MLB Player News
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Michael Busch 3B | CHC
Cubs' Michael Busch: Getting rest Saturday
Busch isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.
Busch went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and a walk in Friday's loss, putting an end to what had been a six-game hitting streak. He'll get a chance to refresh Saturday while Justin Turner starts at first base, batting eighth.
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Dominic Smith 1B | SF
Giants' Dominic Smith: Homers in Friday's win
Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 8-7 win over the Dodgers.
Smith's solo shot in the fifth inning sparked a five-run rally for the Giants. This was his second homer with the team and the first at home. He's struggled with consistency at the plate lately, going just 3-for-21 (.143) over eight games in July so far. He's at a .244/.322/.385 slash line through 90 plate appearances this season while working in a timeshare with Wilmer Flores at first base.
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Willson Contreras C | BOS
Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Hits 12th homer
Contreras went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored during Thursday's 8-1 win over the Nationals.
Contreras took Jackson Rutledge deep in the seventh inning for a solo home run, bringing his season total up to 12 round trippers. The outing continued a solid stretch of play at the plate, as Contreras is 12-for-47 (.255) with seven runs scored and a 4:8 BB:K in his last 11 games. He's slashing .254/.343/.430 in 2025.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Keeps raking with solo shot
Steer went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 6-0 win over Miami.
Steer crushed his 11th homer of the season and his second of the month of July. Additionally, the 27-year-old first baseman has registered at least one hit in 16 of his last 20 outings. During that span, Steer is hitting a torrid .361 with six long balls, five doubles, 16 RBI and two stolen bases covering 72 at-bats.
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Nate Lowe 1B | CIN
Nationals' Nathaniel Lowe: Pops 14th homer
Lowe went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's win over the Cardinals.
His first-inning long ball off Andre Pallante got the ball rolling on an 8-2 rout. Lowe snapped a 13-game homer drought with the blast, but he's been productive over the last few weeks, slashing .263/.318/.537 over his last 20 contests with five of his 14 home runs on the season and 17 of his 61 RBI.
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B | CIN
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: On bench again
Encarnacion-Strand went unused off the bench in Wednesday's 7-2 win over the Marlins.
Since Noelvi Marte's return from the injured list last Friday, Encarnacion-Strand has started once over the last five games. For now, Marte and Spencer Steer will continue to garner most of the starts at the corner-infield spots, while Austin Hays and Gavin Lux appear set to share left field and the designated-hitter spot when the Reds face right-handed pitching. Encarnacion-Strand has batted just .179 over his last 17 games, and with his playing time on the downswing, he could soon be headed for a demotion to Triple-A Louisville.
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Bryce Harper DH | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Four hits, homer in win
Harper went 4-for-6 with a solo home run, a double and three total runs scored in Wednesday's 13-0 win over San Francisco.
Harper extended the Phillies' lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning with an opposite-field shot off Justin Verlander, his 10th homer of the year and one of four hits on the day. It was a breakout performance from Harper, who'd been mired in an extended slump prior to Wednesday, going just 5-for-39 (.128) with one homer in his previous 13 contests. Overall, Harper is slashing .259/.370/.449 with 35 RBI, 36 runs scored and eight stolen bases across 289 plate appearances this season.
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Josh Naylor 1B | SEA
Diamondbacks' Josh Naylor: Taking seat Wednesday
Naylor is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game versus San Diego.
Naylor will take a seat in the dugout Wednesday after going 1-for-5 with a two-run home run between the first two games of the series. Tristin English will take over at first base and bat seventh for Arizona.