MLB Player News
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Ronny Mauricio 2B | NYM
Mets' Ronny Mauricio: Taking seat Wednesday
Mauricio is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Guardians.
Mauricio had drawn nine straight starts at third base against right-handed pitching, but he'll begin Wednesday's contest on the bench as the Guardians send righty Gavin Williams to the bump. Brett Baty will patrol the hot corner and bat ninth for the Mets.
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Manny Machado 3B | SD
Padres' Manny Machado: Three-hit effort in win
Machado went 3-for-5 with a double, a walk and two runs scored in Tuesday's 10-5 extra-innings win over the Diamondbacks.
Machado has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games, going 24-for-54 (.444) in that span. The third baseman had cooled off to begin August, going just 3-for-15 over his first four games of the month before his bat roared back to life Tuesday. On the year, he's at a stellar .302/.362/.505 slash line with 20 home runs, 29 doubles, 72 RBI, 68 runs scored and 10 stolen bases through 114 contests.
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Max Muncy 3B | LAD
Dodgers' Max Muncy: Huge game in Tuesday's win
Muncy went 4-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI and three runs scored in Tuesday's 12-6 win over the Cardinals.
Muncy missed over a month with a left knee bone bruise. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in his return Monday before providing a large chunk of the Dodgers' offense in a 17-hit barrage Tuesday. The third baseman has started each of the last two games but may see some occasional time off if the Dodgers want to keep switch hitting prospect Alex Freeland involved at the hot corner. With the big game, Muncy is up to 15 homers this season while adding 59 RBI, 42 runs scored, four stolen bases and a .258/.380/.481 slash line across 83 contests.
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Orlando Arcia 3B | COL
Rockies' Orlando Arcia: Leaves with trainer
Arcia was removed from Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays with an apparent injury, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Arcia left the game immediately after slapping a single to right field in the fifth inning, though it's unclear what exactly is bothering him. The Rockies' training staff will evaluate him further and should offer some clarity soon; meanwhile, Kyle Farmer will take over at third base for Colorado.
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Alex Freeland SS | LAD
Dodgers' Alex Freeland: On bench in Muncy's return
Freeland is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.
With Max Muncy (knee) returning from the 10-day injured list Monday and taking back his usual spot at third base in the series finale, Freeland will hit the bench after he had manned the hot corner in each of the previous four games while going 4-for-13 with an RBI and a 1:6 BB:K. Since utility man Tommy Edman (ankle) landed on the injured list in a corresponding move, Freeland's stay in the big leagues will be extended, though he'll now have to vie for playing time at the keystone. Miguel Rojas will start at second base Monday, but manager Dave Roberts said that Freeland will receive his first start at the position Tuesday, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports.
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Sitting for first time since July 7
Marte is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs.
Marte will exit the lineup for the first time since July 7, ending a stretch of 22 straight starts during which he slashed .282/.317/.474 with four home runs, three steals, 11 runs and 10 RBI. The 23-year-old saw most of his playing time at third base in that stretch, but in the wake of last week's acquisition of Ke'Bryan Hayes, Marte may be thrust into more of a utility role moving forward that will include more opportunities in right field. He started in right field in each of the last four games, but he may end up settling into the short side of a platoon at that spot with the left-handed-hitting Jake Fraley.
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Max Muncy 3B | LAD
Dodgers' Max Muncy: Returning from IL
Muncy (knee) has been activated from the 10-day injured list and will start at third base Monday night against the Cardinals, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Monday will mark Muncy's first game back since July 2 after missing time with a left knee bone bruise. The veteran is expected to start the next two matchups for the Dodgers, per Vassegh.
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Caleb Durbin 3B | MIL
Brewers' Caleb Durbin: On bench for third straight game
Durbin is out of the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta.
The rookie will stay on the bench for the third straight game, but he appears to be fully healthy, as he played the final four innings of Sunday's 14-3 win over Washington while going 2-for-2 with a stolen base, two runs and an RBI. Though manager Pat Murphy hasn't shed much light on Durbin's recent string of absences from the lineup, the expectation is that the 25-year-old will see the lion's share of the starts at the hot corner moving forward. Anthony Seigler will replace Durbin in the lineup once again Monday, but Seigler hasn't helped his case for earning extended playing time by slashing .188/.250/.188 through his first 36 big-league plate appearances.
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Brett Baty 3B | NYM
Mets' Brett Baty: Could lose work versus righties
Baty is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Guardians.
For the first time since the All-Star break, the left-handed-hitting Baty will hit the bench while the Mets face a right-handed starter (Slade Cecconi). Absences from the lineup against righties could begin to become the norm for Baty, who will face more competition for reps in the infield with Thursday's acquisition of center fielder Cedric Mullins expected to result in Jeff McNeil seeing the majority of his playing time at second base moving forward. With both McNeil (.774 OPS versus righties) and Ronny Mauricio (.886 OPS) outproducing Baty (.729 OPS) in those matchups this season, Baty no longer looks like the top choice to pick up starts at either the keystone or third base.