MLB Player News

Rodriguez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles.

Rodriguez went 2-for-12 with a solo home run, a walk and a double while starting in each of the Guardians' previous four contests, but he'll hit the bench Monday as Steven Kwan (wrist) makes his return to the lineup following a three-game absence to begin the second half. So long as Kwan remains healthy, Rodriguez looks like he'll be limited to the short side of a platoon in right field with Nolan Jones.

Kwan (wrist) will start in left field and bat leadoff in Monday's game versus the Orioles.

Kwan sat out each of the Guardians' first three games coming out of the All-Star break after receiving a pain-killing injection in his injured right wrist. However, the All-Star outfielder feels well enough to give it a go in Monday's series opener.

Clarke went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 8-2 loss to Cleveland before he was removed from the game in the bottom of the eighth inning due to right hip discomfort, Theo DeRosa of MLB.com reports.

Clarke suffered the injury in the top of the eighth, when he came up gimpy while rounding the bases on Nick Kurtz's run-scoring double. The Athletics haven't provided an official update on Clarke's status ahead of Monday's series opener in Texas, but if he requires a stint on the injured list, the team could bring back JJ Bleday or Colby Thomas back from Triple-A Las Vegas to serve as his primary replacement in center field. Though most of his highlights in the majors since his May 23 promotion have come on the defensive end, Clarke has picked up the pace at the plate of late, slashing .298/.340/.574 with six doubles, two triples and a home run over his past 14 games.

Schreck (hand) has gone 2-for-8 with a home run, two RBI and an additional run in two games for Triple-A Buffalo since being reinstated from the 7-day injured list Friday.

The 25-year-old outfielder spent about a month on Buffalo's IL while recovering from the hand injury. Since receiving a promotion from Double-A New Hampshire in early June, Schreck has put together a .235/.350/.529 slash line with three home runs over 40 plate appearances for Buffalo.

Rodriguez was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul on Friday with a right oblique strain, MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez had just returned to action shortly before the All-Star break after missing more than a month of action with a right hip injury, and he now appears likely to be shelved for multiple weeks once again. The top prospect has had extreme difficulty staying healthy in his professional career, as he has yet to reach 100 games played in a season.

Varsho (hamstring) started in center field Sunday in a rehab appearance for Single-A Dunedin, going 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI.

He was lifted after six innings in this one, his third rehab contest, but Varsho is getting closer to coming off the injured list. The 29-year-old will likely be moved to a higher-level affiliate this week and may not be activated until he plays on consecutive days, but Varsho might be back patrolling center field for the Blue Jays by this weekend.

Langford batted leadoff and went 0-for-4 in Sunday's 2-1 loss to Detroit.

Langford typically bats in the middle of the order but was moved up to leadoff for the night against Detroit lefty Tarik Skubal. Sam Haggerty (ankle) had been the go-to leadoff batter against southpaws recently, but he landed on the 10-day injured list Friday. Langford went hitless in the three-game series against the Tigers and hasn't recorded a hit over the last 15 at-bats, dropping his season average to .234.

Judge went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional run scored and a walk Sunday in a 4-2 win against Atlanta.

Judge got the scoring started Sunday with a 409-foot solo blast in the first inning. It was the fearsome slugger's first homer of the second half, and he's now up to 36 long balls on the campaign. Only Cal Raleigh (38) has more home runs than Judge this season.

Smith went 1-for-5 with two RBI on Sunday against the Mariners.

Smith has progressively moved up the Astros' lineup, and he hit leadoff for the first time Sunday. He delivered a two-RBI double in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3 while also accounting for his first extra-base hit in his last six starts. Smith has had inconsistent fantasy production, but he continues a very impressive rookie season during which he's maintained a .328 wOBA and 111 wRC+ across 2238 plate appearances.

Baez exited Sunday's 2-1 win over the Rangers in the sixth inning with left shoulder soreness, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Baez finished 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before exiting the contest with an apparent aggravation of the shoulder he first injured while sliding into home plate in a June 14 game against the Reds. He said after the game Sunday that he "didn't want to keep playing with soreness" and is hopeful to avoid a stint on the injured list. The Tigers begin a three-game series in Pittsburgh on Monday, and Baez's status will be worth keeping an eye on.