MLB Player News
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Josh Bell 1B | ARI
Marlins' Josh Bell: Power surge continues Friday
Bell went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's win over the Brewers.
He took Janson Junk deep in the ninth inning, giving the Marlins their third long ball of the game and giving Bell his third straight game with a homer and fourth straight game with multiple hits. The switch-hitting first baseman, and pending free agent, is doing what he can to improve his trade value as the deadline approaches -- over his last 13 contests he's slashing .300/.375/.620 with five home runs and nine RBI.
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Juan Yepez 1B | WAS
Nationals' Juan Yepez: Knocks three hits
Yepez went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI in Friday's extra-inning win over St. Louis.
Yepez scored runs in the second and fourth innings before knocking an RBI double in the fifth. He also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to tie the game in the seventh and force the game to extras. Yepez had a 15-game hitting streak to begin his Nationals career before going 0-for-3 on Thursday. After his three-hit night Friday, he's now slashing .375/.423/.609 with 11 extra-base hits through 71 plate appearances.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Not expected back during weekend
Manager Dave Roberts said after Friday's game that he doesn't expect Freeman (personal) to return to the Dodgers before the end of their series against Houston this weekend, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Freeman was a late scratch from Friday's lineup, allowing him to travel back home to tend to a family emergency. It remains unclear if the Dodgers will move the first baseman onto the family emergency list, but the chances of him playing this weekend seem to be low either way. Cavan Biggio will serve as Los Angeles' primary first baseman while Freeman is away.
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Connor Joe 1B | PIT
Pirates' Connor Joe: Out of lineup Friday
Joe is absent from the starting nine for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Joe has started four of the Pirates' six games following the All-Star break, facing two left-handed pitchers and two right-handers, but he will be idle Friday against righty Zac Gallen. With Bryan Reynolds on the bereavement list, Joe could see a minor bump in playing time in the short term. In 317 plate appearances, he's slashing .243/.328/.389 with seven home runs.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | SF
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Idle vs. southpaw Friday
Wade is not in the Giants' starting lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
With the Giants facing a southpaw for the second straight game, Wade will begin Friday's game in the dugout. David Villar will once again start at first base and bat fifth against Kyle Freeland.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Scratched from lineup Friday
Freeman (personal) has been scratched from the Dodgers' lineup for Friday's game against the Astros, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.
Freeman was originally slated to start at first base and bat third Friday, but he is flying back home to be with his family with his son in the hospital, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. There is no timeline on when Freeman may return to the club. Cavan Biggio will slide to first base Friday while Gavin Lux enters the lineup at second base, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports.
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Josh Bell 1B | ARI
Marlins' Josh Bell: Goes deep again Thursday
Bell went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in a loss to the Orioles on Thursday.
Baltimore built a 6-0 lead before Bell put Miami on the board with a sixth-inning solo shot to center field. The Marlins later strung together a ninth-inning rally, with Bell's single plating the tying run to send the game into an extra frame. Bell has gone deep in three of his past four contests and is batting .467 (7-for-15) with three homers, five RBI and four runs over that span.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | SF
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Resting versus lefty
Wade isn't in the Giants' lineup for Thursday's game against the Dodgers, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Left-hander Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) will be making his season debut Thursday, so the lefty-hitting Wade will step out of the lineup. David Villar will fill in at first base and bat sixth.
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David Villar 1B | SF
Giants' David Villar: Returns to majors
The Giants recalled Villar from Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday.
With Wilmer Flores (knee) headed for the injured list, the Giants will call upon Villar to provide the team with additional infield depth. In six games with San Francisco this season, the 27-year-old has gone 5-for-17 with a home run and four RBI, and he's also posted an .857 OPS through 311 plate appearances in Triple-A. He'll presumably serve as the Giants' primary option at first base against left-handed pitching until Flores returns from the IL.