MLB Player News
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Ryan O'Hearn RF | PIT
Royals' Ryan O'Hearn: Joins big-league club
O'Hearn was recalled from the alternate training site Friday, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
The 27-year-old missed out on the Opening Day roster but will join Kansas City ahead of Friday's series opener in Detroit. O'Hearn had a .604 OPS in 132 plate appearances during 2020 and should provide depth at first base and DH behind Carlos Santana and Jorge Soler.
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Dominic Smith DH | ATL
Mets' Dominic Smith: Doubles in loss
Smith went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Thursday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to Chicago.
He's now hitting .250 in 48 at-bats with two homers and six RBI this season. Smith has struck out 14 times and walked only twice, a concerning ratio for a middle-of-the-order bat on a team with postseason aspirations. That being said, his situation and performance should improve when teammates like Francisco Lindor begin producing more consistently as well.
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Reds' Joey Votto: Hits solo homer
Votto went 2-for-6 with a home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 14-11 extra-inning loss to Arizona.
The veteran first baseman struggled out of the gate but has now recorded multiple hits in four of his last six games, raising his batting average to .247. Now 37, Votto appears to have found a power resurgence late in his career, hitting 11 homers last year and four already in 2021 after totaling only 12 and 15 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Votto's days as an elite hitter may be behind him, but his offensive production remains high enough to merit fantasy consideration.
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Ty France 1B | SD
Mariners' Ty France: Drives in two in return
France went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and two RBI on Thursday against the Red Sox.
After a one-game absence from the starting lineup due to a forearm injury, France showed no ill effects. He delivered a clutch two-out double in the sixth inning that drove in a pair and knotted the game at two. France has shown plenty of ability to hit for extra bases early on this season, having collected three home runs and five doubles across 79 plate appearances.
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Pete Alonso 1B | BAL
Mets' Pete Alonso: Homers for second straight game
Alonso went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's loss to the Cubs.
Alonso got the Mets on the board by going yard against Trevor Williams in the fourth inning. It was the second homer in as many nights for the 26-year-old slugger, who is hitting .231/.293/.500 this season while leading New York with four long balls and 11 RBI.
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Alex Kirilloff LF | MIN
Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Ticketed for big leagues
Kirilloff is expected to be recalled by the Twins on Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Miguel Sano (hamstring) was placed on the injured list with a hamstring injury, and Kirilloff's promotion will be the corresponding move. He should see the majority of his at-bats at first base in Sano's absence. However, Kirilloff figures to remain in the lineup even after Sano returns, as he's an outfielder by trade.
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Luke Raley RF | SEA
Dodgers' Luke Raley: Steps into Thursday's lineup
Raley will start in right field and bat eighth Thursday against the Padres, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Zach McKinstry (back) was a late scratch from the lineup, forcing Raley into a starting role. The Dodgers are also without Chris Taylor (back), Gavin Lux (wrist) and Cody Bellinger (leg), which could give Raley the opportunity to see increased playing time in the short term.
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Garrett Cooper 1B | ATL
Marlins' Garrett Cooper: Could return Friday
Cooper (groin) could return to the lineup Friday against the Giants, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.
Cooper was out of the lineup as the Marlins wrapped up their series against Baltimore on Wednesday and appears headed for another absence Thursday. However, the move to hold him out of game action was deemed precautionary, so Cooper should return to the starting nine quickly.
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Donovan Solano 1B | TEX
Giants' Donovan Solano: Officially placed on injured list
Solano (calf) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Solano suffered a right calf strain Wednesday against the Phillies, and manager Gabe Kapler said that the infielder will miss "some time." It's not yet clear when Solano will be able to return, but Mauricio Dubon and Wilmer Flores should see increased playing time while the 33-year-old is sidelined.
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Luke Voit 1B | NYM
Yankees' Luke Voit: Slated to take BP next week
Voit (knee) will report to the Yankees' alternate training site early next week, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.
Voit resumed swinging Tuesday, and he'll likely be able to face live hitting once he reports to the team's alternate training site. Voit is still likely weeks away from his return to game action, but it's encouraging to see him ramp up his activities recently. DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford should continue to fill in at first base in his absence.