MLB Player News

Isbel is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the White Sox.

Isbel will receive a breather for the day game after he had started in each of the Royals' last three contests while going 3-for-9 with a solo home run and an additional run. Drew Waters will replace Isbel in center field.

The Rangers recalled Duran from Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday.

The Rangers played a man short in Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, as they put Kevin Pillar (back) on the injured list prior to the contest but had to wait for Duran to arrive in Boston after traveling. Duran is with the big club now, and he'll serve in a utility role.

Zavala, who is on Triple-A Worcester's 7-day injured list due to a left oblique strain, began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday and went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in his first game.

After failing to win a backup catcher job with Boston after attending spring training as a non-roster invitee, Zavala reported to Triple-A Worcester and batted .129 over nine games before being shelved in mid-April. Just under a month later, Zavala looks to be nearing a return to action, but he'll likely stick around in Florida for a few more rehab games before linking back up with Worcester.

Jeffers is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Orioles.

It's a routine day off for Jeffers, who started each of the previous five tilts. Christian Vazquez will do the catching and bat ninth as the Twins try to complete the sweep.

Wong is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Wong will get some rest for the day game after he went 1-for-4 with a run scored while catching all nine innings of Wednesday's 6-4 win. He'll give way to Carlos Narvaez behind the dish in the series finale.

Bader (illness) is starting in left field and batting eighth in Thursday's game versus the Orioles.

Bader was held out of the lineup the previous two days due to illness, but he homered as a pinch hitter Wednesday and is back in the Twins' lineup Thursday. The 30-year-old has provided surprising offensive punch for Minnesota this season, sporting an .825 OPS with four long balls.

Gonzalez (back) is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Gonzalez has been serving as Boston's primary option at first base since Triston Casas suffered a ruptured patella tendon Friday, but the former was forced out of Wednesday's 6-4 win due to back stiffness and will need at least one game off to recover. Abraham Toro will step in at first base in Thursday's series finale.

Wilson went 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Mariners.

Wilson has been on a tear at the plate, recording multiple hits in four of his last five games -- he's gone 12-for-21 (.571) with a 1.275 OPS in that span. The rookie shortstop has boosted his slash line to .357/.383/.476 across 150 plate appearances this season with three homers, 21 RBI, 20 runs scored and a stolen base.

Jung batted ninth in the order and went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Red Sox.

Jung swatted a homer off closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning. It was his first home run in 12 contests and third of the season. As part of recent personnel changes -- a new hitting coach -- and attempts to shake up a team that has underperformed offensively, manager Bruce Bochy has experimented with different batting orders. He had Jung batting ninth for a second straight game. It's hard to read this as a "demotion," as Jung has been better than several struggling Ranger hitters. Perhaps the manager wanted to stick with the same order that produced 16 hits the previous game.

Pederson went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to Boston.

Pederson recorded multiple hits for a second straight game and is a combined 4-for-5 with two doubles, one walk and an RBI in the first two games of the series with the Red Sox. It's just the second time all season he's hit safely in consecutive contests. He still has a way to go to dig out of an epic season-starting slump -- his average was .052 on April 22 -- but Pederson is batting .281 (9-for-32) over the last 12 games, and the bat is showing signs of life.