MLB Player News
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Elvis Andrus 2B | ARI
Rangers' Elvis Andrus: Moves to leadoff
Andrus batted leadoff and went 1-for-4 in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Rockies.
Andrus hit out of the two-hole the first two games before deployed as the leadoff batter Sunday. Sunday's single was his first hit of the season; Andrus is 1-for-10 with three walks through the first three games. The Rangers are closely watching Andrus, who has experienced declining production the previous two seasons. General manager Jon Daniels indicated last September that Andrus needs to improve on his sub-.700 OPS of 2018 and 2019.
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Danny Mendick 3B | CHW
White Sox's Danny Mendick: Makes first appearance
Mendick started at third base and went 0-for-3 with a walk in Sunday's 14-2 loss to Minnesota.
Mendick, a utility infielder, filled in for a resting Yoan Moncada and later moved to second base when Leury Garcia was needed in the outfield after Eloy Jimenez left with light-headedness. If Garcia is needed for outfield duty, Mendick could find a stream of at-bats at second base.
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Gleyber Torres 2B | DET
Yankees' Gleyber Torres: Drives in two
Torres went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored Sunday against the Nationals.
Torres opened the scoring for the Yankees with a solo home run in the seventh inning, his first of the season. One frame later, he roped a single into left field to drive in the game-winning run. Torres had entered the contest hitless in six at-bats for the season, but he rebounded for a productive close to the team's opening series.
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Harold Castro 2B | KC
Tigers' Harold Castro: Starting Sunday
Castro is starting at third base and batting sixth in Sunday's game against the Reds.
The versatile 26-year-old will be making his first start of the season. Last year, Castro saw time at seven different positions in the field, including 10 games at third base. He put together a .291/.305/.384 slash line and figures to get plenty of playing time in 2020 if he continues to hit well.
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Brandon Lowe 2B | PIT
Rays' Brandon Lowe: Multi-RBI effort in win
Lowe went 2-for-4 with a two-run triple and a run, which came as the result of a balk, in a win over the Blue Jays on Saturday.
Lowe's eighth-inning three-bagger brought home Hunter Renfroe and Ji-Man Choi to snap a 1-1 tie. The 26-year-old saw time at both left field and second base Saturday, a level of versatility that should help keep his playing time constant in 2020.
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Brandon Drury 2B | KC
Blue Jays' Brandon Drury: Activated from IL and starting
Drury (undisclosed) was activated off the injured list Sunday and is starting at third base and batting eighth against the Rays.
The 27-year-old landed on the injured list in early July and never joined the team at summer camp, but he was able to remain ready away from the team. Drury will look to rebound after posting a .218/.262/.280 slash line with 15 home runs in 120 games last season.
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Nicky Lopez 3B | CHC
Royals' Nicky Lopez: Out of Sunday's lineup
Lopez is not in Sunday's lineup against the Indians.
He is 1-for-5 with two walks, a strikeout and one caught stealing in two games. Whit Merrifield will start at the keystone while Brett Phillips gets the start in center field.
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Jose Altuve 2B | HOU
Astros' Jose Altuve: On base three times
Altuve went 1-for-2 with a stolen base, two runs scored and a pair of walks in Saturday's 7-2 win over the Mariners.
Altuve had no trouble getting on base Saturday. His steal came in the third inning after his lone hit, a single. Speed is not as big a factor as it used to be for the second baseman, who managed a career-low six steals in 2019. He has scored three times in the first two games of the season.
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Tony Kemp 2B | MIN
Athletics' Tony Kemp: Sits again Saturday
Kemp remains on the bench for the second game of the season Saturday against the Angels.
Preseason reports suggested that Kemp would be platooning with Franklin Barreto at second base, but it's been Chad Pinder who got the nod in both of the first two games of the year. Pinder started against lefty Andrew Heaney on Opening Day and remains in the lineup against righty Dylan Bundy on Saturday, which suggests both Kemp and Barreto could be nothing more than bench options this season.
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Luis Arraez 2B | SF
Twins' Luis Arraez: On bench Saturday
Arraez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the White Sox.
After driving in two runs on two hits in Friday's contest, Arraez will sit for Saturday's day game, likely to prevent any potential injuries. Ehire Adrianza is starting at second base, batting ninth.