MLB Player News
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Kevin Newman 3B | LAA
Pirates' Kevin Newman: Takes seat Sunday
Newman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Newman will get a breather after batting .291 with a home run and 10 additional runs while starting in each of the Pirates' last 14 contests. Tucupita Marcano will fill in at the keystone for Newman in the series finale in Philadelphia.
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Rodolfo Castro 2B | PHI
Pirates' Rodolfo Castro: Back in action Sunday
Castro will return from a one-game suspension to start at third base and bat fifth in Sunday's game against the Phillies.
The suspension stemmed from Castro being spotted with a cell phone in his uniform during an Aug. 9 contest against the Diamondbacks. The mishap hasn't prevented him from gaining traction as a regular in the Pittsburgh lineup, as he slashed .327/.375/.615 while starting in 15 of the last 16 games before serving his one-game ban. He'll fill in for a resting Kevin Newman in Sunday's series finale.
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Emmanuel Rivera 3B | BAL
Diamondbacks' Emmanuel Rivera: Bows out of starting nine
Rivera is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Sergio Alcantara will get a turn at third base while Rivera rests for the series finale. Rivera had started in each of the Diamondbacks' last seven games and went 6-for-26 with a home run, five walks, two doubles, five runs and five RBI over that stretch.
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Nick Maton DH | CHW
Phillies' Nick Maton: Returns to bench role
Maton is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
After making four starts in a stretch of five games, Maton is now on the bench for the fourth straight contest. The 25-year-old doesn't look like he'll be in store for steady at-bats moving forward after the Phillies reinstated Bryce Harper from the 60-day injured list Friday.
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Kyle Farmer 3B | ATL
Reds' Kyle Farmer: Slugs eighth homer
Farmer went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Nationals.
Farmer got the scoring started on the day with a first-inning solo blast, his eighth home run of the season. The 32-year-old, who will start at third base and bat third in Sunday's series finale, is slashing .314/.359/.407 in August.
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Nick Senzel 3B | LAD
Reds' Nick Senzel: Tending to hamstring injury
Senzel, who is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals, is day-to-day with left hamstring tightness, the Associated Press reports.
Senzel will be on the bench for a third straight game while he tends to the injury, allowing TJ Friedl to make another start in center field. A recent MRI apparently cleared Senzel of any major injury, so the Reds are seemingly hopeful that he won't require a stint on the 10-day injured list.
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Jean Segura 3B | CLE
Phillies' Jean Segura: Steals base in blowout victory
Segura went 1-for-2 with one double, one run scored and one steal in Saturday's win over Pittsburgh.
Segura tallied a double off righty reliever Chase De Jong in the fifth. In his last 12 games, the second baseman has recorded 13 hits in 39 at-bats; however, he has only two extra-base hits during that span. In addition, the 32-year-old has not struck out much in his last 10 games with only four in 30 at-bats.
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Eduardo Escobar 3B | TOR
Mets' Eduardo Escobar: Kept quiet in return
Escobar (oblique) went 0-for-3 in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Rockies.
Escobar had chances to make an impact but instead left five men on base in his fruitless return after a minimal stay on the injured list. The 33-year-old has primarily played third base this season, but he could shift into a utility role over the last few weeks of the season to allow prospect Brett Baty consistent playing time at the hot corner. Escobar is fairly experienced around the infield in his career, though he'll likely need to improve slightly on his season-long .214/.267/.381 slash line to remain a consistent presence in the lineup.
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Nolan Arenado 3B | ARI
Cardinals' Nolan Arenado: Homers in four-hit day
Arenado went 4-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double and a hit-by-pitch in a 6-5 victory over Atlanta on Saturday.
Arenado powered Saturday's comeback win with a double in the first inning, a single in the third, a two-run shot in the fifth, another single in the seventh and an HBP during a ninth-inning rally. It was the 31-year-old's first game since Aug. 24 due to a stint on the paternity list and he continued an exceptional August that features a .371/.424/.753 slash line with 10 doubles and eight homers.
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Max Muncy 3B | LAD
Dodgers' Max Muncy: Playing through sore knee
Muncy has been playing through left knee soreness, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Muncy was supposed to serve as the designated hitter for the third consecutive game Saturday against the Marlins, but he'll move out to third base with Justin Turner feeling well enough to hit but not take the field. Muncy has just one hit in his last three games (12 at-bats), but it's unclear if that brief slump has anything to do with the knee issue.