Busch isn't in the starting lineup for Sunday's matchup versus Boston.

With the Red Sox sending southpaw Garrett Crochet to the mound, Busch will begin the game on the bench. It's the second straight time he's been held out against a left-hander, and the 27-year-old slugger has posted a mediocre .613 OPS against southpaws this season. Justin Turner will start at first base for the Cubs on Sunday.

Alonso has been diagnosed with a right hand contusion near the base of his thumb, explaining his absence from the starting lineup Sunday versus Cincinnati, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Importantly, X-rays on Alonso's hand came back negative, and he may be available to pinch hit. The slugger would need to do so in order to extend his franchise-record streak of 353 consecutive regular-season games played. It doesn't sound like the Mets are concerned that Alonso is dealing with a significant injury, so an IL stint doesn't seem likely.

Alonso is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's tilt versus Cincinnati.

This is a very rare day off for Alonso -- the last time he wasn't included in a Mets starting lineup was May 30, 2024, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The All-Star first baseman has also appeared in a franchise-record 353 straight regular-season contests, so he'd need to get into the game at some point Sunday to extend that streak. It's not yet certain why Alonso isn't starting, but he's been slumping of late, going 2-for-25 with eight strikeouts over his previous seven games. Mark Vientos is starting at first base for New York in the series finale against the Reds.

Aranda is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Aranda has gone 0-for-8 with a walk, an RBI and four strikeouts in the first two games out of the All-Star break, so he'll get a breather in Sunday's series finale versus Baltimore. Yandy Diaz will step in at first base while Junior Caminero rests his legs as the designated hitter.

Busch went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 6-0 win over the Red Sox.

Busch batted leadoff and started the game off with his 20th home run of the season. The slugging first baseman is up to 60 RBI as well, already putting him within striking distance of the 21 home runs and 65 RBI he recorded in 2024, which was his first year with the Cubs. Busch has also increased his OPS from .775 last season to .926 in 2025, and he's been a strong fantasy contributor across the board.

Walker went 2-for-4 with two walks, two RBI and one stolen base in Saturday's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the Mariners.

Walker had gone 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts over his previous three games. Prior to that brief slump wrapped around the All-Star break, the first baseman hit safely in 10 of 11 games between June 26 and July 11. It's been a bumpy first year in Houston for the 34-year-old, but he's been steadier recently. He's at a .229/.289/.371 slash line with 12 home runs, 49 RBI, 37 runs scored and one steal through 92 contests.

Kurtz went 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three total runs and two total RBI in Saturday's 8-2 win over Cleveland.

All three of Kurtz's hits went for extra bases, and he knocked in both his team's first run (on a double in the fourth inning) and final run (on a solo shot in the ninth). The talented rookie is in the midst of a six-game hitting streak, going 11-for-23 with eight extra-base hits (including four homers) and eight RBI during that span. Kurtz is a serious candidate for AL Rookie of the Year honors -- he has a .270/.342/.591 slash line with 18 home runs, 47 RBI and one stolen base through 60 games.

Tellez went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 4-1 win against the Tigers.

In just his second game with Texas, Tellez provided the bulk of the offense with his three-run blast to right-center field in the second inning. Though he's struggled to keep his batting average above the Mendoza Line this season, the veteran slugger has flashed plenty of power, swatting 12 home runs over 191 plate appearances, most of which came with Seattle. Tellez has started at first base in each of the Rangers' first two games coming out of the All-Star break, and he'll likely represent Texas' primary option at the position against right-handed pitching until Jake Burger (quadriceps) is ready to come off the injured list.

Lowe went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Padres.

Lowe extended the Nationals' lead to 4-2 with a 402-foot blast in the sixth inning. The first baseman has three hits in two games since returning from the All-Star break, and he's homered twice with eight RBI and nine runs scored through 14 contests in July. For the season, he's slashing .231/.296/.401 with 15 home runs, 62 RBI, 45 runs scored and one stolen base across 408 plate appearances.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, a walk and an additional run scored in Saturday's 9-5 win over the Angels.

Harper followed up a two-homer performance Friday with a two-run blast in the eighth inning to extend the Phillies' lead to four. While the slugger's six-game hitting streak is modest, it includes a whopping 11 extra-base hits, seven RBI, nine runs scored and a steal. For the year, he's slashing .272/.383/.498 with 13 long balls, 41 RBI, 42 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across 311 plate appearances.