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  • Michael Busch 3B | CHC

    Cubs' Michael Busch: Belts homer in loss

    Busch went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk against the Giants in Monday's loss.

    Busch gave Chicago its first lead with a two-run blast to center field in the sixth inning. It was his first long ball over his past 17 contests and just his second across his past 32 games. Busch began the campaign with six homers through 16 contests, so the fact that he's still yet to reach double digits in that category emphasizes the extent to which he's slowed down. Still, the first baseman has been hitting well lately, batting .370 over his past 27 at-bats.

  • Giants' Wilmer Flores: Taking seat Monday

    Flores is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs.

    Flores had started at first base in each of the Giants' last five games, with three starts coming versus lefties and two coming versus right-handers. Though the Giants seem content to deploy Flores as their primary first baseman rather than a platoon bat while LaMonte Wade (hamstring) is on the injured list, Flores will nonetheless give way to rookie Trenton Brooks on Monday.

  • Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Shifts to 60-day IL

    The Reds transferred Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.

    Encarnacion-Strand had been on the IL since May 8 with a right ulnar styloid fracture and wasn't expected to begin a rehab assignment anytime soon, so the move to the 60-day IL won't affect his eventual timeline for a return. According to Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer, manager David Bell reiterated Monday that Encarnacion-Strand remains in a bit of a holding pattern in his recovery from the injury. After he had been expected to increase his activity earlier this month, Encarnacion-Strand's rehab progression was put on pause when he sought a second opinion on his wrist from a specialist, who determined that the 24-year-old was dealing with ligament damage. Bell said that the Reds will wait a few more days to see how Encarnacion-Strand's wrist responds to rest before a determination is made on his next step, which could include anything from resuming baseball activities to going under the knife for season-ending surgery.

  • Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Clubs 10th homer

    Freeman went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-0 victory versus the Royals.

    Freeman reached double-digit homers on the campaign with his sixth-inning solo blast. The veteran first baseman has begun to pick up the pace in terms of power, going deep four times in 14 contests in June after coming into the month with just six long balls across 59 games. Freeman's pair of hits Sunday also lifted his average back up to .300 -- he's slashing .300/.401/.502 in 319 plate appearances on the season.

  • LaMonte Wade 1B | CHW

    Giants' LaMonte Wade: Unlikely to return this week

    Giants manager Bob Melvin said Sunday that it's likely a "stretch" for Wade (hamstring) to return from the 10-day injured list before Thursday's matchup with the Cardinals at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., MLB.com reports.

    Wade was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain after suffering the injury while sliding into second base in a May 27 win over the Phillies. Though a Grade 2 strain often entails a recovery timeline of more than a month, Wade said last week that his goal was to make it back for MLB's June 20 Negro Leagues tribute game as the Giants' designated hitter. Wade took steps forward this past week by taking batting practice on the field and increasing the intensity of his running progression, but the 30-year-old looks like he'll still at least one week away from being a realistic option to return from the IL. Wilmer Flores should continue to serve as the Giants' primary first baseman while Wade remains out.

  • Matt Olson 1B | ATL

    Braves' Matt Olson: On base four times in loss

    Olson went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and two runs scored in Sunday's loss to the Rays.

    The first baseman extended his hitting streak to 10 games, and his extra-base hit streak to five games, with another impressive performance. Olson is batting .410 (16-for-39) over that 10-game stretch, pushing his slash line on the season to .261/.342/.471 with 11 homers and 38 RBI in 69 contests.

  • Rowdy Tellez 1B | TEX

    Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Delivers three hits

    Tellez went 3-for-5 with two RBI in Sunday's win over the Rockies.

    Tellez singled three times, including a two-run base hit in the seventh inning. He's slashing .419/.471/.581 with nine RBI over his last nine games. The hot streak has been encouraging but he has plenty of work left to undo his ugly start to the season; Tellez owns a .576 OPS with seven extra-base hits through 58 games.

  • Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Launches another homer

    Walker went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a two-RBI double and an additional run scored during Sunday's 12-5 win over the White Sox.

    Walker slugged his fourth home run of the last five games, taking Drew Thorpe yard in the first inning. The first baseman didn't stop there, adding a single off Thorpe in the third and plating Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll with a fourth-inning double for Walker's first three-hit game since April 30. Walker trails only Josh Naylor for the most home runs among first basemen and owns an .820 OPS.

  • Pete Alonso 1B | BAL

    Mets' Pete Alonso: Homers, drives in five

    Alonso went 2-for-5 with a home run and five RBI in Sunday's 11-6 win over the Padres.

    With two men on in the first inning, Alonso took Dylan Cease deep for this 15th homer this season. He later added a two-run single as part of a four-run eighth to give him a season-high five RBI for the game. This one had to feel good for Alonso, as he broke out of a small slump where he had only five hits and one RBI over his last eight games. The 29-year-old's 15 home runs are tied for fifth most in the National League. He'll carry a .232/.310/.461 slash line into their next series vs the Rangers.

  • Giants' Trenton Brooks: Losing work to Flores

    Brooks is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.

    Brooks looked as though he might hold down a strong-side platoon role at first base following his call-up from Triple-A Sacramento on May 28, but he appears to have since faded into a pure backup role behind Wilmer Flores. He'll be out of the lineup for the fifth straight game, with the Giants facing three lefty starters and two righties during that span.

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