MLB Player News

Bellinger is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.

Bellinger was scorching hot to begin September, slashing .373/.387/.627 over his first 14 games of the month, but he has cooled off with just three hits in his last five games (20 at-bats). There has been nothing to suggest an injury is in play, so this looks like a breather ahead of the postseason. Jose Caballero will get the start in left field against right-hander Mason Englert.

Acuna (leg) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.

Acuna was removed from Tuesday's contest after fouling a ball off his left leg. X-rays were negative and Acuna informed the club that he was fine to play Wednesday, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. However, with the National League East already wrapped up, Atlanta will rest its star outfielder for a day just to be safe. Brewer Hicklen will cover right field Wednesday in Acuna's stead.

Keller (shoulder) said Wednesday that he feels fully healthy and plans to resume throwing in late October, Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com reports.

Keller has remained shut down since being diagnosed with a right teres major strain in early August. The rest appears to have accomplished its goal thus far, and Keller looks to be on track to have a normal offseason throwing program. Keller held a 5.29 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 89:42 K:BB over 115.2 innings for the Pirates this season.

Contreras (hand) is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Make it five consecutive absences for Contreras since he was plunked on his right hand last Thursday. He has not appeared off the bench in any of the Red Sox's last four games. Contreras said he thought his hand was broken initially, but X-rays were negative and he remains day-to-day.

Stephenson is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Atlanta.

It's a routine day off for Stephenson, who had started the last six games for the Reds. It will be Will Banfield doing the catching on Wednesday.

The Red Sox reinstated Rafaela (quadriceps) from the injured list Wednesday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports. The 26-year-old will start in center field and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Guardians.

A right quad strain sent Rafaela to the 10-day injured list earlier this month, but he will return to face lefty Foster Griffin in the second game of the series versus Cleveland. Rafaela bypassed a rehab assignment but has been taking simulated at-bats against the team's Trajekt machine. The 26-year-old sits with a career-best .282/.317/.443 slash line through 135 contests, and he's already matched last year's mark with 3.9 fWAR this season despite having played in 21 fewer games.

The Brewers optioned Gordon to Double-A Biloxi on Wednesday.

Gordon logged five innings out of the Milwaukee bullpen in Tuesday's loss to the Phillies, so he's being sent out in favor of a fresh arm. Lyon Richardson is taking Gordon's spot on the roster and in the bullpen.

Norby is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Diamondbacks.

Norby is slashing .305/.382/.441 in September and had made six straight starts, but he'll get a breather Wednesday. Adael Amador will settle in at second base for the Rockies.

Cruz is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Cardinals.

The lefty-swinging Cruz will retreat to the bench as the Cardinals send left-hander Matthew Liberatore to the bump. Jake Mangum will patrol center field and will bat ninth for the Pirates.

The Rays optioned Cook to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

He's exiting the roster in order to free a spot for Mason Englert, who will make a spot start Wednesday versus the Yankees. Cook has allowed three runs with a 5:2 K:BB across 5.2 frames out of the Rays' bullpen this season.