MLB Player News

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Giants.

Garcia got the scoring started with a first-inning blast, and the Nationals never looked back. He's slugged three long balls over his last five games, a span in which he's gone 5-for-18 (.278). For the season, he is hitting .262 with a .749 OPS, eight homers, 40 RBI, 25 runs scored and two stolen bases over 62 contests. He's halfway to matching his homer total from 139 games a year ago.

Kurtz went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two walks in Tuesday's 7-5 win over the Brewers.

Kurtz has launched four homers over his last three games and seven long balls over his last 11 contests. This stretch has gotten the first baseman back in the neighborhood of what's expected of him from a power standpoint -- he now has 15 homers on the year. Kurtz is also batting .283 with a .969 OPS, 49 RBI, 46 runs scored, 12 doubles, one triple and seven stolen bases over 302 plate appearances this season.

Burleson went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Tuesday's 7-0 win against the Mets.

Burleson did his damage in back-to-back plate appearances against Freddy Peralta -- a two-run homer in the fifth, followed by a seventh-inning RBI double. He has now hit safely in nine straight games, recording five multi-hit performances during that stretch. Burleson is batting .329 over his last 20 games, pushing his season line to .293/.360/.472 with nine homers, a team-leading 17 doubles, 46 RBI and 33 runs scored across 275 plate appearances.

Busch went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the Rockies.

Busch enjoyed the thin air at Coors Field as he lifted his seventh home run of the season in the sixth inning. The Chicago first baseman has been good lately with a .342 batting average, the one long ball and six RBI across his last 10 games. Overall, Busch is now sporting a .773 OPS and has 37 RBI across 66 contests this year, which is a step back from his 2025 production level but still plenty useful.

Schanuel was removed from Tuesday's game against the Astros with left calf tightness after getting hit by a pitch.

Schanuel initially remained in the game after taking a pitch off his leg in the first inning, and he went 1-for-1 with an RBI before coming out of the game in the fourth. The severity of his injury remains unknown, but the fact that he was able to play through it for a few innings is a positive sign. He can be considered day-to-day for the time being.

France isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.

France will grab a seat on the bench Tuesday after making six consecutive starts, during which he went 4-for-21 (.190) with three walks and two runs scored. Gavin Sheets will start at first base while France rests, allowing Samad Taylor to start in left field.

An MRI on Polanco's left ankle/Achilles tendon came back negative Tuesday, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports.

Polanco has battled problems with his Achilles all season, and the Mets paused his rehab assignment Saturday due to renewed soreness in his left ankle. Now that the 32-year-old has been cleared of any structural damage, the Mets will look to have him resume batting practice within the next few days.

Mead is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the Giants.

Mead went 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a strikeout in the series opener against the Giants on Monday. He'll rest Tuesday as Jorbit Vivas starts at third base and bats sixth.

Schanuel (ankle) is starting at first base and batting fifth versus the Astros on Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Schanuel sat out Monday's series opener against the Astros due to lingering left ankle soreness that stemmed from the left ankle tendinitis he returned from June 6. Trey Mancini started at first in place of Schanuel on Monday, but he's back on the bench Tuesday.

Aranda is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Red Sox.

The left-handed-hitting Aranda has been an everyday player for the Rays this season, but he'll begin this one on the bench as the Red Sox send southpaw Payton Tolle to the bump. Ryan Vilade will play first base and bat cleanup for Tampa Bay.