MLB Player News

Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Friday's 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks.

Alvarez was the only Houston player to record multiple hits. He hit a single in the third inning, advanced to third on Isaac Paredes' RBI double and later scored on Jose Altuve's sacrifice fly. Alvarez added another single in the fifth. He's posting pedestrian numbers of late, hitting .242 with a .745 OPS over his last 10 games, but he remains the most dangerous hitter in the Astros' lineup by a wide margin.

Manager Dave Roberts said after Friday's game that he does not expect Ohtani (knee/biceps) to play Saturday against the Nationals, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

If Ohtani ends up sitting Saturday, it would mark the first time since he joined the Dodgers that he's missed three consecutive games. Prior to Friday's contest, Roberts said he was still "hopeful" Ohtani would avoid the injured list, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. "I wouldn't say confident, but hopeful," Roberts said. Ohtani is dealing with lingering knee and biceps issues, injuries which have kept him from pitching in a game since July 3.

Rice went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Padres.

Rice has six multi-hit efforts over his last 11 games, going 16-for-46 (.348) in that span. He's added two homers, two doubles and eight RBI during the hot stretch. Rice is batting .257 with an .875 OPS, 36 homers, 88 RBI, 87 runs scored, 22 doubles, three triples and three stolen bases through 135 contests this season as the Yankees' primary designated hitter.

Gasper went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during the Red Sox's 1-0 win over the Orioles on Friday.

Gasper's solo homer off Shane Baz in the first inning proved to be the only run scored in Friday's affair. Gasper has made the most of his opportunities in the big leagues, and the Red Sox will lean on him now due to Willson Contreras (hamstring) being on the 10-day injured list. Since mid-August, Gasper has gone 17-for-45 (.378) with eight home runs, 15 RBI and 11 runs scored. If he continues his strong play at the plate, the Red Sox may have to make some tough roster decisions when one of Contreras, Curtis Mead (wrist) or Masataka Yoshida (hamstring) returns from the IL.

Ohtani (biceps/knee) is not in the Dodgers' starting lineup against the Nationals on Friday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani has been working through lingering knee and biceps injuries and will be out of the lineup for a second consecutive game as a result. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday that Ohtani as still viewed as "day-to-day," and the hope is that he can avoid a stint on the IL, per Woo. The injuries have delayed his pitching progression, and it's becoming increasingly uncertain whether he'll return to the mound before the end of the regular season. Alex Call will serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter and bat seventh Friday while Tommy Edman hits out of the leadoff spot.

Suarez (personal) will start at designated hitter and bat fifth in Friday's game versus the Brewers.

Suarez was away from the Reds for the past two games in order to take the U.S. naturalization test. The 35-year-old is coming off his best month of the season, having collected an .852 OPS with six home runs and 20 RBI in August.

Anthony went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's 6-5 win over Baltimore.

Anthony's solo shot in the ninth inning upped Boston's lead to 6-3 and turned out to be the game-winning run after the Orioles scored twice in the bottom of the frame. He's homered in two consecutive games and hit safely in all five contests since being activated from the IL. Anthony is 10-for-22 with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, two RBI and five runs scored during that scorching stretch.

Ohtani (biceps/knee) is considered day-to-day as he battles a pair of injuries, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

Ohtani is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale with the Cardinals as he continues to battle through lingering left knee discomfort and an additional right biceps issue. Manager Dave Roberts outlined that the 32-year-old's availability off the bench Thursday and his status for Friday's series opener with the Nationals will depend on further conversations with the team's training staff. Roberts views a stint on the injured list as unlikely but "not impossible." The injuries have also further delayed Ohtani's potential return to the mound, which is now without an official timeline.

Ohtani is not in the lineup Thursday versus the Cardinals due to knee and biceps discomfort.

After Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the Cardinals, manager Dave Roberts made it sound likely that Ohtani could get the day off Thursday, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Ohtani appeared to show some physical discomfort in his four-strikeout performance Wednesday as he continues to deal with soreness in his left knee and right biceps. It remains to be seen how many games the superstar may rest until he rejoins the lineup. The lingering injuries also leave him without a clear timeline to resume pitching -- he hasn't taken the mound for the Dodgers since July 3. As for Thursday, Tommy Edman is batting leadoff while Alex Call is starting as the designated hitter.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted Wednesday that he's uncertain if Ohtani will pitch again this season while the two-way superstar manages left knee and right biceps soreness, Associated Press reports.

Ohtani, who hasn't pitched in a game since July 3, appeared poised to make his return to the mound last Sunday against the Tigers, but he was scratched ahead of a potential start after he didn't feel healthy coming out of a 20-pitch bullpen session Friday. Roberts noted that until Ohtani throws another bullpen session, the Dodgers won't have a good feel for the next step in his pitching progression, with the skipper going as far as saying that using Ohtani exclusively as a designated hitter for the rest of the season is "an option." The Dodgers may soon consider giving Ohtani a day off from hitting as well. After Ohtani went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Wednesday's 8-6 extra-inning loss to the Cardinals, Roberts said that he plans to meet with the training staff and Ohtani on Thursday as the Dodgers "really try to figure out where he's at physically," per Beth Harris of the Associated Press.