts at shortstop after J.P. Crawford (finger) landed on the injured list July 23, Moore has since shifted into more of a utility role. He made both of his last two starts against left-handed pitching while seeing time in left field and at third base, and Moore has been held out of the lineup entirely in four consecutive matchups with right-handed pitchers. The Mariners seem content to roll with Leo Rivas their primary option at shortstop until Crawford is ready to return from the IL.

Tovar is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.

Aaron Schunk will handle shortstop duties for the Rockies while Tovar retreats to the bench after starting each of the past six games. Tovar recorded three doubles during the Rockies' series with the Yankees over the weekend, but he's largely floundered at the plate in August, slashing just .178/.204/.278 with a 34 percent strikeout rate and limited counting stats (one home run, no stolen bases, 11 runs, three RBI) through 21 games this month.

Crawford (finger) played in a simulated game Monday and will likely need at least one more rehab game before being activated from the 10-day injured list, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.

Crawford played two rehab games with Triple-A Tacoma over the weekend before shifting to a simulated setting Monday because it's an idle day across the minors. He's expected to do the same Tuesday and would appear in line to return to the Mariners' lineup later this week if all goes well. Crawford has been out since late July with a hairline fracture of his right pinky finger.

The Tigers transferred Baez (hip) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.

Per Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, Baez will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right hip next week. The veteran shortstop has missed time with hip and back problems this season, although the two injuries seem to be related. The surgery closes the book on another disappointing season for Baez, who finishes with a .516 OPS over 80 games. He is still owed $73 million through 2027. Trey Sweeney and Ryan Kreidler will handle shortstop for Detroit down the stretch.