MLB Player News

Varsho went 3-for-6 with two doubles, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings loss to the Astros.

The center fielder has been dialed in since returning from a wrist injury over the weekend. Over the last three games, Varsho has gone 5-for-14 with four extra-base hits (two doubles and two homers), four runs, five RBI and a steal. His seven home runs and 22 RBI in 67 contests this season are way off his 2025 pace, but Varsho still has time to heat up over the summer and avoid a disappointing campaign.

Okamoto went 3-for-4 with two walks, a run scored and three RBI in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-inning loss to the Astros.

His two-run single in the eighth inning looked like it might give Toronto the win, but the bullpen couldn't make a 6-4 lead stick. Okamoto has six hits and seven RBI in the last three games, continuing a June surge that has seen the 29-year-old third baseman deliver a .324/.397/.603 slash line over 19 games this month with five homers, 12 runs and 16 RBI.

Bieber didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings loss to the Astros, coughing up four runs on nine hits -- including three home runs -- over 3.2 innings. He struck out two without walking a batter.

Making his first start of the season after recovering from elbow trouble, Bieber didn't look sharp and served up back-to-back-to-back homers to Yainer Diaz, Cam Smith and Taylor Trammell in the fourth inning, with Trammell's blast reaching the upper deck at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays will be patient with Bieber, especially given their lack of healthy alternatives in the rotation, but there's little reason to have the veteran right-hander active in fantasy leagues until he shows some consistency. He's set to make his next start at home this weekend against the Rangers.

Altuve went 3-for-6 with a double and three runs scored in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings win over the Blue Jays.

The veteran second baseman was a pest on the basepaths all afternoon, as he scored three or more runs in a game for the first time since March 30. Altuve has multiple hits in three of his last five games, batting .381 (8-for-21) during that span as he shakes off a slump that had seen him slash .158/.220/.395 over his first 11 games since returning from an oblique strain in early June.

Loperfido went 1-for-1 with a home run and four RBI in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings win over the Blue Jays.

Traded from Toronto back to Houston over the winter, Loperfido came off the bench for a revenge game. The 27-year-old outfielder pinch hit for Jake Meyers and was credited with an RBI as part of a ninth-inning rally on a bases-loaded catcher's interference call, before slugging a game-winning, three-run homer off Braydon Fisher in the top of the 11th. The long ball was Loperfido's first of the season in 32 big-league games, and while he's batting just .154 (4-for-26) since returning to the 26-man roster in early June, three of the four hits have gone for extra bases and he's drawn six walks.

Lambert didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 9-7 extra-innings win over the Blue Jays, giving up two runs on six hits and three walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out six.

Toronto ran up Lambert's pitch count early, and the right-hander was lifted after 92 pitches (52 strikes) with Houston ahead 4-2, although the lead changed hands a couple times after he left the mound. It was Lambert's shortest outing since April 30, but he still allowed three runs or fewer for a sixth straight start, a stretch in which he's gone 4-0 while posting a 2.97 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 29:14 K:BB over 33.1 innings. He'll look to get back in the win column in his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Twins.

Rafaela went 1-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base in Tuesday's 5-2 win over Colorado.

Rafaela capped off Boston's scoring, plating the team's fifth run with an RBI single in the sixth inning. The 25-year-old outfielder is enjoying the best season of his four-year MLB career, slashing .280/.330/.437 with seven home runs, 33 RBI, nine steals and 31 runs over 73 games. Rafaela's been one of the Red Sox's most consistent hitters and he earned a promotion to the second spot in the batting order, where he's been the last 24 games.

Monasterio started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Rockies.

Monasterio got the start at shortstop with Marcelo Mayer nursing a sore foot after fouling a ball off it the previous night. As the Red Sox were facing a left-hander, Colorado's Sean Sullivan, it's likely Mayer would have been held out regardless of the injury. Playing time has been sporadic for Monasterio, who's made just 28 starts and is slashing .223/.271/.355 with two home runs, 11 RBI, one steal and 12 runs scored across 45 total appearances.

Civale (5-4) allowed two runs on six hits and a hit batsman while striking out five without walking a batter over four innings to take the loss versus the Giants on Tuesday.

Civale wasn't all that efficient, but he threw 57 of 84 pitches for strikes in his second start back from shoulder tendinitis. The right-hander gave up both runs in the second inning, and the Athletics' offense had little response with just three hits for the game. Civale should be good for a full workload moving forward, though performance remains a concern. He's at a 4.88 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 46:19 K:BB through 62.2 innings over 13 starts this season. His next outing is projected to be a favorable road matchup versus the Angels this weekend.

Vargas went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Guardians.

Vargas took Parker Messick deep in the sixth inning for a solo homer that ultimately stood as the game-winning run. The blast was his 17th home run of the season. While Vargas opened June with a nine-game hitting streak, he has cooled considerably since then, batting just .139 (5-for-36) over his last 10 games with his only RBI coming from Tuesday's blast.