MLB Player News

Duran is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels.

Duran will head to the bench for the series opener, but he had started in each of the last three contests and should be in store for an uptick in playing time after Marcus Semien (foot) was deactivated Saturday with a likely season-ending injury. Josh Smith will cover second base Monday, but if the Rangers prefer to use the versatile Smith in the outfield while Evan Carter (wrist) is on the shelf, Duran could have a fairly clear path to making regular starts at the keystone.

Higashioka is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels.

After starting at catcher or designated hitter in each of the previous three games, Higashioka looks to be receiving a breather Monday. Jonah Heim will fill in for him behind the plate in the series opener.

Kavadas will start at first base and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Rangers.

Kavadas will remain in the lineup for a second straight game and could see the bulk of the starts at first base against right-handed pitching after the Angels placed Nolan Schanuel (wrist) on the 10-day injured list Sunday. Over his 114 career plate appearances in the majors, Kavadas owns an unremarkable .180/.281/.320 slash line and a monstrous 38.6 percent strikeout rate, but the 26-year-old had displayed excellent pop at Triple-A Salt Lake this season (23 home runs in 105 games).

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

Moore will head to the bench for the third time in five games while Luis Rengifo picks up a start at second base. The Angels are currently running a three-man rotation of Moore, Rengifo and Yoan Moncada between the keystone and third base, but Moncada's playing time appears to be the most stable of the trio at the moment. Moore is slashing just .184/.273/.224 with a 30.9 percent strikeout rate since the beginning of August and could begin to play second fiddle to Rengifo at second base on a more frequent basis if he's unable to improve his production at the plate.

Keith (illness) is batting leadoff and serving as the designated hitter Monday against the Athletics, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Keith was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to illness, but it won't force him to miss more than one game. He'll aim to break out of a cold spell Monday evening after going 0-for-8 with one walk over his last four games.

The Athletics announced Monday that Clarke (adductor) has yet to resume running or hitting, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Initially placed on the injured list July 22 due to a Grade 2 right adductor strain, Clarke made a rehab appearance for Triple-A Las Vegas on Aug. 15 but suffered a new Grade 2 strain of the same adductor in that game. While the Athletics have indicated that Clarke has made progress since then, he doesn't appear to be close to a return from the IL.

Severino (oblique) will throw a simulated game Wednesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Severino continues to work his way back from a left oblique strain, which resulted in him being placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 9. The veteran right-hander has apparently responded well to throwing bullpen sessions, so he'll take the next step forward in his recovery by facing hitters Wednesday. The Athletics will evaluate Severino following the sim game before determining whether he's ready to re-enter the big-league rotation next week, or if he'll first require a minor-league rehab start before being activated from the injured list. Severino posted a 6-11 record with a 4.82 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 136.1 innings prior to landing on the IL.

The Athletics announced Monday that Muncy (hand) has begun a hitting progression, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The rookie infielder is finally ready to start hitting again after being sidelined since late July with a hairline fracture at the base of the fourth metacarpal in his right hand. Muncy will need time to ramp back up and will likely require a rehab stint before being activated from the 10-day injured list.

The Athletics announced Monday that Lopez has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 flexor strain in his left forearm and has been shut down from throwing, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Lopez was lit up for nine earned runs on six hits and six walks over two innings during his start in Sunday's 11-4 loss to the Mariners, with the Athletics revealing after the outing that the southpaw was battling forearm tightness. After undergoing an MRI, Lopez now has an official diagnosis of his injury, and manager Mark Kotsay said that the 27-year-old will be officially moved to the 15-day injured list Tuesday. The Athletics are hopeful that Lopez will be able to return at some point before the end of the season, even if it means he's working in a bullpen role, according to Gallegos. Joey Estes pitched in long relief of Lopez on Sunday and is the most likely candidate to enter the rotation as Lopez's replacement during the Athletics' series against the Rangers this coming weekend.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that Slaten (shoulder) probably won't require another rehab appearance before being activated from the 60-day injured list, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Slaten has made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Worcester, yielding just one unearned run with a 5:1 K:BB over three innings. The reliever has been shelved since late May due to right shoulder inflammation.