MLB Player News
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Esmerlyn Valdez OF | PIT
Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Bumped to Double-A
Valdez is batting .182 with zero home runs and an 8:4 K:BB in 10 games since getting promoted from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona on July 1.
A righty-hitting corner bat who won't offer much defensive value, Valdez slashed .303/.385/.592 with 20 home runs, a 9.9 percent walk rate and a 24.5 percent strikeout rate in 72 games at High-A prior to his promotion. His 172 wRC+ ranks second among all qualified High-A hitters, behind Josue Briceno (180 wRC+). As a 21-year-old bat-first player, Valdez will be expected to do plenty of damage at Double-A over the rest of the season.
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Spencer Horwitz 1B | PIT
Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Tallies three hits
Horwitz went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Monday against the Tigers.
Horwitz has bounced around the lineup since early July, but he's led off in five of the Pirates' last eight games against right-handed pitching. After a solid June, Horwitz has struggled to a .184 average in July, recording only three RBI and three runs scored across 14 games.
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Willson Contreras C | BOS
Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Goes deep Monday
Contreras went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a double, two total runs and two total RBI in a 6-2 victory versus the Rockies on Monday.
Contreras put the Cardinals on the board with a big 443-foot solo homer in the fourth inning and gave the team its first lead with a run-scoring single in the fifth. The catcher-turned-first-baseman also stroked a double to finish with his third three-hit performance of the season. Contreras has gone 5-for-15 with three extra-base hits through the first four games of the second half.
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Nick Kurtz 1B | ATH
Athletics' Nick Kurtz: Continues to mash
Kurtz went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run scored, a double and a walk in a loss to the Rangers on Monday.
The A's managed just five hits in the contest, with two of those coming off Kurtz's bat. Both of the young slugger's knocks went for extra bases, as he doubled in the fourth frame and belted a solo homer in the sixth. Kurtz tallied just one long ball across his first 23 big-league games, but his power stroke has blossomed since then. Over his past 39 contests, the rookie has 18 home runs, 12 doubles, 43 RBI and a .319/.404/.792 slash line.
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Bryce Eldridge 1B | SF
Giants' Bryce Eldridge: Returns to full health
Eldridge (hamstring) has gone 1-for-9 with a walk and two RBI in three games for Triple-A Sacramento since being reinstated from the 7-day injured list Thursday.
Eldridge had been on the IL since June 24 due to a hamstring injury, but he was cleared to return to the Sacramento coming out of the All-Star break after he played in a pair of rehab games in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League laat week. Since receiving a promotion from Double-A Richmond in early June, Eldridge is slashing .214/.269/.386 with three home runs in 19 games at the Triple-A level.
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Tony Blanco 1B | PIT
Pirates' Tony Blanco: Back from injured list
Blanco (leg) went 1-for-3 with an RBI on Saturday after being reinstated from Single-A Bradenton's 60-day injured list.
Blanco made his debut in full-season ball after a spring leg injury had kept him on the shelf all season. The 20-year-old first baseman appeared in two games in the rookie-level Florida Complex League last week before he was cleared to join Bradenton.
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Michael Toglia 1B | COL
Rockies' Michael Toglia: Heading to bench Monday
Toglia is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.
Orlando Arcia will get the start at first base while Toglia exits the lineup for the first time since July 3. Since slugging his 10th home run of the season in a July 6 win over the White Sox, Toglia's production has tailed off at the plate. He's slashing just .125/.200/.188 with a pair of extra-base hits (both doubles) and a 40 percent strikeout rate over his last nine games.
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Rowdy Tellez 1B | TEX
Rangers' Rowdy Tellez: Out against lefty Monday
Tellez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Athletics.
With the Rangers facing a lefty starter (Jacob Lopez) for the second straight game, the left-handed-hitting Tellez will retreat to the bench. Until Jake Burger (quadriceps) returns from the injured list, Tellez could be in store for at least a semi-regular spot in the lineup against right-handed pitching at either first base or designated hitter.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Back in lineup Monday
Freeman (wrist) is starting at first base and batting fourth against the Twins on Monday.
Freeman exited in the sixth inning of Sunday's loss to the Brewers after he was hit by a pitch. He's avoided a serious injury and won't need to miss any additional action. Freeman is slashing .292/.365/.471 with 10 home runs, 49 RBI, 47 runs scored, one stolen base and a 35:84 BB:K across 367 trips to the plate this season. He also leads the league with 26 doubles.
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Nolan Schanuel 1B | LAA
Angels' Nolan Schanuel: Cleared to start Monday
Schanuel (wrist) will start at first base and bat second in Monday's game against the Mets.
After exiting early in the Angels' 8-2 win over the Phillies when he was struck by a pitch in the left wrist, Schanuel was diagnosed with nothing more than a bruise when X-rays came back negative. He appears to have responded well to treatment and will return to his usual spot in the infield as the Angels kick off a three-game set in Queens.