MLB Player News
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Tyler Soderstrom C | 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.
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Nate Lowe 1B | TEX
Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe: Goes yard Sunday
Lowe went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a hit-by-pitch in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Angels.
Lowe's first-inning long ball was just his third over 34 games since the start of August. He's batting .246 (29-for-118) in that span, which is a bit worse than his .263 average for the season. The first baseman has added a decent .745 OPS, 12 homers, 53 RBI, 54 runs scored and two stolen bases over 122 contests.
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Jonathan Singleton 1B | HOU
Astros' Jon Singleton: Sitting in series finale
Singleton is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Singleton had started at first base in both of the Astros' previous two matchups with right-handed pitchers, but he'll give way to Victor Caratini while righty Ryne Nelson takes the hill for Arizona in the series finale. With an OPS of .694 since the All-Star break, Singleton hasn't done enough to fully solidify a strong-side platoon role, though he's still likely to see the majority of the starts at first base down the stretch.
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Josh Bell 1B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Josh Bell: Back in lineup Sunday
Bell will start at first base and bat cleanup in Sunday's game against the Astros.
Bell was on the bench for the first two games of the series, but he'll move back into the starting nine for the finale while Ketel Marte and Christian Walker get the evening off. Though Marte should eventually reclaim a full-time role at second base after being eased back in the lineup at designated hitter in the previous two contests, Arizona likely won't have room in the lineup for Bell against right-handed pitching while Walker and Joc Pederson occupy first base and the DH spot, respectively. Bell should at least replace the lefty-hitting Pederson in the lineup when the Diamondbacks face left-handed pitching.
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Christian Walker 1B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Not in Sunday's lineup
Walker is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros.
Walker will hit the bench for the series finale in Houston after going 2-for-10 with two walks and a double while starting the previous three games. Josh Bell will start at first base and bat cleanup in his place.
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LaMonte Wade 1B | SF
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Absent from Sunday's lineup
Wade is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
It's the second straight game on the bench for Wade, who is in the midst of a 3-for-32 slump. Jerar Encarnacion is starting at first base in the series finale at San Diego.
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Niko Kavadas 1B | LAA
Angels' Niko Kavadas: Idle against southpaw
Kavadas is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
The lefty-hitting Kavadas had started at designated hitter in each of the Angels' last four matchups against righties, but he'll take a seat Sunday versus Rangers southpaw Andrew Heaney. Brandon Drury will get a day out of the infield and will replace Kavadas as the club's DH.
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Nolan Schanuel 1B | LAA
Angels' Nolan Schanuel: Taking seat Sunday
Schanuel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers, Erica Weston of Bally Sports West reports.
Schanuel started the previous 11 games after missing a couple contests due to a back issue, and he'll receive Sunday off after going 5-for-40 since rejoining the lineup. Charles Leblanc will take over at first base and bat third in the series finale at Texas.