MLB Player News

Bliss tracked flyballs in left field during batting practice prior to Monday's game versus the Rays, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Bliss has played only second base and shortstop since entering pro ball and starts at those spots figure to be few and far between with J.P. Crawford holding down shortstop and Jorge Polanco (hamstring) back off the injured list to cover second base. The Mariners elected to keep Bliss on the roster after Polanco's activation, so perhaps they will give him some reps in the outfield. Bliss has acquitted himself well during his first go-round in the majors in slashing .265/.345/.429 over 21 contests.

Garver went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a loss to the Rays on Monday.

Garver's seventh-inning, 400-foot shot to left with Dominic Canzone aboard snapped a 1-1 tie and gave the Mariners their final two runs of the night. The round tripper snapped a brief 0-for-12 skid that had encompassed Garver's last three-plus games, and it marked the veteran's fourth time leaving the yard in the last 15 contests. Garver is carrying a forgettable .200 average across his 75 plate appearances in June, but an 18.7 percent walk rate and nine extra-base hits have helped him to an impressive .830 OPS in that same span.

Pop (0-2) took the loss and was charged with a blown save Monday against the Red Sox, giving up an unearned run on two hits in one-third of an inning.

His only out was a strikeout, but Pop helped create his own misfortune in the bottom of the ninth -- after Ceddanne Rafaela reached on an error, the right-hander balked him over to second base before Jarren Duran smacked a walk-off single. Pop was only working in a high-leverage spot due to all the injuries in the Blue Jays bullpen, and on the season he carries a 4.98 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB through 21.2 innings.

Massey will be available only as a designated hitter for the time being as he returns from a back injury, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Massey was activated from the 10-day injured list Monday after missing time with a low-back ligament sprain, which was the second time this season he's missed time with a back issue. While the 26-year-old is feeling good physically, he needs some time before he's ready to play second base again. The Royals shifted Maikel Garcia over to second base and started CJ Alexander at third base Monday. Nick Loftin should also see plenty of reps at second base on days Garcia plays third, a position more familiar to him.

Duran went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 7-6 walk-off win over the Blue Jays.

Duran figured prominently in the come-from-behind win, in which Boston scored five times in the final two innings. Thanks to a miscommunication by Toronto's left side of the infield, his eighth-inning popup fell to the ground for a double followed by David Hamilton's two-run home run. An inning later, Duran produced the walk-off run with a single. The outfielder has multiple hits in five consecutive games (12-for-23) and has hit safely in 14 straight.

Hamilton started at second base and went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 7-6 win over Toronto.

Hamilton belted his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning that narrowed the Red Sox's deficit to 6-4. It continued a renaissance that began mid-May -- Hamilton has an .869 OPS with 17 steals, eight doubles, one triple, four home runs and 13 RBI over the last 36 games. The offensive production has led to Hamilton being a lineup regular, typically at shortstop but sometimes at second base, with the latter an unsettled position at this stage.

Gonzalez entered as a pinch hitter and delivered a two-run single in the eighth inning of Monday's 7-6 win over the Blue Jays.

Gonzalez was part of a four-run uprising in the eighth that set up Boston's walk-off win. After he was sent up to pinch hit for Dominic Smith against a lefty, Toronto countered with a righty reliever, and Gonzalez delivered a clutch two-out, two-run single to tie the game. He took over at first base for the final frame. Gonzalez has served in the short side of a platoon at second base since being activated off the injured list a little more than a week ago. He's also filled in at multiple positions whenever needed.

Garcia went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Monday's loss to the Brewers.

Garcia gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead with his sixth-inning blast, though the advantage was wiped out on a Rhys Hoskins grand slam in the bottom of the frame. As with Hoskins, Garcia's homer ended an extended power drought -- the outfielder hadn't gone deep in any of his past 17 games and had driven in just one run during that span. Garcia is tied for the Rangers' lead with 14 long balls on the season, but he's below pace to match the 39 homers and 107 RBI he racked up last year.

Lorenzen allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five batters over five-plus innings in a no-decision against Milwaukee on Monday.

Lorenzen fared relatively well in the outing, though he was pulled after allowing a leadoff double in the sixth inning having racked up 91 pitches. It was a relatively rare occurrence for the right-hander to get the hook that early -- coming into Monday, he had completed at least six frames in 10 of his 12 starts. Beyond eating up innings, Lorenzen has pitched quite effectively throughout the campaign, accumulating a 3.04 ERA and 1.16 WHIP despite a mediocre 55:31 K:BB through 77 frames.

Pasquantino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Monday in a 4-1 win against the Marlins.

Pasquantino put the Royals on the board in the fourth inning with his solo blast to right field. It was the first baseman's first long ball since the first day of June, a span of 20 contests. While Pasquantino hasn't been able to hit the ball over the fence regularly this season, he does have 20 doubles (tied for 10th in the majors) and has already blown away his previous season-best mark with 47 RBI through 76 games.