MLB Player News
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Bryce Harper DH | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Homers Tuesday
Harper went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Rangers.
Harper led off the fourth inning with a double before coming around to score on an Alec Bohm single, giving the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Harper would then extend the lead to 3-1 in the fourth with a 422-foot solo blast off Jacob Latz, his 11th long ball of the year. After a sluggish start to the year, the 31-year-old Harper has been on fire in May, batting .359 with five home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.111 OPS in 17 games. He's boosted his slash line to .280/.388/.537 through 196 plate appearances this season.
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B | CIN
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Follow-up exam coming June 5
Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) will have a follow-up exam June 5, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
June 5 represents the four-week mark of Encarnacion-Strand's projected 4-to-6-week timetable as he recovers from a fracture in his right wrist, so the slugging first baseman doesn't look as though he'll be on track to return on the early side of that timeline. Encarnacion-Strand would presumably require a rehab assignment before he's activated from the 10-day injured list.
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Jake Bauers RF | MIL
Brewers' Jake Bauers: Sitting against southpaw
Bauers is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Marlins.
Bauers will give way to Owen Miller at first base for a second straight night as the Marlins trot out another lefty starter. Bauers delivered a pinch-hit double during Monday's extra-innings loss.
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Rowdy Tellez 1B | TEX
Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Sitting versus righty
Tellez is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Giants.
It's notable because the Pirates are facing a right-hander in Logan Webb. Tellez has started all but two games versus righties this season, but the two times he wasn't in the lineup have both come over the last week. With a .181/.250/.233 batting line in 44 contests this season, Tellez's time in Pittsburgh might be running out. Connor Joe will handle first base Tuesday.
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Matt Olson 1B | ATL
Braves' Matt Olson: Homers in first game of twin bill
Olson went 3-for-8 with a home run, a walk and two total RBI across both games of Monday's doubleheader split with San Diego.
Olson did most of his damage in Game 1, swatting a solo homer and adding another RBI on a single. The first baseman has gotten off to a slow start this season with a .230/.332/.410 slash line and just six homers through 44 games after going deep a career-high 54 times last year. Olson has been perking up with the bat of late, though, hitting .393 (11-for-28) with two home runs and seven RBI over his past eight contests.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Slugs grand slam in win
Freeman went 2-for-4 with a grand slam in Monday's 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks.
The homer was Freeman's first since May 11 and his third in May. He gave the Dodgers the lead in the third inning, and they never looked back. Freeman is up to five long balls, 29 RBI, 31 runs scored, one stolen base and a .298/.409/.464 slash line through 50 contests. He's not hitting for as much power as he did last year, when he racked up 29 homers, 59 doubles and a .567 slugging percentage, but there's little to complain about from what the first baseman's provided so far in 2024.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt: Picks up steal Monday
Goldschmidt went 0-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 6-3 win over the Orioles.
Goldschmidt's hitting streak came to an end at eight games, but he was still able to provide a contribution in his lone trip on base Monday. The first baseman's streak has helped to get him out of deep slump, though he's still hitting just .209 on the season. He's added a meager .592 OPS with four home runs, 16 RBI, 23 runs scored and three steals over 198 plate appearances.
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Jake Cronenworth 1B | SD
Padres' Jake Cronenworth: Swats early home run
Cronenworth went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk in Sunday's 9-1 win over Atlanta.
Cronenworth opened up the scoring with a two-run blast off Bryce Elder in the opening frame for his only hit of the night. Cronenworth owns a 140 wRC+, which is currently third in baseball among all qualified first basemen, behind only Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper. Cronenworth is putting together an excellent campaign and is currently slashing .275/.344/.485 with eight homers, 30 RBI, 21 runs and a 17:33 BB:K in 192 plate appearances.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Scores twice in win
Freeman went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's win over the Reds.
Freeman drew a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the fourth and would eventually come home to score the Dodgers' first run of the contest later in the frame on a single from outfielder Andy Pages. The star first baseman would add an RBI single in the fourth, along with a leadoff double in the eighth, before coming around to score for a second time. Freeman had gone hitless in his previous two games but now has five multi-hit games in May to go along with six RBI and 14 runs scored. He's also tied for fifth in the league in doubles with 13.