MLB Player News

Freeman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.

Freeman will head to the bench for the first time since Aug. 29. While starting in each of the Rockies' last 20 games, Freeman hit .259 with zero home runs, one steal, 13 runs and five RBI.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro confirmed Sunday that Lugo (back) won't return this season, Jackson Stone of MLB.com reports.

Lugo landed on the injured list due to a back issue in early September. He was able to throw a bullpen session early this week but did not respond well. Quatraro explained Sunday that the injury is "not getting better quickly enough to do anything meaningful for him to come out here and force it." Lugo will finish his 10th MLB campaign with a 4.15 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 125:55 K:BB while posting an 8-7 record over 26 starts spanning 145.1 innings. There's currently no reason to believe that he won't be able to have a normal offseason.

Pham is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics.

Pham will take a seat for the second time in the series. The veteran outfielder has had a tough finish to the season, as he's gone hitless in his last 25 at-bats over his past eight games to bring his average down to .243.

Langford (side) is batting second and starting in left field Sunday against Miami.

Langford was held out of the lineup both Friday and Saturday while dealing with left side tightness, though he was able to enter Saturday's contest as a pinch runner. That served as a precursor to his return to the lineup Sunday. Langford will try to turn around what has been a rough September, as he's batting a meager .170 with one homer and four RBI through 16 games this month.

The Brewers placed Woodruff on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right lat strain.

Woodruff's surprise move to the IL comes after he allowed one earned run on two hits while striking out nine across five innings in his most recent start this past Wednesday against the Angels. The severity of Woodruff's injury isn't known, but the diagnosis of a right lat strain typically doesn't portend a brief absence. Woodruff will be eligible for reinstatement Oct. 3, one day before the start of the NLDS. According to Sophia Minnaert of FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, manager Pat Murphy said "it's too early to tell" whether Woodruff will be available for the start of the Brewers' postseason run.

Taylor (hamstring) is playing in a minor-league rehab game Sunday and could join the team in Chicago ahead of a three-game series against the Cubs that starts Tuesday, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports.

Taylor has been on the shelf since Sept. 2 due to a strained left hamstring, but after embarking on a rehab assignment Friday, Taylor is on the brink of returning. Once activated, the 31-year-old will likely be on the short side of a platoon in center field with Cedric Mullins.

Alvarez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

He'll give way to Luis Torrens behind the plate Sunday after starting at catcher in the first two games of the series. Alvarez has gone 8-for-25 (.320 average) with two home runs in his last seven games.

Lewis isn't in the starting lineup Sunday versus Cleveland.

Lewis will take a seat amidst a strong September during which he's batted .274 with three homers, 10 RBI and nine stolen bases through 18 games. Ryan Fitzgerald is getting a turn at the hot corner in Lewis' stead Sunday.

Contreras (hand) isn't part of the starting nine for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Contreras was hit on his left hand by an opposing hitter's swing while he was catching during the seventh inning of Saturday's 3-2 extra-inning win. Though Contreras said he lobbied to be included in Sunday's lineup, the Brewers will ultimately err on the side of caution and hold him out. Considering that X-rays on his wrist and hand came back negative, Contreras can be viewed as day-to-day heading into the final week of the season while he manages a bruise.

Westburg is not starting against the Yankees on Sunday.

Since being activated off the 10-day IL on Tuesday, Westburg had started five straight games, but he went just 1-for-20 with 10 strikeouts over that span. He'll get a day to reset Sunday while Jeremiah Jackson makes a start at the hot corner.