MLB Player News

Smith started at designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with a double in Wednesday's 4-3 win over Seattle.

Smith made a second consecutive start following a two-hit effort Tuesday, when he started in left field. At-bats had been dwindling for Smith, whose last start came April 27 before getting into lineup on consecutive days this week. With Travis Jankowski (hamstring) on the IL, Smith could become a regular whenever there is righty on the mound. The super-utility fielder has hit in three straight games, going 5-for-10 with two doubles, one home run, two RBI and a stolen base.

Franco went 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and two steals in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Orioles.

Franco swiped a bag both times he reached base and is now up to 11 on the year, which is tied for sixth best in baseball. The 22-year-old is taking advantage of the new base sizes and pickoff restrictions after combining for only 10 steals across 153 games in his previous two seasons combined. Franco has now hit safely in six straight games and overall is slashing .310/.369/.552 with seven homers, 23 RBI, 23 runs and a 12:24 BB:K over 160 plate appearances.

Marcano went 1-for-2 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Rockies.

Marcano has been used primarily as the Pirates' shortstop in the last week, but he drew a start at second base Wednesday. He took Antonio Senzatela yard in the second inning to tally his first homer of the season and only his fourth extra-base hit across 58 plate appearances. Marcano's defensive versatility will give him the chance to earn steady playing time, and he's now hitting .245 with seven runs scored and three RBI on the season.

Tovar went 0-for-4 with a walk, a run and a stolen base Wednesday against the Pirates.

Tovar finished Colorado's series at Pittsburgh 0-for-11, but he still found ways to be productive. On Wednesday, he drew a walk to start the fourth inning before stealing second base and coming around to score. Tovar's overall numbers are still poor, but he's gone 14-for-54 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored across his last 15 games.

Baez went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Guardians.

The Tigers are playing better lately and so is Baez, as the shortstop is batting .314 this month with three home runs, five RBI and seven runs scored in nine games. Baez hasn't lived up to expectations yet during his time in Detroit, though he could be turning a corner. His season batting average is now up to .256 to go with a .695 OPS.

Volpe went 1-for-5 with a grand slam in Wednesday's 11-3 victory over the Athletics.

Volpe extended the Yankees' lead to 11-2 with his first career grand slam, a 419-foot shot off Rico Garcia in the fifth inning. It was Volpe's fourth home run of the season. The 22-year-old shortstop had been slumping coming into Wednesday's contest, going 3-for-27 in his last six contests. Volpe is now slashing .205/.300/.348 with 13 RBI, 15 runs scored and 11 stolen bases through his first 150 plate appearances.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Seager (hamstring) is expected to return from the 10-day injured list "early" during the Rangers' upcoming homestand, which begins next Monday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Seager will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Thursday, first playing five innings at shortstop and building up from there. Barring any setbacks over the weekend, he would seem to have a good shot to return to action in Monday's series opener versus Atlanta. Seager has been out since April 12 due to a left hamstring strain.

Abrams is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Abrams will get a night off after a rough game against the Giants on Tuesday where he went 0-for-4 and made an error. Ildemaro Vargas will get the start at shortstop in Abrams' place and will hit eighth.

Crawford (knee) will start at shortstop and bat leadoff Wednesday against the Rangers, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Crawford missed the last two games because of discomfort in his left knee, and he not only returns to the lineup Wednesday, but he'll also replace a slumping Julio Rodriguez in the leadoff spot. While Crawford has hit just .240 on the season, he's gotten on base at a .378 clip. His presence atop the lineup could help revitalize a dormant Seattle offense.

Baez went 0-for-5 with a steal in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Guardians.

Baez saw his five-game hitting streak end Tuesday, but he was able to swipe his third bag of the season. Baez had been swinging the bat well to start the month -- he's 9-for-32 with three homers in eight games since the start of May. He's now slashing .246/.306/.361 with 16 RBI and 14 runs scored through 134 plate appearances this season. Even with his three punchouts Tuesday, Baez has cut his strikeout rate to 17.8 percent, which would be a career low.