MLB Player News

Rafaela (back) is starting in center field and batting second Tuesday against the Orioles, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

The center fielder was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's matchup with the Guardians due to lower-back soreness, but he's apparently in the clear coming off Monday's team day off. Rafaela finished May on a bit of a cold streak with a .671 OPS over his past eight games, but he still has a .275/.340/.430 slash line through 212 plate appearances on the season.

Gurriel (hamstring) appears on track to begin a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League as soon as next Monday, MLB.com reports.

Though Gurriel is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, he'll need some more time to fully heal from the left hamstring injury that he sustained on a sliding catch during a May 22 game against the Rockies. According to the report, Gurriel has resumed running, taking part in outfield drills and taking batting practice against a machine since landing on the IL. He'll likely increase the intensity of his workouts this week before heading out on a rehab assignment and potentially making his return to the Arizona lineup around the middle of June.

Adams has enrolled at Southern Methodist University and intends to suit up for the football team, Billy Embody of On3.com reports.

Adams is a former blue-chip football recruit who signed to play at North Carolina before opting for professional baseball instead. The 26-year-old had split time between Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville in the Brewers organization before being released last week. Adams has slashed .165/.193/.203 in 38 games covering parts of three major-league seasons. His pursuit of a football career presumably means Adams is done playing baseball, though he has not confirmed as much.

Caglianone went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, an additional run scored and a walk in Monday's 9-2 victory over the Reds.

Caglianone reached base three times, highlighted by a two-run homer that left the bat at 108.1 mph in the fifth inning. Monday marked a strong start to June for the 23-year-old after he hit .222 with a .638 OPS, three homers, four doubles, seven RBI, seven runs and a stolen base across 27 contests in May. Overall, he's hitting .242 with a .711 OPS, 16 extra-base hits (six homers), 13 RBI, 20 runs and a stolen base through 55 games this season.

Young went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's loss to the Marlins.

The center fielder took Sandy Alcantara deep in the second inning to give the Nationals an early 2-1 lead, but the bullpen wasn't able to make it stick in an eventual 7-3 loss. Known for his speed and defensive prowess as opposed to his slugging coming into 2026, Young is up to eight homers on the season, and five of them have come in his last 16 games -- a stretch in which he's slashing a stunning .308/.386/.718 with two steals, seven runs and 10 RBI over 44 plate appearances.

Thomas went 3-for-5 with a grand slam, a double and an additional run scored in Monday's win over the Reds.

Thomas launched a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Royals a nice cushion they'd never relinquish. This was Thomas' second homer of the season, and it's worth noting that he also ended just a triple away from the cycle. The 30-year-old has hit .320 with a .930 OPS, a homer, three doubles, six RBI, two runs scored and a 5:2 K:BB over his last nine games.

Church (shoulder) has begun a throwing program and has been taking batting practice, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Church has been sidelined for nearly two weeks while dealing with a left shoulder strain. He will likely need a rehab assignment before activation from the 10-day injured list and appears close to being game-ready. With Lars Nootbaar (heels) expected to return before him, Church's best chance at playing time once he makes it back could be unseating Victor Scott in center field.

Stowers went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's win over the Nationals.

The 28-year-old outfielder took Cole Henry deep in the ninth inning to wrap up the scoring in a 7-3 victory. Stowers has struggled to begin the season, but he seems to have at least found his power stroke over the last few weeks. Through 62 plate appearances since May 16, he's slashing .246/.295/.509 with three of his four homers on the year, along with six doubles, eight runs and 10 RBI. That production comes with a worrying 37.1 percent strikeout rate, however.

Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Monday's win over the Nationals.

Entering the game for Owen Caissie as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning, Hernandez ripped a Richard Lovelady slider down the left-field line to tie the game at 3-3, before Connor Norby gave the Marlins the lead for good later in the frame with an RBI double. Hernandez has been making an impact in a part-time role since coming back up to the majors in early May, and through his last 36 plate appearances dating back to May 7, the 26-year-old is slashing .294/.306/.559 with all three of his homers on the season, along with 11 RBI, three runs and a steal.

Troy went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Monday's 4-1 win over the Dodgers.

Troy got the Diamondbacks on the board in the sixth inning, cranking a solo shot into the left-field stands for his first big-league homer and RBI. Called up May 23 in the wake of Lourdes Gurriel (hamstring) landing on the injured list, Troy has seen regular opportunities in left field and is making the most of them, slashing .318/.400/.545 with three extra-base hits and seven runs across 25 plate appearances. The 24-year-old's positional versatility should help him maintain a roster spot and compete for playing time even when Gurriel returns to health.