MLB Player News
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Cavan Biggio 2B | ATL
Dodgers' Cavan Biggio: Exiting starting nine Sunday
Biggio is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants.
Biggio will head to the bench after he started at third base over the first two games of the series, going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. Chris Taylor will step in at third base in place of Biggio, who is slashing just .167/.265/.167 with a 35.3 percent strikeout rate since being acquired from the Blue Jays on June 12.
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Santiago Espinal 3B | CIN
Reds' Santiago Espinal: Sitting in second straight game
Espinal is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
Espinal will hit the bench for the second straight day after he had started in six straight games at either third base or designated hitter. With Noelvi Marte recently getting reinstated from an 80-game suspension to begin the season and with Jake Fraley and Jeimer Candelario returning to the lineup Saturday and Sunday, respectively, after multi-game absences, Espinal's opportunities are expected to become more limited moving forward.
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Joseph Ortiz 3B | MIL
Brewers' Joey Ortiz: Not starting Sunday
Ortiz (neck) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs, Sophia Minnaert of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.
The 25-year-old is out of the lineup for the third straight game due to neck soreness, but his absence is viewed as precautionary. Ortiz's appearance as a pinch runner during Saturday's contest reinforces that sentiment. Andruw Monasterio will receive another start at the hot corner in Sunday's series finale.
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Nick Senzel 3B | CHW
Nationals' Nick Senzel: Heading to bench Sunday
Senzel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Senzel started the previous nine games but will receive Sunday off after he batted .176 with a 29.4 percent strikeout rate during that stretch. Ildemaro Vargas will take over at the hot corner and bat seventh.
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Matt Chapman 3B | SF
Giants' Matt Chapman: Three hits, RBI in loss
Chapman went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's loss to the Dodgers.
Chapman doubled in his first at-bat before then getting caught trying to steal second. He then drove home Heliot Ramos with an infield single in the following frame before eventually going on to reach a total of four times in the contest. It marked Chapman's fourth three-hit performance this season and his first since May 18 against the Rockies. The third baseman has also hit safely in six straight games, posting two homers, six RBI and six runs scored over that stretch.
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Jeimer Candelario 3B | CIN
Reds' Jeimer Candelario: Returning from four-game absence
Candelario (hamstring) will serve as the Reds' designated hitter and No. 3 batter in Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
After missing out on four straight starts due to hamstring tendinitis, Candelario will draw back into the lineup in a non-defensive role as he makes his fifth start of the season at DH. With Noelvi Marte recently completing his 80-game suspension and likely to see the bulk of the starts at third base moving forward, Candelario could end up picking up most of his playing time at either DH or first base, which should aid his recovery from the hamstring issue.
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Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B | PIT
Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes: Checking out of starting nine
Hayes is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.
Jared Triolo will step in at third base while Hayes takes a seat for the series finale in Atlanta. Hayes had started in each of Pittsburgh's last three games, going 4-for-12 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, an RBI and a run.
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Noelvi Marte 3B | CIN
Reds' Noelvi Marte: Steals base in win
Marte went 0-for-5 with a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 9-4 win over the Cardinals.
Marte reached base and knocked in a run on a fielder's choice before swiping a bag and scoring as part of the Reds' six-run fifth inning. He notched double-digit steals in each of the last three years in the minors and is on his way to accomplishing that feat as a major-leaguer this season after notching two thefts in three games since being reinstated from suspension. After collecting three hits in his first four at-bats off suspension, Marte has gone 10 at-bats without a hit.
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Aaron Schunk 2B | COL
Rockies' Aaron Schunk: Debuts as pinch hitter
Schunk went 0-for-1 on Saturday against the White Sox.
Schunk entered Saturday's game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning to make his major-league debut. He had his contract selected Friday, though it's unclear how much playing time he'll receive with Brendan Rodgers and Ryan McMahon locked in as starters at second base and third base, respectively.
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Mark Vientos 3B | NYM
Mets' Mark Vientos: Reaches 10-homer mark
Vientos went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Astros.
Vientos has flexed his power recently with five homers over his last nine games. In that span, he's batting .324 (12-for-37) with seven RBI and 10 runs scored. The third baseman is at a .297/.355/.578 slash line with 10 long balls, 23 RBI, 24 runs scored, no stolen bases and six doubles through 141 plate appearances this year. As long as the 24-year-old continues to hit well, he should have no trouble holding onto a starting job at the hot corner.