MLB Player News
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Justin Turner 1B | SEA
Mariners' Justin Turner: Delivers in team debut
Turner started at first base in his Mariners debut Tuesday, going 1-for-5 with a run-scoring single and an RBI groundout during a 10-6 win over the Red Sox.
Acquired via trade from the Blue Jays a day earlier, Turner wasted no time making his mark in a Mariners uniform and simultaneously doing damage against one of his old clubs. The 39-year-old has been of baseball's steadier hitters over the last decade-plus, and after atypically struggling most of the season, he's now hitting a blistering .500 (14-for-28) over his last seven games dating back to July 23, a surge that's raised his average and OPS by 28 and 52 points, respectively.
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Austin Shenton 1B | TB
Rays' Austin Shenton: Heads back to Triple-A
The Rays optioned Shenton to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Shenton was up in the majors for one day and didn't see any action. He'll head to Durham to clear room on the 26-man active roster for Dylan Carlson, who was acquired Tuesday via trade from the Cardinals.
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Ben Rice 1B | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Taking seat Wednesday
Rice is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
The left-handed-hitting Rice will take a seat for the series finale while the Phillies send southpaw Cristopher Sanchez to the bump. Rice will put a four-game hitting streak on hold and give way to DJ LeMahieu at first base.
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Triston Casas 1B | BOS
Red Sox's Triston Casas: Begins rehab assignment
Casas (ribs) started at designated hitter and went 0-for-3 with a walk for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday.
This was the first rehab game for Casas, who batted second and was removed after seven innings. The Red Sox will want to see Casas play the field and in back-to-back games before returning him to the majors. He could potentially be activated off the injured list early in August.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Likely out through Padres series
Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that he doesn't expect Freeman (personal) to return from the family emergency list before the end of the Dodgers' series versus San Diego, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Freeman will be required to come off the family emergency list Saturday, though Roberts' comments leave open the possibility that the first baseman could be ready for Friday's series opener against Oakland. Until then, Cavan Biggio will continue to start at first base for Los Angeles.
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Connor Joe 1B | PIT
Pirates' Connor Joe: Racks up three hits
Joe went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Astros.
Joe notched his first multi-hit game since June 26. The 31-year-old is batting a meager .224 (11-for-49) in July, and just two of those hits have gone for extra bases. For the season, he's slashing .244/.325/.383 with seven home runs, 31 RBI, 42 runs scored and two stolen bases across 332 plate appearances. Joe got the start in right field Tuesday, but he'll likely be back in a short-side platoon role at first base once outfielder Bryan De La Cruz reports to the Pirates after they acquired him in a trade with the Marlins earlier in the day.
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Niko Kavadas 1B | LAA
Angels' Niko Kavadas: Traded to Angels
The Angels acquired Kavadas, outfielder Matthew Lugo and right-handers Ryan Zeferjahn and Yeferson Vargas from the Red Sox on Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Luis Garcia, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
A first baseman/designated hitter with huge raw power and a lot of strikeouts, Kavadas has a better chance of breaking through with the Angels than he did with Boston. A fourth-round pick in 2021, Kavadas is already 25 and is repeating Triple-A this season. The lefty-hitting slugger slashed .281/.424/.551 with 17 home runs and a 33.4 percent strikeout rate in 83 games for Triple-A Worcester.
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Mark Canha 1B | SF
Giants' Mark Canha: Heading to San Francisco
The Tigers traded Canha to the Giants on Tuesday in exchange for pitching prospect Eric Silva, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Canha is returning to the Bay Area after spending the first seven years of his career in Oakland, but this time he's bound for the other side of the Bay. He was a good bet to be dealt before the deadline, hence his omission from the starting lineup for the Tigers in Tuesday's game versus the Guardians. In July, the 35-year-old has slashed .250/.344/.385 with one home run. Canha has started 31 games at first base, 33 in the outfield and 31 as the designated hitter this season. The Giants recently parted with Jorge Soler, who started in 92 games at DH, in a trade with Atlanta, potentially opening up a path to regular playing time for Canha.
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Christian Walker 1B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Hits IL, out about three weeks
The Diamondbacks placed Walker on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a strained left oblique.
Walker will head to the IL for the first time since the 2021 season after he tweaked the oblique muscle during Monday's 9-8 win over the Nationals. The first baseman was diagnosed with a low-grade strain following an MRI and hopes to rejoin the Diamondbacks in about three weeks, per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. In a corresponding move, Pavin Smith was recalled from Triple-A Reno, but it'll likely be trade-acquisition Josh Bell that works as Arizona's primary first baseman for the duration of Walker's absence.