MLB Player News
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Spencer Torkelson 1B | DET
Tigers' Spencer Torkelson: Mashes 24th home run
Torkelson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 9-4 loss to the Twins.
Torkelson extended his hitting streak to four games, with three of those going down as multi-hit efforts. The slugger also popped his first home run since July 25, giving him 24 long balls for the season. Riley Greene still leads the Tigers with 26 home runs, but he's been scuffling after the All-Star break, so a power surge could allow Torkelson to pass his teammate in the near future.
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Coby Mayo 3B | BAL
Orioles' Coby Mayo: Powers offense in win
Mayo went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Phillies.
Mayo gave the Orioles a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning, launching a 421-foot blast off Ranger Suarez. The 23-year-old corner infielder is getting his first taste of major-league success, posting an .872 OPS with three homers and eight RBI over 15 games since the All-Star break. For the year, he's slashing .221/.296/.377 with four home runs, 17 RBI, 14 runs scored and a stolen base across 135 plate appearances.
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Willson Contreras C | BOS
Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Tending to stomach bug
Contreras is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers due to a stomach bug, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Contreras initially looked to be receiving a routine rest day while the Cardinals wrapped up their series in Los Angeles with a matinee game, but the stomach ailment is instead the cause of his absence from the lineup. Given that he had started in every game for St. Louis dating back to July 4, Contreras was probably due for a breather even if he wasn't feeling ill. Alec Burleson will get the start at first base in his stead, but Contreras could still be available off the bench as a pinch hitter.
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Rowdy Tellez 1B | TEX
Rangers' Rowdy Tellez: Idle versus lefty
Tellez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
The left-handed-hitting Tellez will retreat to the bench for the second time in the series while the Rangers face another left-handed starter (Carlos Rodon). Tellez had started at first base in each of Texas' previous five matchups against right-handers, but he could see his opportunities to play versus opposite-handed pitching dwindle once Josh Jung is ready to play third base after a recent bout with a calf injury. Josh Smith will cover third base Wednesday while Jung serves as a designated hitter for his second start in a row, but Smith is likely to eventually move back across the diamond.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt: On bench for series finale
Goldschmidt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rangers.
Goldschmidt will get a breather after he went 3-for-8 with a solo home run, a double and three runs while picking up starts in the first two games of the series. Since the All-Star break, Goldschmidt is slashing just .224/.269/.347, and his struggles against right-handing pitching in particular throughout the season (66 wRC+ over 301 plate appearances) could eventually put him in danger of fading into a quasi-platoon with the left-handed-hitting Ben Rice, who will cover first base and bat second Wednesday.
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Spencer Horwitz 1B | PIT
Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Resting against southpaw
Horwitz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants.
After starting in Pittsburgh's last three games, the left-handed-hitting Horwitz will head to the bench for the series finale while the Giants send southpaw Robbie Ray to the hill. Liover Peguero will spell Horwitz at first base and atop the batting order Wednesday.
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Dominic Smith 1B | SF
Giants' Dominic Smith: Taking seat Wednesday
Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Wilmer Flores (hamstring) is still nursing an injury and will remain on the bench for a fifth straight game, but because the Pirates are sending a lefty (Andrew Heaney) to the hill, the left-handed-hitting Smith will exit the starting nine. Smith had been included in the lineup in each of the past four games as a replacement for Flores, going 4-for-18 with a home run, five RBI and three runs.
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Nick Kurtz 1B | ATH
Athletics' Nick Kurtz: Reaches base five times
Kurtz went 3-for-4 with a double, two walks and four runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Nationals.
In a game in which the Athletics scored 16 runs, Kurtz was unable to drive anyone in despite a productive night at the dish. He did touch home plate four times, however. At just 22 years old, Kurtz has adapted to big-league pitching remarkably well and is hitting .486/.560/1.000 with eight homers, 21 RBI, 24 runs and two steals in 19 games since July 11.