MLB Player News
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Bryce Harper DH | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Swats late homer
Harper went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's win over the Mariners.
Harper reeled off a pair of singles earlier in the game before he gave the Phillies some breathing room with a two-run blast in the eighth to make it a 4-0 ballgame. Sunday was the ninth time Harper notched at least three hits in a game this season. He entered the game going just 2-for-38 at the dish with a 3:14 BB:K over his last nine games. Harper is still putting together a spectacular season, slashing .276/.370/.544 with 25 homers, 69 RBI, 62 runs, five steals and a 56:92 BB:K in 424 plate appearances.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | SF
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Clubs homer in three-hit game
Wade went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 8-2 win over the Reds.
Wade put the Giants ahead with his sixth-inning homer. The first baseman has batted atop the order in his last three games -- he didn't hit leadoff often earlier in the season, as Jung Hoo Lee (knee) was there early in the year and Jorge Soler spent more time there before he was traded to Atlanta. Since the All-Star break, Wade is 8-for-37 (.216) with four walks over 11 contests. He's slashing .294/.417/.407 with four homers, 20 RBI, 33 runs scored and a stolen base over 252 plate appearances, but he's struggled to replicate his strong on-base skills from earlier in the year since returning from a hamstring injury in late June.
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Jake Bauers RF | MIL
Brewers' Jake Bauers: Idle against lefty
Bauers is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Bauers has taken hold of a strong-side platoon role for Milwaukee since Christian Yelich (back) landed on the injured list July 24, but Bauers will find himself on the bench for the third time in four contests while the Brewers face another lefty (Mitchell Parker). Gary Sanchez will end up taking Bauers' spot in the lineup, as Sanchez will start at catcher while William Contreras serves as the club's designated hitter and Rhys Hoskins starts at first base.
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Mark Canha 1B | SF
Giants' Mark Canha: Filling short-side platoon role
Canha is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Canha has now started just once in four games since joining the Giants after being acquired from the Tigers on Tuesday. The right-handed-hitting Canha's lone start came Friday versus Reds lefty Andrew Abbott, with the other three absences coming while the Giants have faced right-handed pitching. Canha looks like he'll have to settle for a short-side platoon role while the Giants have all their key lineup contributors at full health.
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Rhys Hoskins 1B | MIL
Brewers' Rhys Hoskins: Homers in loss
Hoskins went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Nationals.
Hoskins hit a solo home run in the seventh inning and has now recorded a hit in nine consecutive games. While none of those have been multi-hit efforts, he seems to be finding his power stroke with four long balls and nine RBI in that span. On the season, the first baseman is hitting .220 with 19 homers and 57 RBI across 345 plate appearances.
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Michael Busch 3B | CHC
Cubs' Michael Busch: Homers again in loss
Busch went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Cardinals.
Busch hit a two-run homer in the first inning and singled in the fifth. He has gone just 6-for-33 in his past 10 games, but three of those hits have left the park. On the season, the first baseman is hitting .260 with 15 home runs, 43 RBI and 52 runs scored across 392 plate appearances.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Trending toward return next week
Freeman (personal) could rejoin the Dodgers during their home series against the Phillies that begins Monday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Freeman has been away from the team since last Saturday, when he was placed on the family medical emergency list. The Dodgers transferred him to the restricted list Saturday, which temporarily removes him from the 40-man roster. While manager Dave Roberts didn't commit to a date for Freeman's return to the club, the first baseman looks to be trending toward an activation in the coming days. Cavan Biggio will likely move back into a reserve role once Freeman is reinstated.
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Ty France 1B | CIN
Reds' Ty France: Makes first start for new team
France started at first base and went 0-for-3 in Friday's 3-0 loss to the Giants.
France made his first start for the Reds since being acquired earlier in the week. With Christian Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) done for the season, first base has become a rotation involving Jeimer Candelario, Spencer Steer and France.
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Michael Busch 3B | CHC
Cubs' Michael Busch: Hits 14th home run Friday
Busch went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-3 win over the Cardinals.
Busch and Christian Bethancourt led the way for the Cubs with two home runs and four total RBI. For Busch, he's now up to 14 long balls this season to go along with a .257 batting average and .795 OPS. He's been a bit cold lately with a .143 average over his last five games, though he's gone deep twice in that span to boost his OPS to .821. Busch should remain locked in at first base for Chicago moving forward.