MLB Player News

The Rays will place Kim (back) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Kim was scratched from Wednesday's lineup with back tightness and evidently the injury is bad enough to require another trip to the IL for the veteran infielder. The 29-year-old Kim has been limited to only 29 games this season due to myriad injuries, and he's slashed just .214/.290/.321 in those contests. It's not clear how long Kim will be sidelined this time around. Top prospect Carson Williams will take Kim's spot on the active roster.

The Rays will call up Williams from Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Ha-Seong Kim (back) is headed to the 10-day injured list, and Williams should man shortstop for the Rays regularly while Kim is out. Williams has not had a great 2025 season with Durham, slashing just .213/.318/.447 with a 34.1 percent strikeout rate. He has, however, socked 23 home runs and stolen 22 bases, so there is a tempting combination of power and speed if Williams is able to make enough contact.

The Red Sox announced that Mayer underwent a successful right wrist arthroscopy Wednesday, Lauren Campbell of MassLive.com reports.

After initially spraining his wrist in late July, Mayer had hoped that a cortisone shot plus extended rest and recovery time would be enough for him to heal up from the injury and return to action before the end of the season, but surgery was ultimately deemed necessary. Mayer has now sustained season-ending injuries in each of the last three years, as his 2023 campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury, and his 2024 season ended prematurely due to lumbar strain. The 22-year-old -- who previously suffered the same wrist injury in 2022 but avoided surgery -- will face a three-month recovery timeline from his procedure, putting him on track to be back to full health ahead of spring training. Mayer will likely need a strong camp to solidify himself as an everyday player for the Red Sox heading into 2026, after he produced a .228/.272/.402 slash line with a 30.1 percent strikeout rate over 136 plate appearances with Boston prior to being shut down with the sprained wrist.

Springer went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to the Pirates.

The veteran outfielder led off the game by taking Johan Oviedo deep, but it was the only offense Toronto produced in a 2-1 loss. Per Sportsnet, Springer has tied Devon White's franchise record with 22 leadoff home runs in a Blue Jays uniform. He's also gone yard three times in five games since returning from a concussion, going 6-for-19 (.316) with a steal, five RBI and six runs.

The Rangers activated Webb (back) from the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Webb has been sidelined all month with back spasms but is ready to roll after making three rehab appearances with Triple-A Round Rock. The 32-year-old has offered decent results in middle relief for the Rangers this season and will return to that role.

The Rangers optioned Boushley to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday.

Boushley made a spot start in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Royals, coughing up three runs over three innings. Since he wasn't going to be available to pitch for at least a day or two, the righty will head back to Round Rock and will be replaced with a fresh bullpen arm in Jacob Webb (back), who was reinstated from the injured list.

Heim will start at catcher and bat ninth in Thursday's game against the Royals.

Heim will be included in the lineup for a sixth straight game, but he's likely to see his playing time tail off after Kyle Higashioka returned to the starting nine behind the plate in Wednesday's 6-3 win. Before playing Wednesday, Higashioka had missed out on three consecutive starts due to a hamstring injury, and though he's out of the lineup Thursday, his absence appears to be mostly for maintenance purposes as the Rangers wrap up their series in Kansas City with a day game. Heim will head into the series finale with a four-game hitting streak, but Higashioka has been the far more productive hitter of the two catchers since the All-Star break, posting a .902 OPS to Heim's .654 mark over that same stretch.

Higashioka is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.

After missing three straight starts due to a hamstring injury, Higashioka returned to the lineup for Wednesday's 6-3 win and made his presence felt with a tie-breaking three-run double in the top of the ninth. Higashioka will rest for the day game after a night game, but he should settle back in as the Rangers' primary backstop now that the hamstring issue is seemingly behind him.

Freeman will start at third base and bat eighth in Thursday's game against the Royals.

Since being called up from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday, Freeman has gone just 1-for-14 at the dish, but he will stick in the lineup for the fourth time in five games nonetheless. During that five-game stretch, he's made three of those starts against right-handed pitching and three at third base, where he could occupy the strong side of a platoon with the struggling Josh Jung until super-utility player Josh Smith likely gets pushed back to the infield once right fielder Adolis Garcia (ankle) returns from the injured list.

Jung is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.

After starting at third base and going 0-for-2 in Wednesday's 6-3 win while lefty Noah Cameron was on the hill for Kansas City, the right-handed-hitting Jung will head back to the bench as the Royals send righty Michael Lorenzen to the bump for the series finale. Jung has now been held out of the lineup for four straight matchups versus righties and looks to have moved into a platoon role after slashing just .163/.217/.279 so far in August. Cody Freeman will draw the start at the hot corner Thursday, but super-utility player Josh Smith is more likely to occupy the strong side of a platoon at third base with Jung once right fielder Adolis Garcia (ankle) returns from the injured list.