MLB Player News

Mangum went 3-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI, one steal and two runs scored during the Pirates' 9-0 win over the Mets on Saturday.

Mangum set a season high in doubles and logged his eighth game of at least three hits, his first since the All-Star break. The 30-year-old Mangum is enjoying a productive first season in Pittsburgh, slashing .300/.354/.380 with 21 steals (in 28 attempts), three home runs and 26 RBI across 345 plate appearances.

Acuna went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Yankees.

The star outfielder took Brent Headrick deep in the eighth inning as Atlanta tried to mount a late comeback. Acuna has found his power stroke late in the season, and five of his 12 homers on the year have come in the last nine games -- a stretch in which he's batting .270 (10-for-37) with six RBI.

Kepler isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Dodgers.

Kepler will take a day to regroup Saturday after going just 1-for-14 with three walks and five strikeouts in five games since the beginning of August. Lars Nootbaar will start in left field while Kepler rests, moving Gabriel Moreno into the DH spot and giving James McCann a start behind the plate.

Benge (wrist) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates.

Benge made an early exit from Friday's game after jamming his left wrist while making a sliding catch, and although all imaging done on his wrist came back negative, the Mets will keep him on the bench Saturday -- and possibly for a few additional games -- while he manages a bone bruise. Brett Baty will start in right field and bat sixth.

The Cardinals designated Velazquez for assignment Saturday.

Velazquez will be jettisoned off the 40-man roster to free up space for Everson Pereira, who was claimed off waivers from the White Sox on Friday. Velazquez could draw attention from other teams on waivers after slashing .216/.289/.432 over 83 plate appearances with St. Louis.

Tatis went 2-for-5 with a solo home run Friday in a loss to the Astros.

Tatis brought the Padres to within a run with his 400-foot blast to left field in the fifth inning. The long ball was his second over his past three games and his 10th of the campaign. That's far off the pace Tatis has established in previous seasons, though it should be remembered that he failed to hit a homer until his 56th contest this season. Since that initial home run, he's belted 10 long balls across 60 games, adding 34 RBI, 12 stolen bases and a .291/.355/.494 slash line.

McCray isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Tigers, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

McCray will get a day to regroup after going 0-for-13 with five walks, two runs and a steal across his last six games. Eddys Leonard will start in left field and bat seventh while McCray sits.

Lile went 2-for-4 with a double, a three-run home run and a second run scored in Friday's 5-3 win over the Reds.

The 23-year-old seems to save his best performances for games against the team that plays just up Interstate 71 from his home town in Louisville. In six career games versus the Reds, Lile has gone 9-for-25 (.360) with six extra-base hits, including four homers, and 13 RBI. Lile has had an up-and-down campaign, and while he's batting just .236 (17-for-72) in 21 games since the All-Star break, he's clubbed five of his 15 homers on the season while adding two steals, 10 runs and 15 RBI.

Ewing went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base in Friday's 6-4 win over the Pirates.

The rookie outfielder continues to make a good impression at the top of the order. Since becoming the Mets' regular leadoff hitter just over a month ago, Ewing has delivered a .275/.319/.404 slash line in 120 plate appearances with eight doubles, two homers, seven steals in seven attempts, eight RBI and 14 runs.

Rodriguez started in center field and went 1-for-4 with a double in Friday's 5-3 loss to Washington.

This was Rodriguez's third big-league game and first start in center field after he played right field in his debut Tuesday and served as the designated hitter Thursday. The move to center field worked out, as he was tested on a couple of plays. "He did OK," manager Terry Francona told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "That's a big ask [to play center field]. I told him, 'If you mess something up, I'll take it, not you.'" Rodriguez, who belted 27 home runs with an .880 OPS in the minors this season, potentially gives the Reds more offense than Dane Myers in center.