MLB Player News

Smith isn't in the lineup for the nightcap of Monday's doubleheader in Miami.

The 24-year-old went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in the afternoon game and is an unimpressive 2-for-14 since the beginning of September. Kole Calhoun and Bubba Thompson will man the outfield corners Monday night.

Cruz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.

The hot-hitting rookie will hit the bench for the first time since Aug. 23, ending a 16-game stretch in which Cruz slashed .313/.353/.641 with four home runs and 14 RBI. With a southpaw (Mike Minor) on the hill for Cincinnati, the lefty-hitting Cruz will give way to the righty-hitting Kevin Newman at shortstop and atop the batting order.

Fletcher (hand) isn't starting Monday against Cleveland.

Fletcher is out of the lineup for a second consecutive game due to a right hand contusion. Luis Rengifo is starting at second base in place of Fletcher, who noted that he's still dealing with some soreness with the hand that provides complications when he grips the bat, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Fletcher is thus unlikely to be available Monday in a pinch-hitting capacity, though because his hand isn't bothering him when he throws, he could be deployed as a late-inning defensive replacement.

Franco is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Manager Kevin Cash confirmed that Franco is on the bench for the series opener for maintenance purposes after the star infielder returned to action over the weekend following a two-month stint on the injured list. Taylor Walls will step in at shortstop for Franco, who went 4-for-11 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs in his first three games back in the Tampa Bay lineup.

The Pirates recalled Castillo from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday.

Castillo has been in the minors since the end of July, at which point he had slashed .201/.245/.368 through 257 big-league plate appearances in 2022. Those numbers, combined with his .689 OPS at Triple-A, don't inspire confidence in his rest-of-season outlook.

The Red Sox claimed Chang off waivers from the Rays on Monday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Before Tampa Bay designated him for assignment over the weekend, Chang's most recent action actually came against the Red Sox on Sept. 6, when he went 2-for-3 with a home run and walk. The righty-hitting infielder slashed .216/.280/.324 through 164 total plate appearances on the season, and he's unlikely to serve as anything more than a short-side platoon player in Boston for the remainder of 2022. Since he doesn't have minor-league options remaining, Boston will need to add him to its 28-man active roster.

The Rangers promoted Saggese to Double-A Frisco on Monday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

With High-A Hickory's season coming to an end over the weekend, Saggese and outfield prospect Evan Carter will receive cups of coffee down the stretch for Frisco, where both players are likely to open the 2023 campaign. Saggese, a 20-year-old infielder, slashed .308/.359/.487 with 14 home runs and 11 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances for Hickory.

Seager went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.

Seager's run was his 79th of the season, leaving him five behind Marcus Semien for the team lead. Though he's batting a career-worst .248 in his first season in Texas, Seager has enjoyed good health in 2022 and has lived up to expectations from a counting-stats perspective with 29 home runs, 74 RBI and three stolen bases to go along with his run total. He's included in the lineup for the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Marlins, starting at shortstop while batting second.

Wendle is not in the starting lineup for the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Rangers, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Wendle will take a seat after he went 4-for-8 with two doubles and a run scored while starting the final two games of the series against the Mets. Brian Anderson will slide over to third base while Jerar Encarnacion enters the lineup in right field and bats eighth in the early contest Monday.

Smith will start in left field and bat eighth in the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Marlins.

After receiving a promotion from Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday, Smith has stepped in as the Rangers' new everyday left fielder while Kole Calhoun has moved into a bench role. Even with a lefty (Trevor Rogers) taking the hill for Miami in Game 1, the lefty-hitting Smith will draw his fourth consecutive start after going 2-for-10 with a run scored in the Rangers' three-game series with Toronto over the weekend.