MLB Player News

Soto (calf) did wind sprints on the field prior to Friday's game, and the superstar outfielder intends to play again this season, Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports.

Soto still doesn't have a clear timeline for his return from the IL, but his ability to run Friday is an encouraging sign. The biggest hurdle for a quick return to the lineup might come from the fact that the Mets are well out of the playoff picture, giving them no incentive to rush Soto back into action. He last played July 24, and over 84 games this season he's produced a .283/.408/.539 slash line with 21 homers and seven steals, and that .408 OBP would lead the National League if Soto had enough plate appearances to qualify.

Cox went 1-for-4 with a triple and a run scored in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Rockies.

Cox was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday and stepped into the leadoff spot against Colorado. The 25-year-old outfielder hit a leadoff triple in the ninth inning before coming around to score the Giants' final run. He's now slashing .267/.267/.533 with six runs scored, four stolen bases, three RBI, two triples and a home run across 33 plate appearances this season.

The Cardinals recalled Baez from Triple-A Memphis on Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

One of the top prospects in all of baseball, Baez will make his MLB debut Saturday against the Cubs after slashing .254/.326/.572 this season at Memphis while tallying 34 homers, 90 RBI, 79 runs scored and 21 steals in 103 games. The 23-year-old is likely to immediately fill an everyday role upon joining the Cardinals and is worth picking up in virtually all formats. Cesar Prieto was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Reynolds went 2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and a stolen base in Friday's 8-4 win over the Red Sox.

The veteran outfielder stole a bag for a second straight contest as he tries to find ways to stay productive while mired in a 16-game homer drought. During that stretch, Reynolds has managed just a .230/.319/.279 slash line with three doubles, two steals, two RBI and nine runs.

Valdez went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Friday against the Red Sox.

Valdez has been in a significant slump for much of August, but he has started to turn things around in his last few starts. Across the last four games, he's gone 5-for-15 with three RBI, three runs scored and a double. While a limited sample, Valdez has also encouragingly struck out only 18.8 percent of the time in that span.

Suzuki went 2-for-4 with a double and a three-run home run in Friday's 3-0 victory over the Cardinals.

Suzuki provided all of Chicago's offense Friday when he launched his 21st home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runners on. The outfielder has gone deep three times in 12 games this month and is sporting a robust .952 OPS in August. Overall, Suzuki has an .849 OPS, which would be a new career best, and he's once again delivering strong offensive production across the board for fantasy managers.

Veen went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Friday's 5-2 win over the Giants.

Veen has homered in both of his games in the majors this season, and they've both come on the road. The outfielder looks poised to fill a strong-side platoon role in right field alongside Jordan Beck, at least for the time being. Veen batted .327 and slugged .635 over 100 games with Triple-A Albuquerque this year prior to his call-up, and his favorable home park in the majors could allow him to maintain fantasy utility if he plays regularly down the stretch.

Pages went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 3-1 win over the Brewers.

Pages' fifth-inning homer restored a one-run lead for the Dodgers. The outfielder is putting together another solid month, going 15-for-51 (.294) with two homers and six RBI over 13 contests in August so far. On the year, he's batting .272 with a .796 OPS, 20 homers, 77 RBI, 68 runs scored, 24 doubles, two triples and 11 stolen bases over 122 contests.

Tawa went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-0 win over Atlanta.

Tawa gave the Diamondbacks some insurance with a 406-foot blast in the top of the ninth inning. It continued a strong August for the 26-year-old, who's hitting .286 with three homers, six RBI, seven runs scored and four stolen bases through 13 games this month. On the year, he's slashing .233/.284/.394 with seven long balls, 27 RBI, 22 runs scored and six steals across 203 plate appearances.

Frelick (shoulder) is slated to begin playing in the outfield at Triple-A Nashville on Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Frelick began playing in rehab games at Triple-A last weekend and has gone 3-for-11 with three walks and three runs scored over four games, though he has served exclusively as a designated hitter up to this point. He still has a few tests left to pass as he ramps up his throwing, but he could be cleared to return from the injured list within the next several days if all goes well.