MLB Player News

Ballesteros will start at catcher and bat sixth in Thursday's game versus the Orioles.

Ballesteros' first two starts with the Angels came from the designated-hitter spot, but he'll get a turn behind the plate in Thursday's series finale. It will mark his ninth game at catcher this season, leaving him just one game shy of picking up eligibility at the position in many fantasy leagues.

Nootbaar started in left field and went 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored as the leadoff batter in Wednesday's 10-4 win over the Padres.

Nootbaar was moved to left field in his second game in a Diamondbacks uniform after serving as the designated hitter Tuesday. He also took over the leadoff spot for a resting Ketel Marte. Nootbaar has extensive experience atop the order, having been deployed there 185 times in his career with the Cardinals. Marte remains the primary leadoff hitter for Arizona, but Nootbaar carries the traits a team seeks in the role -- he's below league average in chase rate while consistently above average in his walk rate.

Polanco went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Guardians.

Polanco had been ice cold coming into Wednesday's contest, going 0-for-26 in his previous eight games. However, he extended the Mets' lead to 2-0 with a solo home run off Tanner Bibee in the third inning -- for his second long ball this season and first since April 11 -- before adding a two-out double in the ninth. Polanco is now slashing .144/.202/.243 with five RBI and seven runs scored through 120 plate appearances.

Yelich went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI, one stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Pirates.

Yelich had been held hitless over his first three games in August, and this was his first multi-hit effort since July 22 versus the Mets. The 34-year-old logged his 10th steal of the season Wednesday, reaching double-digits thefts for the fifth year in a row and the 11th time in his 14-season career. Yelich has a .234 average, .694 OPS, seven home runs, 38 RBI, 46 runs scored, 18 doubles and two triples over 77 contests in 2026.

Ohtani went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI in Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Cubs.

In a battle between NL MVP contenders, Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong each left the yard twice, but it was the latter who came out on top. Ohtani remains limited to DH duties due to knee and bicep issues, but they are hardly slowing him down at the plate. He's hit safely in nine straight games, batting .457 (16-for-35) during that blistering stretch with four of his 26 homers on the year.

The Diamondbacks optioned Del Castillo to Triple-A Reno on Wednesday, Jody Jackson of Bally Sports Arizona reports.

Del Castillo will give up his spot on the 26-man active roster to Gabriel Moreno (personal), who was reinstated from the paternity list. After getting a call-up to Arizona following the All-Star break, Del Castillo went 7-for-25 with one steal and one RBI in eight games. He'll see more consistent playing time at Triple-A.

Tena will start at designated hitter and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

Tena will be included in the lineup for a fifth consecutive matchup versus a right-handed pitcher (Andrew Painter) and looks poised to hold down a strong-side platoon role at DH after James Wood (oblique) was placed on the injured list Tuesday. For the season, Tena has slashed .230/.291/.374 in 203 plate appearances versus righties.

Diaz is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game against Colorado, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.

After going 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's 9-7 win in 11 innings, Diaz will get some rest for a Wednesday matinee game. Jonathan Aranda will slot in as the Rays' designated hitter in Diaz's stead and will bat second.

Eldridge (thumb) will start at first base and bat leadoff in Wednesday's game against the Rangers, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Eldridge didn't start in either of the first two games of the series in Arlington while tending to a bruised left thumb, but he was able to make a cameo off the bench in Tuesday's 5-4 loss, lashing a pinch-hit, two-run double in the ninth inning to tie the game. With the 22-year-old experiencing no setbacks coming out of Tuesday's contest, he'll return to the starting nine and bat leadoff for just the second time all season. Eldridge could stick atop the lineup on a more permanent basis after the Giants dealt their primary leadoff man, Luis Arraez, to the Phillies on Monday.

Pederson is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's matchup against the Giants.

With left-hander Carson Whisenhunt toeing the slab for the Giants, Pederson will sit out Wednesday's series finale. Justin Foscue will replace Pederson as the designated hitter and bat fifth for Texas.