MLB Player News
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Braves' Freddie Freeman: On base five times Wednesday
Freeman went 4-for-4 with a walk in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Mets.
All four hits were singles, and Freeman only made it to second base once as the hitters behind him in the order (Ozzie Albies and Abraham Almonte) went a combined 0-for-8 with nine LOB. The performance snapped an 0-for-11 skid for the first baseman, but overall Freeman has put together a decent June, slashing .286/.358/.452 with four homers, two steals, 11 RBI and 14 runs in 22 games.
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Jake Cronenworth 2B | SD
Padres' Jake Cronenworth: Another homer
Cronenworth went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, double, an additional run and a strikeout in a 5-3 victory against the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Cronenworth went back-to-back with Manny Machado in the first off Trevor Bauer and later scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning after doubling. This was Cronenworth's third straight game with a home run and fourth in his last five games to bring his total to 11. The infielder extended his hitting streak to nine games in the process.
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Christian Walker 1B | HOU
Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Goes deep in loss
Walker went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Milwaukee.
The first baseman's seventh-inning solo shot accounted for the only run Arizona could muster off Milwaukee ace Brandon Woodruff. Walker has homered just twice in 21 games in June while batting .191 (13-for-68) this month. He has three long balls, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored and a disappointing .197/.243/.310 slash line through 152 plate appearances this year.
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Alec Bohm 3B | PHI
Phillies' Alec Bohm: Enjoys four-hit afternoon
Bohm went 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored in Wednesday's 13-12 loss to the Nationals.
With his first career four-hit game, Bohm is now hitting .396 in his last 13 games. His average, now .244, remains less than impressive, but this recent stretch of success has Bohm looking more like the player who hit .338 in 2020.
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Josh Bell DH | MIN
Nationals' Josh Bell: Belts go-ahead grand slam
Bell went 2-for-4 with a homer, four RBI, two runs and a walk in Wednesday's 13-12 win over the Phillies.
With the Nats trailing by two in the sixth, Bell launched an opposite-field grand slam to give Washington the lead. Highlighted by a .228 average, the switch hitter's offensive struggles are well documented, but he has hit .333 with eight RBI in his last six games, hinting at a possible midseason turnaround for Bell. The 28-year-old has done the majority of his damage from the left-handed batter's box, hitting .253 with eight of his 10 homers and 26 of his 32 RBI from that side.
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Garrett Cooper 1B | ATL
Marlins' Garrett Cooper: Rehab assignment begins Wednesday
Cooper (back) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Cooper has been sidelined since June 9 due to a lumbar strain, but he began hitting off a tee Friday and will now return to game action. It's not yet clear how many rehab games the 30-year-old could require, but his time with Triple-A Jacksonville will likely be the final step in his recovery process. Cooper served as a short-side platoon option prior to his absence, but he could see a slight uptick in at-bats once he's cleared to return since Corey Dickerson (foot) is on the injured list.
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Garrett Cooper 1B | ATL
Marlins' Garrett Cooper: Should begin rehab assignment soon
Cooper (back) is expected to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment later this week, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
The Marlins will presumably have Cooper head to Triple-A Jacksonville for the weekend to regain his timing at the plate after he was placed on the injured list June 9 with a lumbar strain. Before getting hurt, Cooper had been serving as a short-side platoon option at first base or in the corner outfield, but he could have a clearer path to regular at-bats once he returns from the IL. Corey Dickerson has since been placed on the IL with a foot injury that will likely keep him on the shelf until after the All-Star break, leaving Jesus Sanchez as the top option in left field for the time being.
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Wilmer Flores 1B | SF
Giants' Wilmer Flores: Managing hamstring tightness
Flores isn't in Wednesday's lineup against the Angels due to hamstring tightness, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Flores had hit three home runs across the last two games, but he was removed from Tuesday's win over the Angels early. Manager Gabe Kapler revealed that the 29-year-old's removal was due to a hamstring issue. While Kapler said that Flores could likely play, he'll be held out ahead of Thursday's scheduled off day as a precautionary measure. He should be considered day-to-day for now, but the Giants are hopeful that he'll be able to return for Friday's series opener against the Athletics.
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Keston Hiura 2B | LAD
Brewers' Keston Hiura: Officially recalled, starting
Hiura was recalled by the Brewers on Wednesday.
Hiura spent just over two weeks with Triple-A Nashville, but he'll return to the big-league club and should serve as the primary first baseman after Daniel Vogelbach suffered a "significant" hamstring strain and was placed on the 10-day injured list. The 24-year-old brought his strikeout rate down to 25.5 percent in his most recent minor-league stint, and he'll attempt to translate his Triple-A success to production at the top level. Hiura will bat sixth and play first base against Arizona on Wednesday.
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Keston Hiura 2B | LAD
Brewers' Keston Hiura: Promotion official
The Brewers recalled Hiura from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.
Hiura mostly served as a short-side platoon player at first base in his last stint with the big club that ran from late May through early June, going 2-for-29 with 16 strikeouts before he was sent back to the minors. The 24-year-old has resumed raking since returning to Nashville (1.065 OPS, 25.5 percent strikeout rate in 11 games), and the Brewers could envision Hiura taking on a full-time role as he returns to Milwaukee as a replacement for his former platoon mate, Daniel Vogelbach (hamstring), who was placed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. Hiura will join the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in Arizona, batting sixth versus Diamondbacks southpaw Caleb Smith.