MLB Player News
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Connor Joe 1B | PIT
Pirates' Connor Joe: Back in bench role
Joe is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
After a stretch of five consecutive starts, Joe has now hit the bench in consecutive games for the Pirates. Joe will likely be in store for a short-side platoon role the rest of the way, barring Pittsburgh losing additional everyday players to injury.
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Carlos Santana 1B | MIN
Twins' Carlos Santana: Back in lineup Monday
Santana (illness) is starting at first base and batting in the leadoff spot in Monday's series opener against the Angels.
Santana appears to be over the illness that forced him to exit Saturday's game against the Royals and sit for Sunday's series finale. Since the beginning of August, Santana has slashed .196/.304/.393 with six home runs and 12 RBI over 125 plate appearances.
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Jonathan Aranda 1B | TB
Rays' Jonathan Aranda: Retreating to bench
Aranda is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The lefty-hitting Aranda had started in each of the Rays' last three games -- all against right-handed pitching -- going 2-for-11 with a double, a walk and two runs. He'll be on the bench Monday against a lefty (Cristopher Sanchez), but Aranda's opportunities to play against right-handed pitching could take a hit as soon as Brandon Lowe (finger) is able to return to the lineup. Lowe is on the bench Monday for a fourth straight game and remains day-to-day.
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Ryan Mountcastle 1B | BAL
Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle: Uncertain timeline for return
Manager Brandon Hyde relayed Monday that he wasn't sure when Mountcastle (wrist) would return from the 10-day injured list, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Mountcastle sprained his left wrist Aug. 22 against Houston while sliding into second base. He was placed on the 10-day injured list four days later, but it wasn't until Friday that he started swinging a bat by hitting off a tee. The Orioles are in a tight race in the AL East with the Yankees, but they have a comfortable lead in the AL Wild Card, so there could be caution in bringing Mountcastle back into the fold to avoid aggravating his wrist injury. From the end of the All-Star break to his placement on the IL, Mountcastle had a slash line of .259/.296/.370 with one home run and 18 RBI across 115 plate appearances.
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Kody Clemens 1B | PHI
Phillies' Kody Clemens: Getting regular run at third base
Clemens will start at third base and bat seventh in Monday's game against the Rays.
Clemens will pick up a sixth consecutive start at the hot corner after going 5-for-21 with a home run, two doubles, one walk and five RBI over the previous five contests. While Alec Bohm (hand) and Edmundo Sosa (back) are on the injured list, Clemens looks like he'll have a clear path to a regular role at third base.
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Luis Arraez 1B | SD
Padres' Luis Arraez: Posts another three-hit game
Arraez went 3-for-5 with a run in Sunday's loss to the Giants.
Arraez collected three singles for the second straight contest and concluded the three-game set against San Francisco having gone 7-for-14 with an RBI and three runs. He's batted an NL-best .328 since the All-Star break and has struck out just twice over 180 at-bats during that span. Arraez's .315 average on the campaign is fourth-best among qualified major-league hitters and puts him firmly on pace to bat over .300 for the third straight season.
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Tyler Soderstrom 1B | OAK
Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Big day at plate in Vegas
Soderstrom (wrist) took a full game's worth of plate appearances as the designated hitter in Triple-A Las Vegas' loss to Round Rock on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, an RBI single and two walks.
Not only was Soderstrom able to play in back-to-back games for the first time during his rehab assignment, but he more than demonstrated his previously injured wrist was up to the task with his productive evening with the bat. Soderstrom seems to quickly be working off any rust from his near two-month layoff, as he's hitting .333 with Sunday's round tripper and five total RBI over his first three rehab games.
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Justin Turner 1B | SEA
Mariners' Justin Turner: Delivers as late lineup addition
Turner went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs in a win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Turner was a late lineup replacement for Victor Robles (elbow) and made good use of his inclusion into the starting nine, pushing his season OBP to a stellar .344 with his trio of trips on the basepaths. The 39-year-old is showing he still has plenty of life in his bat, now having authored three multi-hit efforts in his last eight games and furnishing a .321 average and 1.031 OPS across 33 plate appearances in that stretch.
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Pavin Smith RF | ARI
Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith: Historic offensive day
Smith went 3-for-4 with three home runs, a walk and eight RBI in Sunday's win over the Astros.
Smith had seven RBI by the third inning after he took Justin Verlander deep in the second for a three-run blast and then followed it up with a grand slam. He wasn't done there, as he then went deep off Kaleb Ort in the fifth, becoming the first Diamondbacks player with three homers in a game since 2017. Smith had a chance to complete the home run cycle after coming up to the plate in the seventh with a man on but wound up striking out. After Sunday's outburst Smith has tied his home run total from last season in 125 less plate appearances. He's slashing .270/.343/.562 with seven homers, 26 RBI, 18 runs, a steal and an 11:15 BB:K in 102 plate appearances.