MLB Player News
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Christian Walker 1B | HOU
Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Begins September with homer
Walker went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in a 5-0 win against the Brewers on Thursday.
Walker posted a .346/.417/.615 slash line with seven homers in August, and he carried that momentum over to the new month with his third straight multi-hit game. His first-inning, two-run homer was his first in seven games and gave him a new career high with 75 RBI. Walker is tied for sixth in the majors with 31 homers on the campaign.
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Ty France 1B | SD
Mariners' Ty France: Heating up
France went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI on Thursday against the Tigers.
France delivered his 17th home run of the season in the third inning, going back-to-back with Julio Rodriguez. After an 18-game stretch without a long ball, France has now gone deep in three of his last four games. For the season, he is hitting .284/.351/.446 across 485 plate appearances.
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Anthony Rizzo 1B | NYY
Yankees' Anthony Rizzo: Visiting back specialist
Rizzo remained in California to visit a back specialist and could miss the Yankees' weekend series against the Rays, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Rizzo's injury didn't seem particularly serious at the time of the diagnosis, as manager Aaron Boone said a stint on the injured list was not in consideration. However, the visit to a specialist is a noteworthy development -- at least until further word emerges on the results of the evaluation.
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Matt Beaty 1B | KC
Padres' Matt Beaty: Recalled by San Diego
Beaty was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Thursday.
Beaty returned from the 60-day injured list in mid-August but was immediately optioned to El Paso, and he'll now rejoin the big-league club with rosters expanding to 28 players. The 29-year-old has a .364 OPS in 40 plate appearances this season and should fill a depth role while up in the majors.
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Kole Calhoun 1B | CLE
Rangers' Kole Calhoun: On bench against lefty
Calhoun is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Red Sox.
The lefty-hitting Calhoun is on the bench for the fourth time in six games, with each absence coming against a left-handed starting pitcher. The righty-hitting Bubba Thompson will once again spell Calhoun in left field.
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Jonathan Aranda 1B | TB
Rays' Jonathan Aranda: Up for September
The Rays recalled Aranda from Triple-A Durham on Thursday.
Aranda, 24, is one of Tampa Bay's best hitting prospects, having amassed a .319/.394/.521 slash line this year at Triple-A. He has 20-plus starts at first base, second base and third base, while also getting a handful of starts at designated hitter and in left field. With Brandon Lowe and Isaac Paredes banged up, Aranda may be able to get a few starts per week down the stretch.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Promotion official
The Reds selected Steer's contract from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.
Though management hasn't yet clarified what Steer's role will look like as he joins the Reds as a September call-up, he'll presumably be installed as Cincinnati's everyday shortstop after incumbent Jose Barrero was benched in two of the last three games of August and finished the month with a .151/.180/.233 slash line. Since coming over from the Twins in the Aug. 2 deal that sent Tyler Mahle to Minnesota, Steer posted an .842 OPS and maintained a 22.1 percent strikeout rate while slugging three home runs and adding a stolen base.
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Spencer Torkelson 1B | DET
Tigers' Spencer Torkelson: Receives call-up
The Tigers recalled Torkelson from Triple-A Toledo on Thursday.
Torkelson and infield prospect Ryan Kreidler received promotions from Toledo with the Tigers' 26-man roster expanding to 28 on Thursday. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft got off to a rough start to his big-league career earlier this season, turning in a .197/.282/.295 slash line over 298 plate appearances before being demoted to Toledo on July 17. His .737 OPS over 35 games at Triple-A didn't mark a major improvement for the 23-year-old considering the level of competition, so the Tigers may not be eager to reinstall him as their everyday first baseman in September. Harold Castro will remain in the lineup at first base in Thursday's series finale with the Mariners, while Torkelson hits the bench.
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Carlos Santana 1B | ARI
Mariners' Carlos Santana: Likely to lose playing time
Santana is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Tigers, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
While starting in each of the last nine games -- including eight at designated hitter -- Santana slashed .207/.303/.345 with a home run and a 4:7 BB:K. Santana had started to transition into more of a part-time role in early August, but his opportunities picked up in the back half of the month while Sam Haggerty dealt with shoulder and finger injuries. However, with Haggerty making his second straight start in the outfield Thursday, Santana will likely find himself on the bench more frequently while Mitch Haniger gets deployed at DH on a regular basis.
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Bobby Dalbec 1B | CHW
Red Sox's Bobby Dalbec: Starts Wednesday
Dalbec started at first base and went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Wednesday's 6-5 win over Minnesota.
Dalbec made just his sixth start since Aug. 12 and was the third player to start at first base in the three-game set with the Twins. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, Boston manager Alex Cora plans to rotate Dalbec, Christian Arroyo and Franchy Cordero at first base while Eric Hosmer (back) is on the injured list. That's a different message than what Cora said last week, when he indicated Arroyo would play "a lot" at first base.