MLB Player News
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Ketel Marte 2B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte: Gets aboard four times
Marte went 3-for-4 with a walk in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Mariners.
Marte was able to make some noise against his former team, but he wasn't directly involved in any run-scoring plays. He saw a six-game hitting streak end Wednesday versus the Cardinals, but he's still logged six multi-hit efforts in 13 games since the All-Star break. The second baseman is at a .296/.375/.517 slash line with 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 70 runs scored and six stolen bases through 97 contests.
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Jose Caballero 2B | NYY
Mariners' Jose Caballero: Picks up steal Friday
Caballero went 0-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks.
Caballero was in the lineup for the first time in a week, and he has picked up just one at-bat during that stretch of riding pine. The second baseman has again lost out on playing time to Kolten Wong, and it appears Dylan Moore has also passed Caballero on the depth chart. Nonetheless, Caballero offers some speed -- he has six steals over 14 contests in July, and he's up to 17 thefts on the year. He's added a middling .224/.351/.327 slash line over 202 plate appearances.
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Brandon Lowe 2B | PIT
Rays' Brandon Lowe: Homer, steal in win
Lowe went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and a stolen base in Friday's 4-3 victory over the Astros.
Lowe is beginning to tap into his power again after he endured a power outage in his first couple weeks back from the injured list. He has two homers in his last three games, bringing him up to 12 on the season. The second baseman stole a base after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, his fifth steal this season, which sets him up to potentially establish a new career high (his best is seven) in the category before season's end.
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Christian Arroyo 2B | NYM
Red Sox's Christian Arroyo: On bench Friday
Arroyo is not in the lineup Friday at San Francisco.
Justin Turner will make a second straight start at second base and might become more of a regular presence there for Boston down the stretch, although the return of Trevor Story (elbow) figures to shuffle the Boston infield once again. Arroyo has slashed just .247/.276/.379 in 193 plate appearances when healthy this season.
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Owen Miller 2B | CHC
Brewers' Owen Miller: Day off Friday
Miller isn't in the Brewers' lineup Friday against Atlanta.
Miller is slashing just .183/.218/.254 since the beginning of July, and he'll take a seat Friday as the Brewers look to get more production out of their lineup. Abraham Toro will start at first base Friday for Milwaukee and bat sixth, but it's the Thursday acquisition of Carlos Santana that could spell an end to Miller's run as a regular starter for the Brewers.
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Brendan Donovan 2B | SEA
Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Sitting Friday
Donovan isn't in the Cardinals' lineup Friday against the Cubs, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
After going 0-for-5 at the plate Thursday, Donovan will take a seat for the beginning of Friday's contest. Willson Contreras will take over as the Cardinals' designated hitter, allowing Andrew Knizner to start behind the dish and bat eighth.
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Jorge Polanco 2B | NYM
Twins' Jorge Polanco: Activated from injured list
Minnesota activated Polanco (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Friday.
Polanco will be back in action with the Twins on Friday night against the Royals after slashing .333/.448/.500 over 29 plate appearances on a seven-game minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul. The 30-year-old infielder has battled multiple leg injuries this season, but he typically produces solid offensive numbers when his health cooperates. Polanco could find himself returning to a utility role however, with rookie Edouard Julien having thrived as Minnesota's starting second baseman in his absence.
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Harold Castro 2B | KC
Rockies' Harold Castro: Not in lineup Friday
Castro is absent from the lineup Friday versus the Athletics.
Alan Trejo will start at second base and bat eighth against southpaw JP Sears. He and Castro continue to work in a platoon at the keystone for Colorado.
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Whit Merrifield 2B | ATL
Blue Jays' Whit Merrifield: Elevated to leadoff spot
Merrifield is batting leadoff Friday against the Angels, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Normal leadoff man George Springer has been dropped to the fifth spot in the batting order amidst a slump. Merrifield has earned his ascension to the top of the order by putting up a .968 OPS with five home runs and two stolen bases in July.
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Jordan Westburg 2B | BAL
Orioles' Jordan Westburg: Grabbing seat Friday
Westburg is absent from the lineup for Friday's game versus the Yankees, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Westburg had started each of the last three contests -- two against left-handed pitching -- but will take a seat for this one versus righty Gerrit Cole. Ramon Urias is at third base and Adam Frazier is at second.