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Brandon Drury 2B | KC
Angels' Brandon Drury: Slugs 10th homer
Drury went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and a double in Thursday's loss to Houston.
The blast came in the fifth inning and gave the Angels a 2-1 lead at the time, though Houston responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Drury has begun to heat up at the plate again, collecting five multi-hit performances over his past nine contests. Over that span, he's slashing .333/.421/.758 with three homers, five RBI and seven runs.
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Amed Rosario 3B | NYY
Guardians' Amed Rosario: Day off Friday
Rosario isn't starting Friday against the Twins, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Rosario has collected just one hit in 18 at-bats across his last four games. He'll get a day off Friday to regroup while Brayan Rocchio picks up a start at shortstop.
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Elvis Andrus 2B | ARI
White Sox's Elvis Andrus: Reinstated from IL
Andrus (oblique) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Friday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Andrus will join the White Sox in Chicago ahead of a three-game series with the Tigers. The 34-year-old has been out since May 13 with an oblique strain, and he could face competition from a surging Romy Gonzalez (.306 with three homers and 10 RBI in his last 12 games) for the starting role at second base. Andrus is batting just .201 with five extra-base hits while striking out in a career-high 17.2 percent of his at-bats this season.
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Whit Merrifield 2B | ATL
Blue Jays' Whit Merrifield: On base three times in win
Merrifield went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's win over the Brewers.
After batting .372 (16-for-43) over the final 12 games in May, Merrifield had no problem carrying his momentum over into June. The 34-year-old's hot streak has pushed his slash line on the season to .295/.345/.388, and with 15 steals in 50 games he's on pace to reach the 40 SB plateau for the third time in his career.
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Enrique Hernandez 3B | LAD
Red Sox's Enrique Hernandez: Shines with bat in win
Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a home run, two total runs and three total RBI in Thursday's 8-2 victory over the Reds.
Hernandez came up big late in the contest, giving Boston its first lead with a 411-foot solo shot in the seventh inning and plating another pair of runs with a single in the eighth. The multi-hit effort was his first since May 17, a span of 11 games. Hernandez hit just .194 over 31 at-bats during that stretch, so Thursday's performance was a particularly positive way to start the new month.
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Jorge Polanco DH | NYM
Twins' Jorge Polanco: At leadoff in return
Polanco (hamstring) is batting leadoff in his return to the lineup Thursday night against the Guardians.
Polanco was activated from the injured list Thursday morning after missing around two weeks with a left hamstring strain. He's produced a solid .811 OPS in 23 games this year when healthy, mostly hitting near the middle of the Twins' batting order. Thursday marks his first appearance out of the leadoff spot in 2023.
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Christian Arroyo 2B | NYM
Red Sox's Christian Arroyo: Weekend return uncertain
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Thursday that he's unsure if Arroyo (hamstring) will be activated this weekend, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Arroyo has already logged 15 plate appearances on a rehab stint with Triple-A Worcester and is slashing .357/.400/.429, but he apparently has a bit more proving to do on the farm. He's in the lineup again for Worcester on Thursday night. It's a right hamstring strain that has kept the 28-year-old infielder sidelined since May 7.
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Jose Altuve 2B | HOU
Astros' Jose Altuve: Returns to lineup Thursday
Altuve is back in the leadoff spot Thursday versus the Angels.
Altuve got a breather Wednesday in the final game of the Astros' previous series versus the Twins, but he's rested and ready Thursday for the opening of a four-game set against the Halos. The star second baseman boasts a .324/.425/.588 slash line in 40 plate appearances since returning two weeks ago from March 19 surgery to repair a fracture in his right thumb.
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Brandon Drury 2B | KC
Angels' Brandon Drury: Back in lineup
Drury (arm) has returned to the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Astros.
Drury sat out Wednesday after taking a pitch off the arm during Tuesday's loss to the White Sox. He's ready to roll now and will serve as the second baseman, batting cleanup against Ronel Blanco.